The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-09

lngton special, informing us that Senator Har-
rison had interviewed the Secretary of War and
bac received much encouragement in the matter
or establishing amilitary post at the arsenal with
a large number of troops, probably not less than
twocompaIlies. Great Scott! Is that to be the out
come OF all our glowing hopesl Two little COM
nanles o. foot troops. and no band; nay, not even
D single neighing steed instead of the brave and
warlike cavalry regiment our fancy painted!
May we not fear that the two companies limited
at, VIII diminish to recruiting party of six or
eight men. or to veteran ordnance sergeantl
me telegram referred to conveys the COM
Iortlne assurance that the expenditures on &C
count OF these Chopped forl two companies of in
fantry VIII be very large The truth of the
matter Is, that Two, three, or four companies of
infantry could be taken at the arsenal at any
time ana De made comfortable at a trifiing out
lay for slight changes.
The entire disbursements that would be made
by the government Oh account of two compa-
MES, would not exceed those regularly made by
the arsenal authorities This is evidently
other case where mountainous expectations are
to have molecular ending
Criticism of the Medical Profession,
To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
The opinion seems to prevail that it is mere
freak OF prejudice that moves a criticism of the
medical profession; and, Also that is evidently
the case with many whose opinion is worth con-
willingly form an unfair estimate with regard to
my course With such 1 feel that it is worth
my while to reason, to try to convince them they
are mistaken. That criticism is not creature
of prejudice, it is only necessary to show that
there is abundant reason for criticising the pro-
fesson, from the fact-and it cannot be denied
that they are constantly, and have been from
time lmmemorial, antagonizing each other in
every possible and conceivable way. trying to
destroy each others professional or often moral
standing. The time is not in the memory of the
Disguised people of our city when quarrel be-
tween the doctors has scarcely passed from one
ear before new one has come to the other.
The ink on the type has scarcely dried since the
last scandal, of that kind has been served up to
the readers OF the city papers, involving not only
the professional and moral standing of doctors,
but the moral character of women ALSO A case
OF many years ago can be stated to show what
consequences they are willing shall follow, pro-
vided one school can succeed in destroying the
reputation Of another A woman was on trial
for the murder of her husband The doctor in at
tendance on him detected arsenic in the food
prepared for him by her, and. on trial, had test-
fed to that fact when two physicians of another
school testified to the effect that he not
competent to distinguish arsenic from-chalk,
perhaps-or any other white substance. Thus
virtually willing that murderer should go un-
punished for the opportunity to punish doctor
who. perhaps. had read his c from 'yaller"
covered book, while they, perhaps. learned their
a BIS from red one And that doctor has always
had as good professional reputation as they
Now, in view of the above showing of facts, I
submit Cannot criticism upon the practices
of that profession be made without being OBJ
noxious to the charge of prejudging2 Ihave writ
ten nothing that has not been thoroughly fixed
in my mind after forty years of observation and
experience, by the bedside of the sick of my
own family. and from the opinions of others
whose experiences are largely akin to my own
Several years ago, and while scarlet fever was
prevailing had published for the benefit of
suffering humanity my experience in treating,
successfully, that fever-differently from the
practice of the doctors. Three of our children
had died under treatment by the ''code." Since
then had treated the others, afflicted with the
came diseases of which the first died. with per-
feet success. Then. a writer in the
Herald wrote: ''Mr A. S. Kingsley ad
mits violent prejudice against doctors"
Was my statement the result Of prejudice? /
had saved the lives, at least long suffering of
my children by treating them with the cold
BATH while the doctors treating their pa
tients according to the code of practice and they
were dying. Then as a humane man could do
less than tSkaoint the way for those afflicted par
ents to escape the sorrow of the loss of their
children9 And if the medical profession fail to
cure by their theory and practice shall they not
be open to censure by one who believes their fail
ure is the result of that practice without his be-
ing justly liable to the charge of prejudice? Shall
their pretentious claims to superior knowledge,
education, high standing in society, Christian
men and women. make them impregnable to as
sault by public opinion should they fail to make
their pretentions good by curing their patients;
or when they, refuse to come down
cation to go outside Of that medica,
theory to save such patients by the successful
treatment of one who makes no such pretences
of medical knowledge? Health is the great one
desire of all, and the pretentious claims by med
ical scientists that they understand the human
anatomy and consequently the needs of physi-
cal man in case any disease attack him. leads
the people to trust them implicitly to cure
them of sickness and save them from death
Do they do it? In the commonest disease in a
person, who in few hours, or a day, from
good health to such attacks, and from insig-
nifcant causes-a sudden chill overeating or
any of the many ways from health to illness,
and when health could again be restored in
few days by simple or no treatment-only rest
and quiet-do not those persons linger on beds of
pain for weeks months and then go to the
grave, while under the treatment of
those same DOCTORS who claim to know
all about the disease and the remedies for it9
Then, is it all prejudice when public or private
opinion revolts against such practice, and we
seek, and find a common sense way by the appli-
cation of natures laws. and save our children,
proclaim 1t and censure the doctors for their fail
ures? / am sure there doctors and others
who have known my sacrifices in aiding suffer
ing humanity, who will not attribute to me inn
proper feelings and motives in pleading for those
whom believe are sufferers, even from failure
of their own profession. A. G. KINGSLEY.
Rescuing the Perishing.
70 the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
1t could have been from no other motive--cer-
tainly from no less motive-that the State
poard of Education at ;fs 1ata ynaatipy ordorad