Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-29
DOCTORS. DISAGREE.

UUClUhO. U1OAUhEE.
| BUT THE EDUCATED ONES % THE
BEST FOR THEIR PATIENTS.
he Title Doctor Not Always -
Be Considered - Evidence That the
Of Typhoid Fever.
It is q common saying that doctors disa-
gree" etc. One is constantly hearing that old
and threadbare expression, the idea being
conveyed that it ia only exceptionally that il
two or more are called upon for an opinion
as to the character Of the disease In any
given case, or the treatment demanded, they
are seldom in accord The real fact b that
the reverse of this is true-that what Is 90
cepted as the rule is actually the exception.
Doctors do occasionally disagree, but only in
exceptional cases. 1t must be remembered
that there are doctors and doctors. Some
arc well educated and others are but indif-
ferently so, and very large proportion
throughout our country, and especially Mas
sachusetts, are absolutely ignorant even Of
the first principles of medicine
The title doctor" is generally supposed to
be one which can only be acquired through
some college OF university legally authorized
to confer it. It is also a common belief that
it Is invariably sign that he who wears it
has been duly qualified and not found want
ing" OF, in other words, that he has been
properly educated, and ''lifo and limb" can
be safely intrusted to his keeping. This il
true in one respect, but far from the truth in
another. The title doctor" belongs to him
only who has had it conferred upon him
after he has spent years Of study-worked
for it and earned it. But in these days,
when prefxed to name, it cannot be con-
sidered as evidence that the wearer is man
skilled in the science Of medicine, nor does it
signify, even, that he has a common school
learning. There are neither legal nor social
restrictions to the use of the title, nor Is
there, excepting in two or three states in the
Union, any law which restricts the practice
Of medicine to those only who are known to
be properly educated. Any man or woman,
no matter how ignorant or depraved he or
she is, has just es much right to assume the
care Of the sick or injured and practice Of
medicine and surgery as he who has spent
four years in continuous study at the Har-
ward Medical college.
CASE OF TYPHOID.
Every druggist knows that he is, for obvf
Gus reasons, singularly and unjustly liable to
lawsuits. A bare suspicion Of ON error on his
part is sufficient basis for one, and in corse-
quence Of single mistake his business may
be ruined and the savings of years swept
away. Realizing this he is exceedingly care
full himself, and is very certain not to allow
:c
do anything which will jeopardize him. On
the other hand, a man practicing as a ply
sician, yet not thoroughly familiar with the
workings of disease and the use Of drugs, is
always dangerous in tho extreme A few
drops too much of this extract, fraction Of
a grain of that powder, given to his patient
and the deadly work is done. But his awful
error is known only to himself. His lpatient
dies, but to disease is attributed the cause. It
is always easy for him to deceive the. friends
Of the unfortunate.
Take case of typhoid fever, for instance.
In its early stage the disease is seldom easy
of recognition. 1t is, in fact, almost always
more or less difficult. There are then but
rarely signs sufficiently marked to enable
even the most skiliful physician to say with
certainty that the case before him is one of
typhoid. He notes this and that symptom,
here and there an indication, which lead him
to suspect that the patient has that much
dreaded fever. But he must wait day OF
two before he can decide He must watch
the rise and fall of the temperature, night
and norning-that will tell him much, for
the variations are characteristic-thec changes
in the pulse in the expression in the tongue,
in the appearance of the abdomen, etc. The
symptoms OF typhoid are many. Some
which are prominent in one case are absent
In others. With few only present no cam
not judge, for they constitute the bare OUT
lines; he must wait for the picture to devel-
op. But while waiting he is by no means
idle. In the interests of his patient he Is an
ticipatng every exigency which is likely to
arise. He takes no chances, but sees that in
nursing, etc, every precaution is instituted
which would be indicated in case of ty-
phoid. His medicinal treatment is directed
to the symptoms. Fever is kept down, pain
allayed, restlessness quoted, sleep produced,
and so on. At last he is sure Of his diagnosis;
1t is typhoid But he has left nothing IN
done, there is nothing he would wish he
could undo. All along he has kept within
the safety lines.
Yet how different would have been the
work Of an ignorant pretender-an incom-
petent doctor" In 80 such cases out of 100
he would have at once pronounced the pa
tient's disease bilious fever, and given
purge-which in most cases Of typhoid would
prove falkland death been the direct con-
sequence. But diarrhea Is present in very
large number Of cases; that fact every per-
Don familiar with the disease knows A
''doctor" Of the sort referred to does not tell
the friends what medicine be gives. No!
His practice Is shrouded with mystery
he is medical Columbus. They have no
idea that he has administered q purge, and
the appearance of the diarrhea does not sur
prise them; SO when the patient dies they
think the fever killed him, and all evidence
of the doctors horrible mistake goes six fest
under ground
DIFFERENCE N DETAILS.
Among true physicians, equally well quail
fled, there is rarely in any given case a diff
ference of opinion, e1cep. it be in the most
unimportant details There are thousands
Of drugs at the command Of physicians. All
have their special favorites One uses the
bromide Of sodium as a nervine, while on
other prefers the bromide Of potassium In
very many instances it would matter little
which was given the patient; and yet, were
one doctor in favor of the former to assume
hts care after the other had been in attend
ance upon him, the chances are that the in