The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1885-05-20
sEPARAr1oN on LIE cnupE nAnK.
Doctors and poctorinr

Do NC believe in doctors? Whether we do
or MT, we generally send for them when we
| are i'll. Still, If l were asked my opinion,
| the profession is largely over-crowded. Physic
! is hugely Uverdone. Half the complaints the
people-especially idle people-suffer from
are imaginary. l do not deny that men and
women get i'll, and occasionally die, but hold
| that, in vast number of cases, a doctor is
unnecessary at first, and quite helpless at
last-that is, SO far as his physic is concerned,
and have pretty good authority for what /
say.
Sir William Jeuner has the courage TO de-
clare that 'the science of medicine is bar
barous jargon-every dose of medicine is a
blind experiment." When the great Maiendie
assumed the Professors Chair of Medicine at
the College of France. he thus addressed the
astonished students: Gentlemen, medicine is
humbug Who knows anything about medi-
cine? l tell you frankly, don't. Nature
does good deal; doctors do very little-when
they don't do HARM Majendie went on to
tell the following pungent little professional
tale out of school:
When l was head physician at Hotel Dieu
/ divided the patients into three sections, To
one gave the regulation dispensary medi-
cine in the regulation way; TO another l rave
bread, milk and colorod water and to the third
| gave nothing at all. Well, gentlemen, every
one in the third section got well. Nature in
variably came TO the rescue
Now, of course, we must allow something
for the obtrusive candor Of professional con-
fession-which is always apt to overlap the
mark and give the opponent a few more
points than he asks for, really for the sake of
placing him at disadvantage. Still there is
truth in the candid jest, if Jest it be, the
truth is this: The doctor is often superiuous,
sometimes mischievous, occasionally fatal,
Physicing, as Sir Wm. Jenncr Quoted by
DR.. Ridge) admits, is largely. a speculative
operation. The ingenious "doseist," as Ar
iemus Ward would say, has theories about
what is the matter with you; he physics ac
cording to his theory, and then physics TO
correct his theory. This he calls changing
the treatment" Wrong again. Try back: al
ter diet; then physic away at the new diet.
Wrong again. Patient gets worse Perhaps
1t is change Of air. not change of food he
wanis-bright ideal send him out of town.
on lie goes into the country; forgets to take
ms physlc; feels better; gets we'll; doctor looks
bland, mods his head and says: "Told Won:
change OF air-that's what YOU wanted"
What he really wanted was to be let alone.
Leave off worrying Nature-that is what is
required; not in all cases; but in a good many:
and that is probably what Majendie and Jen-
ner and all the wise doctors think. They aim
al diet and dIscipline-they assist they do
not try 10 force, Natures hund-and every
now aud then admit this in burst of con-
fdence
There is another dubius side of the question
Doctors often say to you, "Be syre you come
10 me al once. ! can arrest disease at an
early stage; but delay-hesitate! hesitatel-
and you are lost" This is Just one of those
dangerous half truths whereat doctors do |
suck TO no small advantage If you call the |
doctor IN for every little ailment, you will |
get Into an artificial state. Nature will |
strike work, and you will never he well with |
out the doctor-nor with him either. If Won
always take opiates, you will never sleep |
without them; or tones, you will never eat |
without them; or stimulants, you will never
work without them.
II Is law true in sociology and physics
alike that dependence grows what it feeds ON
There are doctors who always send people to
bed directly they have a little cold-they
have no resistance left. You are somewhat
out OF order; instead Of exercise and modera-
hon, IN comes tie doctor with his dose and.
next time, nature will refuse to have ANY,
hing to do with you. II am not going To
-rouole myself about you, hhe virtually saws
Send for the doctors; you prefer his pLysic
% my more slow, but more sure and more
healthy, recuperatiye power. Take physic-
strike work.
Not Only do we often begin too soon, but we
90 on too long with the doctor He calls and
:alls again; he rednes his prescriptions until
Is gradailons of Efficacy are quite impercept-
bic, but they are just enough 10 keep nature
n leading-strings and to make each step de.
'endent upon the therapeutic art
OF course, l admit that there are many
asses TO which these remarks are wholly in
pplicable. Bronchitis, incipient cancer and
theirs, both functional and organic-to take
hese IN time may be everything. There are
asses where the diagnosis Of good physician l
J simply invaluable; his hints about food are
OF TO be neglected, yet they should be taken. /
erhaPs, cum qra''o, and checked by personal {
xperience.-"JhoP Professor" IN Science 1