The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-01-03
Medical Ethics in San Francisco
and Berlin.


inasmuch as it presents in tolera-
bly, clear light an error into which
the guardians of the public health"
have pretty generally fallen in this
country. AS q rule nothing is in
vestigated or tolerated by them that
has not official" stamped on it.
We remember quite distinctly when
a fever patient was strenuously de-
MED the consolation of a drink of
cold water or breath of fresh air,
because, forsooth, authority for the
administration of the one, or enjoy
ment of the other was not found in
the books. The nonsense of this
practice has been demonstrated, and
both are now regarded as highly
remedial in fever cases and so in
time will other medicinal follies
wear themselves out. But physi-
clans, of all men, should be exper
imenters untrammeled by customs
or authorities
There seems to be most decided
contrast between the medical fra
ternity of Berlin and that of San
Francisco. The telegraph, a few
days ago, announced that a new rem
edy for diphtheria had been discov-
cred by a German peasant, named
Riegar, living near Berlin. Com
mon report attached SO much sig
nificance to it by reason of the great
success which the poor, unlearned
peasant met with in its applica-
ton, that the story reached the ears
of the now celebrated DR.. Koch,
and friendly relations were at once
established between the learned
doctor and the poor peasant; and
now we hear that the PEASANTS son
has been called to Berlin and re-
quested to experiment with the new
remedy under the immediate super
vision of DR.. Koch himself. The
humane doctor is going to investi-
gate and learn whether there may
not be something of value to hu-
manity in this accidental discovery
alleged to have been made by a
poor peasant.
What would our San Francisco
surgeons and physicians have done
under similar circumstances? Fol-
lowing the line of policy marked
out and practised by them, they
would have refused all recognition
of such nonsensical quackery."
They would have said to any one OF
their number who might have been
anxious to investigate, Hands off
Our code of ethics enforced by our
Hippocratic oath forbids us to
countenance any such quackery
We must stand by and let the chill
dren die of diphtheria until some
one learned in medical lore shall
have discovered and announced the
discovery of some remedy better
than any we now have"
J In proof that such is the policy
and practice of the medical profes
sion of this city, we have only te
call attention to the well-knowr
fact that patients which our bes'
reputed physicians and surgeons
pronounce, beyond all doubt, af
flicted with the most dreaded Of al
diseases, cancer, are constantly 60
ing to a well-known practitioner ir
this city, but one not of the doml
nant school, and are there being
CURED by constitutional treatment
Many of these patients, before leay
ing the regular faculty, submit te
the cruel manipulation of the knife
and often TWICE without any bene
/ fetal effect. These facts are per
fectly we'll known to every promi
nent physician in this city.
Do they follow the example O.
the German doctor? Not at all
They denounce in the stronges
terms the practitioner-deny tht
cures, and when their own patients
come back to them to prove wha
has been done, they refuse to tall
with them and shut their doors il
their faces!
The writer has often been asked
why this is so. Why do our medi
cal men refuse to look into thi
matter, so apparently important t.
the community? The most frequen
answer is because the remedy is
secret and the profession will no
r experiment with secret remedy
Herein lies the difference in prac
: tice between San Francisco am
E Berlin; tor DR.. Koch keeps HI
! remedy secret to this day, an!
vet thousands of European physl
) clans are experimenting with it.
: Another equally common reason
given is because the practitlone
! here is not in standing with tn
e dominant school. To this we woul'
5 answer. neither is the poor Germa'
+ peasant; yet as great and iearne'
: a man as DR.. Koch is ready an
! anxious to investigate as to wha
r purports to be benefit to the SIC
and suffering. The San Francisc
physician is the proud pharisee VIII
passes by on the other side, Will
DR.. Koch is the good Samaritan.
Then again, it is claimed, an