Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-04-09
ADDRESS TO ALUMNI.
Or. w. W. PARKER SPEAKS BEFORE
THE MEDICAL COLLEGE SOCIETY,".
The Need Of n City Hospital Discussed
Election of Ofiicers-Ihe C"m-
meneement Tonight.


meeting were read and approved. :,
DR.. W. w. Parker, the orator. delivered
an address that was heard with great plea
sure. Hesaid: q,
Gentlemen Of the Alumni,-As get older i l
see the importance Of trying 20 DO useiul ra'n
than ornamental A largo majority OF you al'
Just about TO embark upon the neII ol t,,,
and 70 you / make this address, were IhpOsii
20 visit country strange and unknown D., ana VI
could find friend who would honestly Ieii IL ~,
Of his sOjOurn therein for forty years, "oulu "
a most interested listener. With this cOnESt@io,i @
propose tonight 70 tell You in brief what nav
learned IN forty years Of some OF the dilncui'
duties, sorrows, and Joys OF medical practlce. n
volume might be written on each OF these hoai9'
but propose 70 speak TO you only illy ,i,,, vaI,
utes Let me stop to advise you so soon as you
get your diplomas 10 get also the Code OF htnlcs
OF the American Medical Association ana care
fully study it. IL viii tell you how 70 penatto 40
towards your medical brethren. ma tneie :, ~ -
more need Of the Code" now than there We
forty years ago. We have always claimed 10 %
governed by the highest Ethical Code oil any pro
fessiou known 70 the world. And hrst OF some
Of the
DIFFICULTIES OF PRACTICE.
Ueretofore vour study has been chiefly books
Henseforth let Il be mana subject 70 you .,
more interest than that Of the sun, mooh' anu
stars.
lace NDOut bAo liCufHs
THE FOREHEAD,
the scat and expression OF dignity md high re-
solve; also, Of trsachery and low cunning
OF THE woSDRoUs EYES,
the light and windows OF the mind the express
sion Of Joy and the fountain Of tears" OF nope
and despair OF love and hate, OF tenderness
and hardness. Of innocence and guilt, OF roturn-
ing health and rapidly-approaching DEATH
TIE NOSE.
Where the courier Of death is seen perohed
month In advance, the pale, pinched nose the
dry lining membrane, the quickly-dilating nof-
trils, showing that tho patients days are num-
bcred.
TIE LIPS.
In babyhood telling Of trouble within. The
curling lips of scorn and contempt In latter
years, the compression Of determination, now
firm md defiant, now breaking into rlpples OF
merry laughter. But part those lips ana I0ok
within at the soft, velyety. flexible BODY lylB
In its little ivory bed. The tongue, one OF Oh tns p,
wonders Of the world, ruling nations In halls OF
legislation and on battle-helds, now lying 20 the
doctor and then 20 hlmsolf; leading ana MS
leading. telling Of pains that have no existence
Of Joys and sOrrOws domestic, OF trials ana an
tcipations incredible, Of hope and detection OF
courage and despair. Then its changes. lls
white and red, and brown and black, c0rrughteu
and serrated, wet and dry, thin and swollen,
rough and smooth, sOft and hard, steady ana
trembling, all indicative Of some form Of ais
case: and, lastly, the chin-lrln and relaxed ana
dropping, declaring that all is now over. ..
The pulse has 10 be carefully studied; us sott
and hard, strong and feeble, round and nat, SLOW
and quick, thready and windy, interlnittinR ana
remitting. With your right hand on It aud
your eye upon yOnr patients face, you WIN as
you advance in close observation see won
ders. How indelibly are hundreds OF faces long
since cold I'm death photographed upon the doc
tors memory Sometimes a fash OF light viii
come over the leaden countenance, enklndlihI
hope even 10 his experienced eye, but doomed
soon, alas to disappointment.
MUST EXAMINE WE'LL.
