Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1885-03-11
DOCTORS FURIOUS.
Shall . Physician Tell the Truth o.
Notf-A Nice Point in Ethics,
A Sensible Health OEcfal.

BALTIMORE. MD.-A decided St has been
caused hero ovcr the question as to the right
Of = physician TO certify to tho merits Of a
remedy not In the modern pharrAacopdia.
Dr. James A. Steuart, ono OF tho most emf
nent physicians in tho South. and Health
toinini. ssoner OF this city, had ana'yzed a
newly discovered article, aud certified Off
ciaIy, not only 70 its efficacy but to the fact
that II replaced o.d-ttne preparations OF a
similar character which. analyses had proved,
werc adulterAted and poisonous. The Medi-
cal and Chirurg cal 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 tho CT nfdencc felt
both TN his professional standing and Official
integrity.
1t was argued that to thus place a limita.
ton on The acts OF . physician, and especially
OF 9 health Officer, was opposed to the spirit
OF the age; that such reasoning might have
been logical enough when it was to the inter-
est OF rulers or societies to invest themselves
with a supernatural halo, but ow, when
thought should tic free and untrammeled.
such things savored OF barbara M. 1t was
the duty OF q physician, especiallyo OF u health
otfcer, to condemn publicly any remedy
which he knew to be injurious, but 1t was not
right to say that he should be del from
testifying to the mer IS OF anything which no
knew to tie good. II this were SO, the word
would not receive the benefit of half the dis
ooveries made in art or science. Thus the
fSSosS W"AtO kuO NNt
expulsion and talked of time-honored GUS
toms, ethics, professional courtesy, and ira
ditions.
But the matter soon assumed a new and
cert icate appeared in the daily papers bear
ing the autograph signatures Of Gov
ernor McLane, Attorney General Roberts,
Mayor Latrobe. City Postmaster Adreon,
chiefs OF State and municipal departments,
Judges and Clerks of Courts. Federal officials
md (On0 rpaSman atnrhatt nnf1U npdnrctun
the action Of the Health Commissioner, and
concurring in his opinion as TO the efficacy of
the remedy, asserting that they did so from
personal experience with it and practical
tests and observations.
There could be no Rainsayiny such evil
dence as this, but, as IL TO cap the climax,
shortly afterwards there appeared another
certificate with autograph signatures OF
leading practicing physicians from ali parts
of tho Stata. including the physicians of all
the leading hospitals, the physician to the City
Fire Department, the port physician, vaccine
physician, and resident physicians of inf!rm-
aries, all endorsing the discovery and stating
that 1t had been tested by them in hos
pitais ana private practice for weeks with
wonderful curative effect, and that analy-
SIS had shown no trace of opiatcs 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 narcotics and
YViSOuSs 0ud " thC htk tolsttutiit Z II
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 Commissioners, and it 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 the enviable staining of tho
owners of the remedy. The Charles A. Vogeler
Company, of this city, widespread interest
has already been created In tho subject, not
only hero, but IN Philadelphia, Washington
and other n~eighboring cities. The feeling
is generally expressed by professional men
that Red Star Cough Cure, on account
of its freedom from narcotics and poisons,
inaugurates q most desirable new depar-
ture In medicine. This is the pronounc-
ed opinion of authorities like DIR. Faw-
cett, who has been for thirty-thrce years
resident physician Of the Union Protestant
l%nfrmary, in this city, and Prof. John J. Cald-
well. NJ. D., member of medical societies of
Baltimore, New York, and Brooklyn, and
with o 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 put them
selves on record as to the evil OF narcotic
medicines, and the consequent value and i'm
portance OF the new discovery referred to. 1t
10 conceded that public opinion. has CON-
pletely vfndicated 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.