The Russellville Democrat., 1889-03-21
"EpIroR,s BACK STAIRS"
The Interesting Views of tho Late pr. T
 G. Holland.

G. Holland.
 The columns of the newspapers appear to be flooded with proprietary medicine adver- tisements. As we cast our eye over them, 1t brings to mind an article that was pub lished by the late Dr. Holland in 6cribner's 5 Monthly. He says; Nevertheless, 1t is a fact that many of the best proprietary med icines of the day were more successful than many physicians, and most of them, 1t should be remembered, were at first dis covered or used in actual medical practice. When, however, any shrewd person, know ing their virtue, and foreseeing their pop 1 ularity, secures and advertises them, then, in the opinion of the bigoted, all virtue went out of them"
 Is not this absurdi
 This great man appreciated the real merits of popular remedies, and the absurd ity of those that derided them because pub lic attention was called to the article and the evidence of their cures. If the most notedphysician should announce that he had made a study of any certain organ or dis ease of the body, or make his sign larger than the code size, though he may have practiced medicine and been 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 quack and hum bug, although he may have spent his entire life and all his available funds in perfectin 2 his Investigations.
 Again we say "absurd."
 If an ulcer is found upon one's arm, and is cured by some dear old grandmother, outside of the code, it will be pron ounced by the medical profession an ulcer of little importance. Bluff treated under the code, causing sleepless nights for a 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 malignant, and amputation is made necessary at last to save life, yet all done according to the "isms" of the medical code this is much more gratifying 2 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 severe arraignment, yet we believe that it expresses the true standing of tho medical profession in regard te remedies discovered outside of their special ''isms." 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 concede it's merits and sustain the theories the proprietors have. made-that is, that it benefits in most of the ailments of the hu man system because it assists in putting the kidneys in proper condition, thereby aiding In throwing of the impurities of the blood, while others with less honesty and exper- fence deride, and aro willing to see their patient die scientifically, and according to the code, rather than have him cured by this great remedy.
 Yet we notice that the popularity of the medicine continues to grow year by year. The discoverer comes boldly before the peo- pie with it's merits, and proclaims them from door to door in our opinion much more honorably than the physician who, per chance, may secure patient from some catastrophe, and is permitted to set bone of an arm or Q finger, which he does with great dignity, yet very soon after takes the liberty to climb the editor's back stairs at 2 o'clock in the morning to have it announced in the morning paper that 'Dr. So-and so was in attendance" thus securing for his benefita beautiful and free advertisement
 We shall leave it to our readers to say which is the wiser and more honorable.