The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1889-05-17
EDITORS BACK STAIRS
The Interesting Views OF the Late DR.
J. O. Holland.

The columns of the newspapers appear
10 be flooded with proprietary medicine
advertisements. As we cast our eye
over them, II brings 10 mind an article
that was published by the late DIR. Hol-
land in Scribner's Monthly. He says
Nevertheless, 1t Ia fact that many Of
the best proprietary medicines oil the day
were more successful than many physi-
sicians, and most Of them, il shonld be
remembered, were at first discovered or
used In actual medical practice. When,
however, any shrewd person, knowing
their virtue, and foreseeing their popu-
larity, secures and advertises them, then,
In the opinion Of the bigoted, all virtue
went out Of them"
Ii not this absurd?
This great man appreciated the real
merits Of popular remedies, and the alb
surdity OF those that derided them be-
cause public attention was called to the
articleand the evidence OF their cures. II
the most noted physician should an
nouncc 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 practised medicine
and been a leader in all medical counscls,
Notwithstanding all this, ii he should pre-
sumo to advertise and decline 10 give his
discovery 10 the public, he would be pro-
nounccd a quack and a humbug, al
though he may have spent his entire
life and all his available funds in perfect
ing his investigations.
Again we say absurd
II an ulcer is found upon ones arm and
is cured by some dear old grandmother,
outside OF the code, il will be pronounced
by the medical profession an nicer Of lit
tle Importance. But II treated under the
code, causing sleepless nights for a month,
with the scientific treatment, viz, plast-
ers, washes, dosing with morphine, ar
senic 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 10 the
''isms" OF the medical code, this is much
more gratifying to the medical profession,
and adds more dignity 10 that distinguish
ID order than 10 be cured by the dear old
grandmother's remedy.
This appears like severe arraignment,
vet We believe that il expresses the true
standing OF the medical profession in re-
gard 10 remedies discovered outside Of
their special 'fisms." One OF the most
perplexing things Of the day Is the popu-
larity OF certain remedies, especially
Warmers Safe Cure, which we find for
sale everywhere The physician Of the
highest standing is ready to concede its
.x.axifa o ..I a,.atafY, fl,a fharrtac fhn vsr,,-
prietOrs have made--that is. that il
benefits In most Of the ailments OF the
human system because il assists in put
ting the kidneys in proper condition,
thereby aiding in throwing off the inn
puritiee OF the blood while Others with
less honesty and experience deride, and
are willing 10 see their patient die scien
tifieally, and accordingto the code, rather
than have him cured by this great remedy.
Yet we notice that the popularity OF
the medicine continues TO grow year ny
year The discoyerer comes boldly be-
fore the people with It's merits, and pro-
claims them from door TO door in our
opinion murh more bonorably than the
physician who, perchance, may secure a
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 10
climb the editors back stairs at O'Clock
in the morning to have il announced in
the morning paper that "Dr. So-and.so
was in attendance" thus securing for his
benefit beautiful and free advertisement.
We shall leave II to our readers to say
whichis the wiser and more honorable.