Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-11-10
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
LEAST PROFITABLE OF ANY tHo"
A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT


A Comfortable Living Is A"""'
Average physician Can Expect
.. n,u the Last to he Paid
Dis"""es's'
The medical profession is, taken as "no'o,
the least profitable of any IN ''o"'',
point of view For person Who =.
riches. it is really the last one 10 eh'ei
Is true some have grown weaiony ~ wy
lepitima'e practice OF medicine ou. sun :"
very rare exceptions, and not one III ''o'
sand is so fortunate. Really, a coihio' '"pe
living is about all the average physician eau
expect. and before he can attain thao ne i"us'
meet many hardships and know much sen
denial Ii people would only coisiuer 'ne
sums which he must invest first peiofe ne
can attain his degrees and AFTER thh' p
fore he can pay his way" the loss Oh WAGES
n IN we NAV speak, for the years deVoteu W
study and waiting for competency, 'ney
would realize that comparatively rev quo.
ness men have SO much invested IN 'ne'i
'stock in trade" as the docVor' ihey "o
then be less ready to deny him falr co'n
pensation for his labors.
THE LAST BILL PAID.
Not only are the incomes of physicians, as
n rr,a smaller than those of men of Other
professions notably the legal and minis
toriaI but even the sums which they receive
a,a orndginplv Welded. It is notorious that
tho last hill to be paid is the Doctors Trades
men,s claims are always ''preferred." If it
bannens that the services of an undertaken
have been employed, he too, is among the
fret craditors to he paid. If anything l.
.f fol hair
naeded for any other purpose, why then the
dootor's bill is considered. But it would be
VIOLATING old customs were it to be paid in
full A complete settlement in nine cases
ont of ten is only effected after he has de
ducted a large per cent. of what is due him
Even the most honest of patients seem t.
have little or no conjunction about asking
him for discounts. even when they we'll know
that the physicians bill rendered is not only
inst but reasonable. 1.-THE doctor makes
his monev easily.n saws the average patient,
and fnll of that belief he adjusts his sense OF
RIGHT and equity and drives a sharp bargain
70 ba can
II 10 safe tn sav that but few physicians in
,,ororal practice manage to collect more than
half Of their bills 1t is certainly not pleas
ant to contemplate that large share of our
neonle are dishonest. and swindle their ply
sic;ans And vet such is actually the case
n is doubtful If there is any class of men in
business who would be content to receive
sncb treatment. WHY in the name of all
that is right and proper should physicians be
oblioed TO nut ND with itl Probably they
themselves are in measure accountable for
il We're thew more exacting. and. making
the practice of medicine a trade, insisted
mon the full and immediate payment for
their services whom repdered their patients
would in time learn to be honest Very few
doctors would care to take such course if
thew could and vet it il an omen question il
all CONCERNED woud not he better in the end
for II We saw that thew cannot always be
90 r;c;d ~ they would No nbvsician can
act on sncb lines in the face of an unfortunate
| ha ,op ca Va avian 10 ho tnnws full wall that