Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-02-17
MANNERS OF THE DOCTOR.
The Physician ss a Social Faetor-Con6.
dences of Observation-Disclosures.

AFNs AAAF w.
oue Of his few patients TO devote TO social
duties and pleasures. These vii! prevent
the formation of slovenly habits in dress
and manners, and mt the same time per-
NIT the people of his own age and culture
TO estimate his character at his true value.
This is all the more important as it is
from this class that his future patrons are
to come and insure those ever widening
relations which are to be the support of
his advancing years. The impression
that he is thus able to produce will be of
incalculable value as the years 20 by. An
accomplishment of some sort will be
found of the greatest service. Music,
dancing, reading or oratory. as his tastes
incline him, should be cultivated, and the
conversations powers, 81 often deficient
at the present day, should receive all
possible encouragement, This, of course,
implies much reading and thought out
ode of professional matters, but il will he
found that general Information of the
most varied kind may be easily obtained
If reading is pursued in "A mcihodical way,
that D scientific training renders less did
cult than one would find it who had neya'
been thus instructed.
The inference hat a man who has ex-
sellent information on q large number Of
different subjects must also be well
versed in his OWL particular department
is usually just. With few exceptions,
this will generally be found a good cri.
terion by which 10 judge of the acquire
rnnnt1 Af On nhV.s.twn T1ara ,.a L..
ever, a few exceptions. These are the
enthusiasts, TO whom the study of any.
thing besides the fayorite science seems a
waste of tNne. or wori, a Dissertation OF
the temple VI knowledge. Even these
must know that there is no item Of
knowledge without its uses u the true
physician. There are MANY obvious
reasons why the young doctor should
marry early-as SOD as his practice will
enable him 10 su round a wife with the
comforts OF . home. Some one has said
that 1.-THE marrisd man has given hostages
10 fortune for hs future good behavior"
Il is certain thi' the confidence Of heads
of families is : cured more easily by the
married thar by the unmarried ply
dcian.
\ pledge Of secrecy regarding every
thing observed concerning an individual
i'll Of any disease is imphei by the mere
fact Of the pursuit OF the medical profess
sion. This pledge is q part Of the Hip
pocratic oath. which dates 500 years be-
fore our era, and. in a modified form, is
administered 10 graduates, in many med
ical colleges Of U time, at the time the
diploma is conferred upon the successful
candidates. The duty Of keeping pro-
fesSional secrets iavislate is taught from
the beginning ~ tue close Of the years OF
study and probation through which the
student must pass before lac can proudly
sffsI the title Of N. ID. to his autograph.
In many states, Missouri among them.
the doctor Is Forbidden 10 reveal such
secrets even on the witness stand. The
knowledge of hs fact Is calculated To in
spire the people with q confidence such
Is is felt only toward a spiritual adviser.
In fact, the priest and physician stand
upCn equal ground in this regard.
Should any medical man ~ far forget his
duty in this relation al to make the
troubles or diseases of those who had
consulted hrn a matter Of gossip from
house 10 house n among his associates.
some means ought 10 bc devised to expel
him from a profession whose honor he
has disgracei. IftLis cannot liz done. he
should incur the coaletapt and enmity Of
every honorable physician. rs well a. Of
the public at large.
This same q~ualIication--if il can be
thus termol-bringS many a tale If sor-
row. suffering and ,hamp 10 the notice
Of the sympathetic phvsiciAu. Many a
wrong has brpn richted, many a blot
spon the fair fame Of woman has been
erased, ami many a hurdeHel conscience
relieved 10y restitution. under the careful
guidance of the physician who has heen
made the conii,iamt If facts which are
carefully concealed from the inspection
Of the world. The good. Tire benefits
which can b. conferred upon society by
the careful and conscientious physician,
m the manner Just limited at, cannot be
svcrestimttrd.
The making Of a will in proper form
d sometimes If great Importance. In
Gases If accidents especially Is it neces-
sary that some n should know the
%technicalltirs which govern the validity
of such instruments. Frequently tho
physician is the only person present of
sufficient odIicatiOn 10 draw up such a
paper. hut If he does not know The rules
regarding the signatures of two witnesses
who saw the trstator sign IL as his last
will and testament, and Of the necessity
Of each signature being written in the
presence Of the testator and the other
witness. the doctors knowledge in the
premises is incomplete and the will with
out value.
In the fullness Of time the physician
becomes ''thc old doctor" in his locality.
This is too frequently "A title earned by
length Of years, no by mrritorious serv-
ice, in the cause Of humanity. It. is a
title longed for 10y many before age gives
them q right TO the distinction. Men Of
less than Is years have been known to
argue that the ''old doctor distinction
belonged of right 10 them. After %
years IL would seem proper 10 advance
the surviving members Of a graduating
class Of thirty years ago TO this proud
distinction. Age in the profession should
be considered rather than number of
birthdays. II may seem rather odd TO
devote any time 10 this question, but
every practitioner knows that the COM,
plimcnt, GLOW young you lOok!' has no