The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-08-28
Why Doctors Disagree.

Why Doctors Disagree.
Frankly, do not know why the learned
theOlOgians do not ''give us one faith and
one course of action to live by" had a
vague impression that in the main they did.
But if they do not. know not why. Were
this the only thing do not know, would
here break my bawble, bury it certain faith
oms in the earth, and deeper than did ever
plummet sound I'd drown my ILL., timed
jests. and go into business as the Universal
Encyclopedia of all Universal Encyclope-
diaS. But woe is me, there are several
other things that do not know. L do not
know why other Wise Men. scholars, scien-
lists, refOrmers, learned and able laymen,
come nearer to an agreement upon the mat
ters which they make their life study and
work. than do the equally learned theOlo-
gans. l do not know why all physicians
do not give one prescription and one course
of action to live by, to the same patient and
for the same disease; but for all their disa-
greement believe in medical science, and
send for the physician when l am ill. And
do not send for layman, either; l want
a graduate of the best medical college in
man to prescribe for my neighbOr, if he
likes that sort of thing; but l want the man
with the diploma for myself. l do not
know why geOlOgists cannot come within
sixty miles of agreeing on the thickness of
the crust of the earth; but my faith in the
crust is no wise shaken by the disagreement
of the wise men who ought to know all about
it. l do not know why the scientists can
not reach some common agreement concern
ing the origin of man and things. but firmly
believe that they originated; l know they
did. because have seen some of the men.
do not know how old the earth is, because
the Wise Men who decide these things for
us think nothing of unsettlng our faith by
thousand years or SO. But l don't 60 back
on the world on that account; l believe in
the old planet, and l can confidently assert
that it is over forty-five years old. anyhow,
because came here that long ago. and the
earth was here then, and my father told me
it was here when he landed. l don't know
who discovered America, but here it is,
that know. l have attended conventions
of educational societies and teachers insti-
tutes. and heard the best teachers dispute
furiOusly over questions of the best methods
of educating children; but the disagreement
of the teachers never shook my faith in the
necessity and wisdom of education.
do not know why the statemen cannot
lay down for us one political faith, and one
rule of action for us to live and vote by;
but even with the country full of Republic
ans. Democrats, free traders. tariff reform
ers, prOtectiOnists. labor refOrmers, farmers
alliances. independents, silver men, green
hackers and mugwumpS. believe in poll
tics. l do not know why there should be
plain prOhibitionists, third party prohibi-
! tiOnists. bipartisan prOhibitiOnists, two
kinds of Woman's Christian Temperance
Union. Sons of Temperance, Good lem
plars. teetotalers and high-license advO-
Gates; but l believe in temperance. do
not know whether we should say ''cawt-
hoss." as Harvard teaches or "car-r-rt
horse" with the ''burr'' of Edinburgh. but 1
believe in the cart-hOrSe.
l do not know why musicians are not
universally as uniformly and sweetly har
mOnious as the sounds they awaken. but I
believe in music. o, good my masters. l
do not know why no two blades of grass
are fashioned alike. nor why the sands of
the seashOre are carved in ever different
shapes; do not know why nature does not
repeat herself as mOnOtOnOusly as flock of
blackbirds, and why everything isn't as reg
ular as line of fence posts. The endless
variety of thought and material does not
worry me one whit. L find that the learned
theOlOgan is not to blame for it all. l find
that when we turn deaf ear to his preach
ing and TASK some clearer voice to be our
guide" the clearer voice is cracked and
husky with much speaking, and is griev-
ously confused with the discordant echoes
of the conflicting doctrines it taught but