The Washington critic., 1890-05-15
HOT SPRINGS ouAuKs.
Place where Bogus Doctors Reap
n Rich Harvest
From "a LoNlsrlNe Copfler-J JoNfNaL.


There are in Hot Springs between |
forty-fve and fifty doctors, and 1t is safe
TO say that at least thirty of these are
quacks, or at least employ the methods
of the quack. Sume of these men have
diplomas granted by reputable medical
colleges, while others lay no claims to |
a medical education, but simply rely
on mercury, iodide of potash, quinine
ond their nerve to pull them through.
And woe 70 the poor invalid who falls
into their clutchcsl If he gets away
without losing his life or having his
health permanently shattered he is
truly fortunate.
Neither these doctors nor their dis.
reputable methods would be tolerated
anywhere else in the world Their plan
of doing business is TO send drummers
out on the railroad to lay for visitors.
These 'ropcrs" get, as rule, fifty per
cent. of what the doctor "suucezes'
from the victim, and as the busincrs
pays well, the boldcst confidence men
90 into 1t. They may be encountered
in the depot at Little Rock, imperson.
ating the invalid who is returning to
the Springs to consult his physician
AT Malvern, twenty-five miles from Hot
Springs, where the intending visitor has
TO change cars, the body -snatchers,"
as they are facetiously called, are thick.
They usually represent cheap board
ING house as well as the doctor, and be-
gin conversation with the unsuspecting
invalid by handing him card bearing
high sounding name Of some dive
where he can Get "home comforts" and
cno5 g, aJ ohon,1 frho,, 4lo Jo,,o,
mentioned. Should the visitors have
a letter to some reputable physician,
the roper will not hesitate to tell him
the doctor is dead or out of town or
drunk, or anything that enters his fertile
brain.
The visitor falters and Is lost. He
is taken possession Of by the drummer;
who keeps close watch on him until
he gets to the springs. He is then
stcered TO the boarding house, spruces
up little, and, accompanied by his
newfound friend, visits the doctor"
An examination is made, and the vic.
TINS pile having been sized up. the
doctor says he will undertake the case
for so much money-usually about half
of what the man has with him-to be
paid in advance. The boarding house
keeper gets what is left for months
board, and the victim is penniless. 1t
takes the most verdant of greenhorns
only a day or two to learn that he has
been victinized, and he demands his
money, only to be laughed at.
This is not fancy sketch, nor is 1t
eXaggeration. These outrages occur
every day at Hot Springs. Now and
then tragedy grows out of the robbery,
but it is rare that the victim makes
much noise. Two or three years ago
one Of the boldest of these quacks-a
DR.. Adams-was shot to death by the
son of an old man he had robbed and
then murdered by malpractice This
served as lesson for time.
The reputable physicians of Hot
Springs have done all in their power to
suppress this form of robbery, and sue
cess is now almost assured. A year
ago they had the City Counci pass an
ordinance compelling these doctors"
TO take out license for their drummers.
hoping this would checkmate the
quacks. To their astonishment,
twenty one Of the boldest in the crowd
Immediately conformed to the require
ments of the ordinance. and had their
names and those of their ropers printed
and posted in conspicuous places.
About month ago this ordinance was
repealed, it is asserted. through the
efforts of those who wanted drummers
| but were afraid of the publicity. Since
then tie regular physicians have issued
circular, which they got the City
Council to adopt warning visitors to
beware of these "ghouls." The cir
cular is follows;
Don't listen to any one who volun-
teers advice about doctors.
"No regular physician will require
more than So in advance.
IF you have letters to physician,
deliver them in person.
''lf drummers find you have such
letters, they will tell you the doctor is
out of the city, dead, quit practicing,
drunk, or something of the kind.
"Drummers on the trains, on the
streets, or at the hotels or boarding
houses will pretend that they are
visitors.
"Drummers are paid to steer you to a
DOCTOR.
This circular was distributed on all
trains coming into the city by a police
man paid by the regular physician
until last Wednesday, when the ''irregu-
lars called in body on the railroad
officials and had the police officer
ordered away from the trains The
fight is now on and 1t promises to be
bitter.