The Opelousas courier., 1885-12-26
A TALK WITH A DOCTOR.
Interesting Details About the
Practice of Medicine.
Women the Best Patients to Attend.
The Average Income of Physicians.

pdetoAtos
The above question was asked of a
prominent physician a few evenings
since. "The number of physicians
Of sensGand reputation" he replied,
"who experiment on their patients is
quite small. Indeed, l do not know
such a practitioner. There is IL very
erroneous impression among the mid
die and lower classes of persons on this
point. Nothing is more common than
to hear someone say: why, L wouldn't
think of going to a doctor. When
they once get hold of you they'll never
let CO. No general statement could
be farther from the truth. 1t is to the
best interests of a physician to cure
the n upon whom he is in attend
ance, because every cure he effects in
creases the confidence reposed in him.
Almost every day some new disease OF
some hitherto unknown manifesto
ton of disease is developed in practice,
and it is not surprising, therefore. that
even the best equipped and most ex-
perienced doctor is compelled to occa-
sionally grope around in the materia
medica before ne finds the proper rem
edy. But the suspicion of the desire
for experimenting is so uppermost in
the mind of the average patient that
it would be difficult to impose upon
him, even if it was SO desired"
"What kind of patients arc easiest
to attend toy was asked.
Women. They will believe any,
thing you tell them"
"In a great majority of instances
they display more nerve under treat
ment than their alleged superiors, the
lords of creation. They have the most
profound hope of recovery. A man,
on the other hand, is apt to break
down; go to pieces, as we say. 1t is a
fact that more women than men, phys
ical conditions being relatively equal,
recover from diseases where endur-
ance, pluck, patience. and freedom
from worriment, are the chief essen
tials of a cure. 1t has been my exper-
ence that n woman who had been
thoroughly cured, and knows it, will
bring to her medical adviser ten times
as many good cases as ten of the most
grateful men who have bsen similarly
rescued"
"Are there many patients who neg
lect to pay?"
"That depends on the nature of the
practice. Usually the rich are more
prompt in settling the bills of their
than they are in paying the
'llls contracted in any other way.
Perhaps it is because they are SO bin
{ makes them feel proud to pay them.
But taking the case of a physician
Eho has a mixed practice, and it is
Usual to lose about 20 per cent. of the
ees through bad bills; sometimes the
.'ercentage is greatly increased, especl-
lily in times of epidemics."
What is the average income of o
MUSICIAN ?" asked the reporter.
sit is hard to strike an average.
However, Think it would be near the
CURE to say that the average income /,
T a well-established physician in this a
ltyi is $4,000 a year. But there is hardly =
ny profession where the fees are SO !
ariable. Since human gratitude for
wing life is SO great. it not infre-
uently happens that $4,000 is paid 1
single cases as fees. The average
lcome of the country doctor is about .
s.ooo per year. 1t usually requires :
We years of close attention to bust
ess to establish a good practice.
Dung doctors find that a little expert.
ice In the hospitals before settling i
own in an office is great help to Q
EN- In this regard. The fees Of phy.
clans vary from 81 to $25 a visit.
} not think the profession would look Z
ith favor on any proposition to low: q
The present rates. but there is q y
rong disposition to a~bbreviate In Y
me way the great army of graduates
medicine that are annually ground ,
It OF the colleges, and it is likely that, q y
not a lar distant day, the standard g g,
the colleges in the United States 81
be forced up to that of the Ger,
IN universities of medicine. This
ouId materially reduce the number
graduates" r
"Do you think that medicine will
entually be able to successfully cope
til every kind Of disease?"
Il am not at all certain about that. vii
| would not put myself on record :
denying that such a time may n
me. The practice Of medicine has !.
dergone marvellous revolutions since
establishment. Other equally -
'nderful revolutions are to come. q
bile I believe that some methods !.
Il be ultimately discovered for ar :.