Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-13
IN OPEN COURT.

|
IN OPEN COURT.
That Tribunal in Which the Public Daily 81
in Judgment-The Trial by the Dali.
Press-A Court Room in Which Skill ant
Honesty Need Have No Fear.
"Why wouldn't Drs. Copeland and Hal
be just as successful without advertising
I'm sure the patients under their care ar
constantly sending tkeir friends and neigh
bors to be treated. don't see the need o
their advertising at all. >"
These remarks were made by patient un
der the care of these physicians, and contain
| a certain element of truth.
Both DR.. Copeland and DR.. Hall have
been successful as physicians and specialists
without the aid of advertising. Both were
successful and prosperous before their name,
appeared in the daily papers. They were
specialists first, advertisers afterward. They
| did not attempt the feat, which their imita
tors sometimes essay, of advertising them.
selves into SPECIALISTS feat, by the way
almost ludicrous as that time-honored one Of
the individual who tried to lift himself by
his bootstraps.
No. Drs. Copeland and Hall were sue
cessful without advertising, but they are
| more successful, their specialties and their
| skill are better known to the general pub
lie, and their field for usefulness and power
for doing good is more widely extended by
| its aid Conscientiously, as honorable ply
sicians and honest men, they believe in ad-
| vertising.
To the genuine specialist truthful adver-
| tising presents a legitimate way of making
his specialties known to the general public.
The successful specialist obtains by the
aid of skillful and truthful advertising SO
large practice, so great a number of pa
tients, that he is enabled to make the charges
in each individual case very low, giving all
classes an opportunity>to avail themselves
of his skill.
By systematic, truthful and unquestion-
able notwithstanding
That VIII Stand Fire
and investigation-he can say from basis
of printed columns containing thousands
upon thousands of testimonials from worthy
and reputable citizens of the city in which
he practices:
'iThis is the work I do. These are the
results I accomplish. I ask to be judged by
them"
There Is no boasting or vain glory about
this. 1t is simply the just and honest pride
of an honest and skillful man.
The legitimate advertising of genuine and
skillful physicians and specialists is the
most effective safeguard the public has
against medical frauds and humbdgs.
Standing in contrast with the advertise
ments of physicians and specialists, who
give their names, their credentials, their
record, who offer fair and plain evidence of
their responsibility, their training, their
skill, the advertising OF fakirs and medical
adventures, of bogus Institutes" like
those which have for some time infested
this community, is almost printed con-
fession of their lack of responsibility and
their fraudulent character BY their very
contrast may the public judge between the
genuine and the pretended.
The genuine specialist states who he Is,
where he graduated, what medical authori-
ties vouch for his standing and skill. The
fakir hides behind strange and indefinite
names, assumes the name of Institute"
because he is not doctor, and for fear of
the authorities dares not use his own name
The days of quackery are past, the days
of scientific physicians who advertise are at
hand, and the public are benefited vastly by
this practical revolution in the practice of
medicine. Notions of professional secrecy
obtained too long. The legitimate advertis-
ing of genuine specialists means more light,
and in questions so vital as those of sick
ness and health the public has right to all
the light that may be given.
Drs. Copeland and Hall believe that if
every physician put his name and creden-
tials in the papers, stated where he gradu-
ated, how long he studied, where and how
long he practiced and to whom he can refer
to as having cured, there would be less
humbug in the practice of medicine, fewer
malpractice cases,
Fewer Diploma Mills,
falsely called medical colleges, where M.
D. g are turned out to order in a few months;
fewer doctors whose claims to medical skill,
are as shadowy as their knowledge of the
construction of the human system and the
uses and applications of medicines to re-
lieve disease.
If all doctors advertised, men of genuine
skill would stand less chance of being
brought into contact with unlearned and
ignorant pretenders. Advertising lets in
the light, and Incompetency and Ignorance
love darkness.
Skill and success in medicine and surg
ery, like that which is skillful, honorable
and successful in every other walk in life,
have no better or more legitimate place of
representation than in the columns of the
ually press, WucIe tllcy CdH cndllenSe cOIn-
parison, expose imitators and limitations and
invite scrutiny and investigation.
Drs. Copeland and Hall regard the daily
press as the open court Of the public. Men
who ask for public support belong there,
have right there. 1t is there that the pub
lie may examine and
Question and Investigate
their claims. 1t is in this open court that
the specialist and physician who has OBJ
tanned an acknowledged mastery over des-
perate and difficult diseases appears. No
honest physician need fear this open court.
1t is the incompetent man who needs have
dread of it. Humbugs, of course, appear
there as they do everywhere else; but their
claims are transparent and make their pre-
lenses easily unmasked, and although they
may win little temporary favor, their ap
pearsnce is short-lived, and the final verdict
unanimously against them.
Drs. Copeland and Hall have presented
their evidence, their record, their creden-
tials, the testimony to their skill of thou
sands of well-known and reputable wit
nesses, in the Peoples Open Court-the
daily press, and have respectfully asked the
public to judge.