The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1888-07-20
IGNORANCE OF MEDICINE.

The surest Way 90 Eradicate Quacksry.
Amuiets and ''Ipfaliibie'' Remedies.
The first step in education is convic-
ton of our ignorance. This is especially
true in medicine. . So long as men had q
perfect faith in charms there was no use
to teach them hygiene. OF what use
was chemistry when alchemy was in
general favor? A distinguished medical
writer said years ago that the only way
to eradicate quackery permanently was
by teaching physiology and anatomy in
the schools, because quackery was not
founded on the shrewdness Of its profess
sors, but the ignorance Of its victims.
Yet it is surprising how much of that
old time ignorance which made witch
craft possible and profitable yet ex-
lists. DIR. Fordyce Barker, while at
tending Mr.. Conkling, was constantly
annoyed by worthy people who wanted
him to try some ridiculous nostrum on
his distinguished patient. They were OF
exactly the same class as that very re-
spectacle gentleman who carries about a
small potato or an onion in his pocket to
ward off rheumatism. He does not be-
lieve in signs, nor omens, nor isms; but
how does he differ from the poor darby
who carries about rabbit foot in his
pocket to shield him from the evil eye2
He smiles deprecatingly, but carries the
potato and assures you confidentially
that, however it may be, in his particu-
lar case it has worked wonders. The
miserable wretch who killed an inof-
fensive Chinaman the other day ''for
fun" was more anxious to keep an ANU
let he had in his pocket than his liberty,
and he reasoned about as well rs the
man who carries potato in his pocket,
but not particle of the knowledge of
the laws of life and health in his head.
The public discussion of the Affections
of Garfield, Grant, ConSling and Kaiser
Frederick have done much good by un-
covering a vast amount of popular ignor-
ance even where it was not suspected.
1t showed that many who were ready to
cure all diseases in the body polite did
not know the first symptom of disease in
their own bodies. Men with their fingers
always on the public pulse did not know
where to feel for their own pulse. Men
conversant with all other history knew
absolutely nothing of the history of medi-
cine. Men able to trace the cause of
political commissions never were able to
account for that first stroke of paralysis.
Such men were sure they could have
cured Mr.. Conkling's disease by the
steam of hot potato. They knew that
Garfield could have been saved if they
had been given charge of him in time,
though the post norton proved that his
wound was fatal from the first. The
number of infallible remedies sent to
Gen. Grant was legion. Half of the old
women in Germany are seriously grieved
because they are not allowed to save the
kaiser from his doctors by remedy that
came down to them from their great
grandmothers.
All of this proves that SO far as medi-
cine is concerned we are in the middle
ages yet. No proper provision is made
in schools for the prevention of quackery,
as begins to be made for the prevention
of intemperance by teaching the effects
of alcohol. Many graduate is not ex-
actly clear as to which side his heart is
on, or what it is there for. When it
comes to the spleen, the colon, the nerves,
he better understands the geography of
interior Africa.
The science Of medicine advances I'M
der difficulties, the greatest of which is
popular ignorance. When we learn to
know how little we know then we will
commence to advance. Then fairly edu-
Gated men will not commence to prescribe
for friend and suggest doubts as to his
physician before knowing anything more
of the disease than of the doctor. No
greater boon could be bestowed on the
coming doctor than generation thor
oughly educated in physiology, anatomy
and hygiene. We will never be rid Of
quacks and quackery until we stop breed
ing the one and encouraging the other,
by turning over the whole subject of dis
ease, as of old, to special class, whether
sorcerers or doctors. Chicago Times.
Why Orators Are Few.