The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-07-17
TINE FAIRFIELD JOURNAL AND DR..
YOUNG,

upon DIR. Young, Secretary of the State
Board of HEALTH this week. 1t has shifted
its ground, however. Last week it said:
'.Just what this learned man [Dr. Young1 ex-
pected to lind that the physicians, who have at
do not pretend to know"
If that means anything it means that, in
the opinion of the Journal, DR.. Young's WIS.,
it to Madison was superfiuous, that he was
meddling with matter that properly be-
longed to the resident physicians.
This week, however, it says:
at is not for going to East Madison that we
there, at the expense of the State, he conspicu-
ously neglected his plain duty"
Now If this was the Journals real COM
plant why on earth did it not say so in the
first place? There is not in its first article
an intimation from beginning to end, that
his investigation was not thorough, or that
it did not meet the appreciation of the peo-
pie of the town. The gist of it all is COM
plant that he failed to ascertain the cause
of diphtheria, and an intimation that his
visit was uncalled for, and unacceptable to
the resident physicians.
The truth doubtless is that the Journal
was so anxious to blaze away at DIR. Young
that it did not stop to consider what its
weapon was loaded with, and the result was
that its gun
Bore wide and kicked its owner over.
In the week intervening between its first
and second assault it has discovered that
Dr. Young was requested to go to Madison
by the citizens, and by leading physician,
so it won't do to pitch into him again for
going to Madison. 1t won't do to insinuate
that he was meddling with the business of
the resident doctors. Therefore it takes a
new position. Now the charge is that Dr.
Young only made "most casual examina-
ton of the surroundings, and then came
away and delivered himself of half column
of platitudes on diphtheria in general" We
do not know precisely what investigation DR..
Young made or how thorough it was, but
we have before us DR.. Young's report, and
we do know that the Journals descrip-
ton of it is wide of the truth. Half of the
report is taken up with describing the condi-
ton of things at East Madison, and the re-
mainder of it in suggesting means to be
used to check the epidemic Fdlsam IN os,ao,
fdtSlun IN omnibus is maxim of the law.
If the Journal will deliberately misrepresent
the doctors report as it has done, no Deepen
dence can be placed on its description of the
doctors examination. Against the Journals
sneer at his report let us quote the words of
DR.. s. A. Patten, who is described by the
Journal as ''a skillful physician of extensive
practice upon the subject of diphtheria,"
who ''has given the treatment of this disease
a good deal of careful study, and can be safe
ly considered an authority" DR.. Patten says:
1t seems that the doctor [Youngl has been there
East MadisOn1 with reference to forming and
giving to the public an intelligent opinion upon
the sanitary condition of this villrge and the
cause or causes of the serious sickness now pre-
vailing there, and which has already resulted in
the aeath of nine or ten individuals. His sugges-
lions as to the Importance of cleanliness, good
drainage pure water and pure air, and the prop
er means to be used to prevent the further spread
of the disease, are timely and important, and
worthy of serious consideration, not only by the
towns; for there is good reason to believe that
health and happiness as well as goodness are pro-
NOTED by the careful observance of good hygieRic
rules, especially by keeping clean; but he fails to
locate the cause of the disease.
But the citizens complain, or rather the
Journal says they do, that DR.. Young did
not ascertain the cause of the disease. If
the citizens expected DR.. Young to ascertain
that they expected altogether too much.
The cause of diphtheria is;involved in obscur-
ity which no expert has yet been able to pen
citrate. The theory is that it arises from a
specific germ or bacteria, but why these bac-
terra are more active in one year than
another is unknown and very likely always
will be. But it is tolerably well proved that
certain conditions accelerate the develop
ment and activity of these organisms. The
business Of the intelligent physician bent on
checking the disease is therefore to ascertain
whether any of these favorable conditions
exist and to remove them or counsel their re-
moval That is what DR.. Young did at Mad
ison. If he failed to do this thoroughly
that is justifable ground for complaint
against him, but to arraign him for not as
certaining the cause of diphtheria is simply
absurd. DR.. Patten, whom the Journal en-
dorses says:
The real efficient cause of diphtheria-the spe-
ciic poison or virus which produces it is not
known, and the disease itself has been, and is a
terrible perplexity and trial to medical men, not
only because of its severity and fatal results, but
for the reason that there is SO much about it to
deceive and mislead, from its inception to its
close, and so little apparently that is in con-
fOrmity with those general laws which we have
been wont to suppose influence and control all
diseases of this class Diphtheria has all seasons
for its own-all temperatures, the hottest weather
of summer and the coolest weather of winter; all
localities; low marshy lands, with their impure
ties, and also high lands, the tops of hills and
sides of mountains, where the air and water are
believed TO be pure and 1nv1gorating.
1t is little curious if the Journal is not
by anything personal in this mat
ter, as it says, that it should slur DIR. Young
for failing to ascertain the cause of diphthe
ria, while it describes another physician who
confesses that he knows nothing about its
cause as an authority on the subject.
But it is further charged that DR.. Young
did not make sufficiently close examina-
ton of a slaughter house, (Which, by the
way, that eminent medical authority,
the Journal, thinks was sufficient to cause
the whole trouble), and reported it in
proper condition when it was all wrong,
Now if that be true it forms a substantial
ground for complaint; but it is very singular
that the Journal did not make the charge
last week. 1t is very strange thai it should
attack DR.. Young for exceeding his duty
when he was amenable to the charge of ne
glecting his duty, much more serious Of
fence. This is the only count in the Jour
ueA WV luulCblu6utS bud1 Id NOluh o. hio
ment's attention, and we have little doubt
that this one can be completely oyerthrown
when DIR. Young comes to be heard. The
others, such as failing to discover the causes
of diphtheria, writing platitudes, not visiting
patients sick with the disease, are either dis
proved or shown to be ridiculous.
The Journal says it 'has no personal in
terest in this matter, but is simply express
ing the views of the much afflicted village"
This assertion is entirely superfluous. No
body after reading this dignifed and judi
cial paragraph could for moment imagine
that the author felt any personal interest in
the subject
DR.. A. G. young. secretary of the Board of
Reporter this week, to tell the citizens of the
State that he has been to East Madison to ascer-
tain the cause of the recent severe cases OF dlp-
iberia in that place. He reports that he don't
know. He doesn't state it in just that language,
for that would not be according to the code of
ethics, but that's the idea. just what this learned
man expected to find that the physicians who
have attended the cases there had not seen is
what we do not pretend to know. At best he did
not find it, and says SO.
The spelling of DR.. Young'S name with
small letter, referring to him ironically as this
Learned man," charging him with resorting
to circumlocution to conceal ignorance, all
go to show that the author was inspired by
nothing butpure philanthrophy and profound
for the afflicted village" Indeed,
we have no doubt he was in tears through
0nt the nnfira