The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-16
1T PAYS DOCTORS TO CURE.
Faliacy of Common Belief Clearly Exposed
Experiments on Patients.


Fanacy of Common Belief Clearly Exposed
Experiments on Patients.
Baltimore American.
''Do doctors ever practice on their patientsl"
The above question was asked of prominent
physician, few evenings since. 'The number
of physicians OF sense and reputation, he re-
Piled "who experiment on their patients is quite
small. Indeed, do not know such practiton-
er. There is very erroneous impression among
the middle and lower classes of persons on this
point Nothing IS more common than to hear
some one say, Why, wouldn't think of going
to a doctor. When they get hold of you
they'll never let go. No general statement
could be farther from the truth. 1t is
to the best interests of physician to cure the
one upon whom he is in attendance because
every cure he effects increases the confidence
reposed in him. Almost every day some new
disease some hitherto unknown manifestation
of disease is developed in practice. and it is not
surprising. therefore that even the best equipped
and most experienced doctor is compelled to
occasionally grope around in the materia medica
before he fnGs the proper remedy. But the
suspicion of the desire for experimenting is
uppermost in the mind of the average patient
that it would be difficult to impose upon him,
If it so desired"
what kind of patients are easiest to attend
too" was asked.
Women. They will believe anything you
tell them"
I'm great majority of instances they display
more nerve under treatment than their alleged
superiors, the lords of creation They have the
most profound hope of recovery. man. the
other hand, is apt to break down. go 20 pieces, as
we say. 1t is n fact that more women than men,
physical conditions being relatively equal,
recover from diseases where endurance, pluck
and patience, and freedom from worriment, are
the chief essentials of cure. 1t has been my
experience that one woman who has been thor
oughly cured and knows it, will bring to her
medical adviser ten times many good cases as
ten of the most grateful men who have been
been similarly rescued"
Are there many patients who neglect to
pay!n
That depends upon the nature of the prac-
tice Usually the rich prompt in
settling the bills of their doctor than they are in
paying the bills contracted in any other way
Perhaps 1T is becaue they are so big it makes
them feel proud to pay them. But, taking the
case of physician who has mixed practice,
and it is usual to lose about 20 per cent. of the
fees through bad bills; sometimes the percentage
Is greatly increased, especially in times of
cDidemcs"
What is the average income of physcian9'
asked the reporter
1t is hard to strike an average However I
think it would be near the figure to say that the
average income of well-established physician
in the city is $4,000 year. But there is hardly
any profession where the fees variable.
Since human gratitude for saving life
is so great it not ipfrequently happens
that $4,000 is paid III single cases
as fees The average income Of the country
doctor is about s., 600 per year. It usually re-
9uires five years of close attention to business TO
establish good practice. Young doctors find
that little experience in the hospitals before
settling down in an office is great help to them
in this regard. The fees of physicians vary from
ST. to go visit l do not think the profession
would look with favor on any proposition to lower
the present rates. but there is strong DISPOSE
ton to abbreviate in some way the great army
of graduates in medicine that are annually
ground out of the colleges, and it is likely that,
at not far distant day, the standard of the col
leges in the United States will be forced up to that
of the German universities Of medicine. This
would materially reduce the number of gradu-
ates"
DO you think that medicine will eventually
be able to successfully cope with every kind OF
diseased"
81 am not at all certain about that. But I
would not put myself on record as denying that
such time may come. The practice of medicine
| has undergone marvellous revolutions since its
establishment Other equally wonderful revo~
lutions are to come While believe that some
methods will be ultimately discovered for arrest
ing the progress of every disease, matter how
confidence in the theory entertained in some
quarters that anything be done to re-
place part or organ of the human body which
has been actually deadened destroyed, or oblit-
Grated. For instance, it will not be possible to
restore to vitality lung vitiated by consump-
ton, or to supply new gizzard in place of one
consumed by malady. But if such things are
within the realm of the possible, then there is
no doubt that human life can be indefinitely
prolonged"