Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-02-21
HINTS TO DOCTORS,
ESPECIALLY OYOUNG MEMBERS OF
THE PROFESSION.
Requisites for "a Successful Practitioner
The Medical Mans Great Art-Ths
Ministers and the Ladies'
Avoid Patients Society.



Do not be persuaded by foolish friends
to plant yourself in any new quarter OF
the city. All new colonies are fatal TO
early enterprise. the first settlers only
clear the way for those who fol ow. and
are regularly ruined for the benefit of
posteritv When you have taken a house
and put your brass plate on the door, you
cannot do better than go abroad for tour
or five years At your return you Will
probably find that no one has inquired
for you. which must be very consolatory
TO your feelings inasmuCh rs II will >hOw
you have lost nothing by your absence,
and have vet given the world time 10 be
gin TO ascertain there is such erson IN
existence as yourself Having tamlllarlzed
peope with your name. 1t behooves you
then TO give il notorlcty; therefore tose no
time in getting into print You cannot
Law out a couple of hundred dollars 10 bet
ter advantage than publishing pamph ct
on any popular medical sub ect 4
treatise on indigestion has gained many
physician a sumptuouS dinner Mott
Francis. Buck, furnish eNCellen' examples
of that sort of alchemy which transmits
grievous dyspepsia TO a groaning table.
so many dishes says Seneca, so many
disorders but vice versa with the doc
tors so many disorders. so many dishes
The great ma jOrlty of mankind are
fools-that large portion you are TO |: e
by: therefore mystify your patients.
When you talk TO them. let II be in hing
Cambvses vein. The ears of the million
are easily captivated; when once their
senses are confounded. they have natur-
aaly q religious reVeration for anything
they do not understand In brief. in all
your dealings with men, remember you
have to do with folks who. according to
the Latin proverb have all al some time
been insane Never give direct an
swer to patients question, never commit
yourself by entering into explanation
with the frierds. To the sick mau you
cannot put too few questions; TO the rela-
tives you can never give too few replies
The great art of physician is TO gain
the confidence of the patient, and for that
purpose his first beet should be TO in
spire him with hope 1t is not a heSitat
ing manner or a me anChOiy mlen which
is calculated to raise the dropping spirits
Of the sick it is not a hangmans look OF
mute's demeanor that is lie Y 10 lend
the physiognOmy of the physician the
character of messenger of glad tidingS,
who comes with healing on his wings and
the gift of health IN his right hand II Is
not the umid eye, the irreSo ute tread.
the frivolous tongue. the fearful vo Ce or
the foolish simper of servile aCquiesCenCe
with the opinions of the friends or the
pre- udices of the attendants Of the sick,
which are al all favorable to the produc
ton Of that faith which can remove dis
eases which have been mountains TO mere
medicine
Never refuse fee from any person who
is able TO give one. in order that you may
never have occasion 10 take one from
man who is too poor 10 well ord one.
& matters not how merCenAry you NAV
be accounted by the rich, so long as you
are merciful 10 the poor Ii you can not
get fees without depriving them of bread.
il were better you had never been doc
tor. Your friends nor your familiars
have any claim on your skill, whatever
they may have on your affection If they
are entitled to your gratuitouS attendance
large connection would be great evil
10 q physician. Were you merchant
they would not ask your goods without
an equivalent. and surely because you are
man of science they cannot expect the
still more precious chattels of the mind
without any compensation
To obtain practice be sure TO enlist the
service on your side of the pastors of all
denominations in your neighborhood, and
pay your court asSiduOusly to the in uen-
tisl women. but above all if in the coun-
try; 10 the one or TWO charitable ladies,
par excellence, who are to be found in
every town, devoting q life Of single
blessedness and all the leisure of me- elected
beauty and imperishable celibacy 10 the
service of religion and Humanity Be
sure that You buy golden opinions of
these good women. for with all their &C
tive benevolence they have q large portion
of their leisure TO bestOw on the privacy
of their friends and neighbors, and heaven
defend the reputation OF that p or wretch
who at the terrible AreOpagus of the r
tea table, is consigned 10 the tender mer
cies Of their envenomed tongues.
Avoid the society of YOUR patients
Physicians should ha no familiars 10
be thoroughly respected. they must stand
aloOf from the gaze of society 4
prophet has no power in his own country,
neither has physician in his own circle
Without skill it is impossible to become
f1Ourishing physician. but without good
manners all the skill of the most eminent
physicians will not avail you in large
capital 4 good address is everything tD
q doctor The public are incapable Of
judging of a medical mans real knUwl-
edge the only way they have of forming
an opinion. therefore. is by analogy. ~
sCrutiniZing those superficial qualities and
the outward and visible signs of them.
which come Immediately within the
narrow sphere Of their comprehension.
If his manners be good they give his
mind credit for the advantage
The last and greatest preCept of all is;
Never violate in thought word or deed
the sanCtity of the sick chamber, He is
villain who revea 5 the secrets of that
prison house where pure humanity lies
bare and helpless; he is traitor TO fIs
profession who gussilrs about the infrmi-
ties he is cal ed 10 re eve, he is unworthy
the name of physical who. abusing the
confidence which is epo>ed in his human
ity and his honor has no sooner turned
from the bedside of the patient than the
infirmities he has witnessed become the
sub ,ect OF u ribad est