Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-04-01
DOCTORS FURIOUS.
shans = Physfcfnn TELL enc Truth or
N09l i Nice Point In Ethics.


N09l a Nice R0Ame In E&hkcss
A sensible Health Onlciai..
BALTIMORE. ND "A decided stir has been
saused here. over the question as 70 the right
Of q physician 10 certify to the merits Of
remedy not in the modern pharmacoppia-
DR.. James A. Sseuart, one OF the most emf
nent physicians in the South, and Health
Commissioner of this city. had analysed a
1ewly discovered article, and certified OH
cially not only to its efficacy but 70 the fact
that it replaced old-time preparations Of q
similar character which. analyses had proved.
were aduiterated and poisonous. The medi-
cal and cllirurgical faculty, of which he Is q
member. held that he had violated the code
Of medical ethics, and much public interest
was aroused because OF the confidence
felt both in his professional stand
ing and Official integrity.
It was argued that to thus place limita-
ton on the ats OF . physician and especially
OF q health officer, was opposed to the spirit
Of the age: that such reasoning might have
been logical enough when IL was to the inter-
est OF rulers or societies to invest themselves
with supernatural halo, but now when
thought should be free and untrammeled, such
things savored OF barbarism II was the duty
Of physician, especially of a health officer,
70 condemn publicly any remedy which be
knew TO be injurious, but it was not right to
say that he should be debarred from testify
ing to the merits Of anything which he knew
TO be good III this were so, the world would
not receive the benefit OF half the discoveries
made in art or science. Thus the people ar
gued, while the facu ty threatened expulsion
and talked of timehonored customs, ethics.
professional courtesy and traditions.
But the matter soon assumed new and
surprising phase A few days afterward a
certificate appeared in the daily papers bear
ing the autograph SIGNATURES of Governor
McLane, Attorney-General Roberts, Mayor
Latrobe, city postmaster Adreon, chiefs OF
State and municipal departments, judges and
gressmen. emphatically endorsing the action
of the health comm issioner, and c0ncurring
in his opinion as to the efficacy of the remedy,
asserting that they did SO from personal ex-
perience with it and practical tests and obser'
Nations
There could be no gainsaying such evidence
as this but as if to cap the climax, shortly after
ward there appeared another certificate with
autograph signatures OF leading practicing
physicians from all parts of the State, includ
ing the physicians of all the leading hospitals,
the physician 20 the city fire department, the
port physician, vaccine physician and resident
physicians of infirmaries all endorsing the
discovery and stating that it had been tested
by them in hospitals and private practice for
works with wonderful curative effect,
and that analyses had shown no trace OF
opiates or poisons, prevalent IN other
cough mixtures They further stated that
they had been induced to take this step in
view of the many hurtful preparations which
contained uaTCOOlCS anu pO1SOuS anu OF Bue
dangers consequent on Their use. The RENE
dy in question is Red Star Cough Cure. Such
q conclusive answer as this to the narrow ar
gurnents of the few, arrayed public sentiment
on the side Of the Health Commissioner, aid
il Is significant that DIR. Steuart has since
been appointed to Office by the Mayor for a
third term. and has had his appointment
unanimously confirmed by the City Council.
Owing to the high professional reputation
of the gentlemen who endorsed his action, as
well as to the enyiable standing of the owners
of the remedy, The Charles A. Vogeler Com
many, of this city, widespread interest has
already been created in the subject, not only
here, but in Philadelphia, Washington and
other neighboring cities. The feeling is
generally expressed by professional men that
Red Star Cough Cure, on account OF its free
dom from narcotics and poisons, inaugurates
a most desirable new departure in medicine.
This is the pronounced opinion of authorities
like DR. Fawcett who has been for
thirty three years resident physician of the
Union Protestant InfirTnary, in this city. and
Professor John j. Caldwell. M. D., member
Of medical societies of Baltimore, Now York
and Brooklyn, and with a long experience in
civil and military hospitals. Both Of these
gentlemen, together with no less than fifty
other practicing physicians of Maryland,
have publicly put themselves on record as to
the evil OF narcotic medicines, and the conse-
uuent value and importance of the new dis
coyery referred to. 1t is conceded that pub
lie opinion has completely indicated Dr.
Steuart in his action, and that in his whole
course he was actuated simply by an earnest
desire TO benefit the community at large.