Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-03-12
DOCTORS FURIOUS.
Shall Physician Tell the Truth or
Not! A Nice Point in Ethics.
a sensible Health omciaI.

| BALTIMORE, MD.-A decided stir has
been caused here over the question as to
the right OF physician TO certify to
the merits of a remedy not in the mod
ern pharmacopoeia. DR.. James A,
Steuart, one of the most eminent ply
sieians in the South and Health Com
| missioner OF this city, had Analysed
newly discovered article, and certified
officially not only 70 its efficacy but 10
the fact that it replaced old time prep
| arations of a similar character which,
analyses had proved. were adulterated
and poisonous. The Medical and Chirur-
| gical Faculty Of which he is a member,
| held that he hal violated the code of
medical ethics. and much public in
| terest was aroused because of the con-
fidence felt both in his professional
standing and official integrity.
1t was argued that to thus place a
limitation on the acts of physician,
and especially of health officer, was
| opposed to the spirit of the age; that
such reasoning might have been logical
enough when it was to the interest of
rulers Of societies to invest themselves
! with supernatural halo. but now when
J though5 should be free and untrammel-
| ed, such things savored of barbarism.
1t was the duty of physician, especi-
| ally of "a health officer. to condemn
publicly any remedy which he knew to be
injurious, but it was not right TO say that
he should be debarred from testifyiny
to the merits of anything which he
knew to be good. If this were so, the
world would not receive the benefit of
half the discoveries made in the art or
science. Thus the people argued, while
faculty threatened expulsion and talked
! of time-honorce customs, ethics, pro
fessl .nal courtesy and traditions.
BuC the matter soon assumed new
anc surprising phase. A few days
afterwards a certificate appeared in the
daily papers bearing the autograph sig
natures of Governor McLane, Attorney
General Roberts, Mayor Latrobe, City
Postmaster Adre,n, chiefs eff State and
municipal departments, Judges aud
Clerks of Courts, Federal officials and
Congressman, emphatically endorsing
the action Of the Health Commissioners,
and concurring ia his opinion as to the
efficacy of the remedy, asserting that
they did SO from personal experience
with it and practical tests aBd observa-
tions.
There could be no gainsaying such
evidence as this, bat. as if to cap the
climax, shortly afterwards there ap.
peared another certificate with auto
graph signatures of leading practicing
physicians from all parts of the state,
including the physicians of ali the lead
ing hospitals, the physician to the City
Fire Department. the Port physician,
vaccine physician and resident physi-
clans of intirmaries, all endorsing the
discovery and stating that it had been
l..
practice for weeks with wonderful
curative effect, and that analysis had
shown no trace of opiates or poisons,
prevalent in other cough mixtures.
They further stated that they had been
induced 10 take this step in view of the
many hurtful prep 2rati9ns which con-
tanned narcotics and'p.isons and of the
dengers consequent on their use. The
remedy in question is Red Star Cough
Cure. Such a conclusive answer as this
to the narrow arguments of the few,
arrayed public sentiment on the side of
the Health Commissioner, ana 10 is
significant that DR.. Steuart has since
been appointed to Office by the Mayor
for a third term and has had his APP
pointmeuU unanimously confirmed ty
the City Council
Owing to the high professional repu
tation of the gentlemen who Endorsed
his action. as well as to che enviable
standing Of the owners of the RENE by,
The Charles A. Vogeler Company. of
this city, widespread interest has al
ready been created on the subject, not
only here, but in Philadelphia, Wash
jngton and other neighboring cities.
The feeling is generally expressed by
professional men that Red Star Cough
Cure, ON account of its freedom from
narcotics and poisons, inaugurates
mot desjr; bic now departure in medi-
cine. This is the pronounced opinion
of authorities like DR.. Faucet, who has
been for thirty-three years resident
physician of the Union Protestant r.
Urinary, in this city, and Prof. John J
Caldwell, M D., member of medical
societies Of Baltimore, New York and
Brooklyn, and with long experience
in civil and military hospitals Both
of these gentlemen. together with no
less than fifty other practicing ply
sicians of Maryland, have publicly pat
themselves on record as to the evil of
narcotic medicines, and the consequent
value and impoItanc: of the new dis.
covery referred to. 1t is conceded
that public opinion has completely vim
dictated Dr.. Steuart in his action, and
that in his who'e course he was aciuat-
ed simply by an earnest desire TO benefit
the community at large.