The Penn's Grove record., 1889-04-13
"EDITOR's BACK STAIRS"
The Interesting Views Of the Late DR..
j. G. Holland.

The columns OF the newspapers ap-
pear to be flooded with proprietary
medicine advertisements. As we cast
our eye over them, it brings to mind
an article that was published by the
late DR.. Holland In Scrtbner's Monthly.
He says: "Nevertheless, 1t ID . fact
that many Of the best proprietary
medicines Of the day were more sue
cessful than many physicians, and
most Of them, 1t should be remembered
were at first discovered or used in
actual medical. practice. When, how
ever. any shrewd person, knowing their
virtue, and ~forseeing their popularity,
secures and advertises them, then, In
the opinion of the bigoted, all virtue
went ont of them"
Is not this absurd2
This great man appreciated the real
merits of popular remedies. and the
absurdity OF those that derided them
because public attention was called to
the article and tho evidence OF their
cures. If the most noted physician
should announce that he had made .
study of any certain organ or disease
of the body, or make his sign larger
than the code size, though he may
have practiced medicine and been q
leader in all medical ~counselA. notwith-
standing all this, II he should presume
to advertise and decline to give his dis
covery to the public, he would be pro-
nounced a auack and q humbug, al
though he may have spent bis entire
life and all his available funds In per-
fecting his Investigations.
Again we say, ''absurd."
If an ulcer Is found upon ones arm,
and is cured by some dear old grand
mother. outside Of the code. 1t Will be
pronounced by the medical profession
an ulcer of little Importance But II
treated under the code. causing sleep"
less nights for q month, with the
scientific treatment, viz, plasters,
washes, dosing with morphine, arsenic
and other vile substances. given TO
prevent blood poisoning or deaden
pain, and yet the ulcer becomes mailg-
nant, and amputation Is made neces.
sary at last, to save Life, yet all done
according to the ''isms" OF the medi-
cal code, this is much more gratifying
to the medical profession, and adds
more dignity to that distinguished
order than to be cured by the dear old
grandmother's remedy.
This appears like Q severe raiRn
ment, yet we believe that IL expresses
the true standing Of the medical pro.
fessIon in regard to remedies discovered
outside OF their special s.isms." One
of the most perplsxing things OF the
day is the popularity OF certain RENE
dies, especially Warmers Safe Cure'
which we find for sale everywhere.
The physician Of the highest standing
is ready to concede its merits and sus-
tain the theories the proprietors have
made-that is, that 1t benfts In most OF
the ailments of the human system
because it assists In putting b KID
neys in proper condition, Thereby aiding
in throwing on the impurities OF the
blood, while others with less honesty
and experience deride. and are wiling
to see their patient die scientihcaily,
aud according to the code. rather than
have him cured BY this greet remooy:
Yet we notice that tho popularity OF
the medicine continues 70 grow year
by year. The discoversr comes poldiy
before the people with its merits, ano
proclaims them from door 70 ooor IN
cur opinion much more honorably than
the physician who, perchance, may
secure a patient from some catastrophe,
and is permitted to set Q bone OF an
arm or a fuger, which he does with
great dignity, yet 90 very 500 aItSr
takes the liberty to climb the editors
back stairs at Q O'Clock In the morning
to have it announced In the morning
paper that aDr. So-and-so was In at.
tendance thus securing for his Denent
a beautiful and free advertisement
We shall leave it to our readers 70
say sch 10 the wiser and more honor