Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1889-04-27
EDITORS BACK STAIRS"
The Interesting Views of the Late Dr. j
G. Holland.

The columns Of the newspapers appear 10
be flooded with proprietary medicine adver.
tisements. As we cast our eye over them,
it brings to mind an article that was pub
lished by the late DR.. Holland in S2ribner's
Monthly. He says: Nevertheless, it is a
fact that many Of the best proprietary med
icines of the day were more successful than
many physicians, and most Of them, it
should be remembered, were at first dis
| covered or used in actual medical practice.
| When, however, any shrewd person, know
ing their virtue, and foresceing their pop
ularity, secures and adyertjses them, then,
in the opinion of the bigoted, all virtue
went out of them
Is not this absurdl
This great man appreciated the real
merits of popular remedies, and the absurd,
ity of those that derided them because pub.
lie attention was called to the article and
the evidence of their cures. II the most
noted physician should announce that he had
made a study of any certain organ or dis
case of the body, or make his sign larger
than the code SIZE, though he may have
practiced medicine and beena leader in all
medical counsels, Notwithstanding all this,
if he should presume to advertise and de.
cline to give his discovery to the public, he
would be pronounced a quack and a hum,
bug, although he may have spent his entire
life and all his available funds in perfecting
his investigations.
Again we say, absurd"
If an ulcer is found upon ones arm, and
is cured by some dear old grandmother
outside of the code, it will be prom ounccd
by the medical profession an ulcer Of little
Importance. Buff treated under the code
causing sleepless nights for Il month, Will
the scientific treatment, VIZ, plasters
washes, dosing with morphine, arseni,
and other vile substances, given to proven
blood poisoning or deaden pain, and yet the
ulcer becomes malignant, and amputatiol
is made necessary at last to save life, We
all done according to the "isms - of the
medical code, this is much more gratifying
to the medical profession, and adds more
dignity TO that distinguished order than t,
be cured by the dear old grandmother
remedy.
This appears like a severe arrangement
yet we believe that it expresses the rue
standlngof the medical profession in regard
to remedies discovered outside of then
special 'isms.n One of the most perplexing
things of the day is the popularity of certain
remedies, especially Warmers Safe Cure
which we find for sale everywhere. The
physician Of the highest standing is ready
to conceded its merits and sus' ain the theorie.
the prOprietOrs have made-that il, that i,
benefits in most of tho ailments of the hu
man system becauseit assists in putting the
kidneys in proper condition, thereby aidine
in throwing off the impurities of the blood
while others with less honesty and exper
fence deride, and arc willing to see theil
patient die scientifically, and according t
the code, rather than have him cured by thi,
great remedy.
Yet we notice that the popularity Of the
medicine continues 10 grow year by year
The discoverer comes boldly before the peo
pie with its merits, and proclaims then
from door 10 door in our opinion much more
honorably than the physician who, per
chance, may secure a patient from some
catastrophe, and is permitted to set a bone
OF an arm or a finger, which he does with
great dignity, yet very soon after takes the
liberty to climb the editors back stairs at 8
o'clock in the morning to have it announced
- the morning paper that DIR. So-and SC
vas in attendance" thus securing for his
benefit a beautiful and free advertisement.
We shall leave it to our readers to say
which is the wiser and more honorable.