Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-05-01
Door0k AND JUDGE.



ton of NIedicai Practice.
FGilor Gasttts: 1 have no doEbt
but our people will be interested iu the
important opinion of the Hon. George
O. Barrett, judge of the supreme court
Of New York, which l submit herewith
for publication in the columns OF EVERY
EVENING at your earliest convenience.
l.. Il. FRAZER.
Hon. George O. Barrett, Judge Of The
SuprtTte Court, dc---sIR: In behalf OF our
readers viii you kindly give us your opln.
ion on the following question: las phy-
sician designating himself an "hor n9-
pathist," and called rs such to pat.ent,
any legal or moral right to adopt other
thun homeopathic means IN the treatment
OF the oasep Respectfully yours,
EDIToRs NEW York MEDICAL TINES
To the Editors Of the Noso York Medical
Tins GENTLEMEN hRve your note of
tho 18Th inst, asking my opinion upon
question of professional ethics. In my
Judgment there can be but ore answer to
your question, and that is in the mega
tive. Ii l call in medical man woo
describes himself as homeopathic
physician - 1t is because do not wish to
he treated ALPHABETICALLY, or eclect.cally,
or otherwise than honD0pathicaily.
There ia an implied understanding be-
tween myself and the homeopathic that
sLall receive the treatment which, by
tradition and general CONSENSUS OF
opinion, means small doses of single
drug administered upon the principle of
'tsimilia simiiibus curentur II there
ia to be any variation from that method,
| 1 have right to be informed of it and to
begiyen an opportunity to decide. Common
honesty demands that before o conhdirg
patient is to be drugged with quinine,
/ iron, morphine, or other medicHments,
either singly or in combination, he
SHOULD bs told that the "hommopa!hisa'
has failed, and that relief can only be
afforded by change of system. An
honest ''hompopath, who has not snc-
ceeded, after doing his best with tho
appropriate homeopathic remedies ad.
numbered on homeopathic principles,
should undoubtedly try anything else
which he believes may save or relieve his
patient. Put when he reaches til It point
the duty of taking the patient into bis
confidence becomes imperative. The
patient may refuse to submit TO the other
system or he may agree, but prefers a
physician who life has been specially de.
voted to psac;ica under tho other system.
He may say 70 the ''homm 3pa,hist," you
hava failed, but prefer 90 try another
gentleman OF your own school, before
rssortin4 TO system that l have long
since turned my back upon. Or he may
say, we'll, il homeopathy cannot save
me, prefer to go to headquarters fol
nllupathic treatment.
All this, gentlemen, is the logical se
qu6nea of the particular designation
'hon % apathist.n There may, OF course,
be gentlemen who in general way favor
the principle OF small doses and ''siniilit
similibus clrentur," TO whom it woult
not apply. But such physician woult
not stamp his school upon his work ss |
practitioner. II call in such man,
mean physician pure and simpie-call
, ing himself neither homeopathic no
allopathist implied understanding
is that entrust myself to his best judg
lnent in all respects. Such man ma,
be graduate of the College Of Physician
and Surgeons, and ] will have no cans
OF complaint should he in an exigenc
deem it appropriate to administer tn
third potency OF aoonite. Or he may b
, q graduate of college founded unde
: homeopathic auspices, and yet can no
{ object if he thinks the occasion demand
90 grains of quinine. But if q physical
| chllS ulIastti hippatuip htiu III suuluoue
aa such il Wouid be fraud to resort t
homeopathic treatment without full dis
7 closure to the patient OF what WAS pre-
{ posed. II. however, we are TO have
!. class OF men who purpose, in the interef
8 OF humanity, to utilize the best that the
Q can find in any and every schoo
. 'psthist," as designation OF ixe
: methods Of practice, must be ignored
! and the broad and noble title phys
4 cisn," in its unreserved asnse, be revive
Z and substituted
!, ! The patient will understand, when h
4 4 sends for one of this class, thst he ia
y have the pbysician's best Judgment
= the unprejudiced use of the ripast fru
y OF modern discovery in every field.
:, see that bave done more than simpl
: answer your question. But l am su
!, ! you will pardon q Iayman for taxing a
! vantage Of the occasion to intimate Il
. need Of greater ciesrness Of professions
y atttuds-b1th as a matter of jnstice
= the patient and aa due to the integrity
Y Y the physician. Respectfully yours,
y GEORGE @. BARRETT.