All this and much more you have 10 learn by
close observation nt the bedside. The patient
must be examined from head tO foot till you find
what Il the trouble. think II well 10 begin at the
head ana 60 regularly down. lhad apatient last
week troubled with a severe headache, who had
not sense enough 10 tell me about IL I'LL ] asked
him. The French are right, first is diagnosis
They do nothing till this II settled. Better 70
write no recipe than 10 write the wrong one
Don't DO In hurry 10 generalZe. ms requires
long observation. Too many men Wrlle
books and mislead others sadly in this way
" Post hOch" Is not "prOpter hOch." Don't Tor.
get this. Don't think you are pattern ol
all your patients. one Of the most DIM
cult subjects f. indigestion. MIX Is the best
diet for nine-tenths. No two stOmachs In the
world are exactly alike. IL sausage agrees with
you don't conclude II will agree with everybody
else Don't bo cOnceited. Sensible patients
don't Ike cOnceitod doctors. Don't under
y
don't accord with your own. Read tho iour
nails and other books az well as read youi
patient II you cent give sensible or pldusibt
reason for your opinion Of n case regard II the
opinOn) as Of doubtful value Don't forget you
can both cure and Kill. Never desert case you
undertake 80 long Rs your advice is followed
whether tho progress be satisfactory 70 you oi
not Don't forget that some diseases are neces-
sarily chronic Don't hesitate to get help by con-
su!tation If you are In adilemma. IL IS plainly
your duty. Don't get discouraged II your patients
die. All doctors lose patients. Those who neyel
lose them have none 20 lose. Patients Will dls
uHeIpectediH too, ! care not who may attend
them. When ! commenced practice this dis
cOurnged me greatly. feared had overlooked
important symptoms. After practiCing three ol
four years here ! went abroad and found tht
same thing happened In the large hospitals wilt
the closest attention from trained nurses and II
the practice Of tho most distinguished doctors.
THEY DR UNEXPECTEDLY.
Bnt let me illustrate this point-that is, how
unexpectedly patients sometimes de-hy case
occurring early IN my practice that was exceed
ingly sad and deeply impressed me. In yery
interesting family that had attended year oi
more the oldest son was boy OF great promise
He was eighteen, handsome and good, and the
pride of the family, and very dear TO me. L'
was taken with typhoid-fcyer. l 80 pronounced
IL from the first. had seen him but two ~ three
days before his mother asked me TO bring IN
older doctor In consultation. i said had no Oh
John medicine at this stage Of his disease
that there was plainly nothing 20 give medicine
for Every function OF the body was well per
formed, that the time might come whom consulta
tion would be proper. This seemed 70 quiet the
fears OF the mother. But at dinner happened
TO mention the matter and my mother told me
must get consultation. / protested, but yielded
az last, and got one Of the oldest and most clear
headed doctors in the city 10 see tht
patient that evening. After he carefully ex
amincd him he turned TO the mother and said
"Madam there Is no need that DIR. Parker and
retire 10 another room 10 consult about your son
lie needs no medicine at this time; there Is moi
one indication to give medicine for. II yOJ
need my services at any time hereafter le
me know and 1 viii meet DR.. Parker again
That night at 4 o'clock / was called 10 see
John die. Had DIR. Patterson, the consultant
not seen this patient and justified ny
opinion | would have never ceased 10 reproact
myself for my (suppOsed) ignorance ana care
lessness In not detecting the approach OF deatf
in this case. There was some occult trouble II
the nervous centres Invisible - mortal eye which
led 20 this tragedy. Though mingled my tear,
freely with the family at the loss OF my deal
friend, and though DR.. Patterson called on the
family and attempted 10 exhOnerate me from al
blame, still the doors OF that home were eyel
afterwards closed to me. The lesson was Yslu
able. II consultation was desired ! got IL. Obe
dience 70 my mother was truly blessing.
Never get frightened and lose your mead. Tit
cooler you are the wiser and safer you are. 4
highly nervous man is not At for doctor. nor q
lazy man, nor a heartless man.
don't believe one woman in a hundred Is III
TO practice medicine. Not TO be bold and quics
in emergencies is sometimes death to your pa
tiont J. have seen old doctors who were babies
in this regard.
SOME OF TuE DUTIES.
Be always and everywhere gentleman. b
honest and truthful, but don't tell q patient ht
has "canCer or consumption" Ii you have AM
doubt on this question refer you TO a fun dis
cussion OF IL In a paper Of mine on "The Duty o
a Doctor Towards His Patient Suffering with Ma
lignant Disease" published In the Medical Ledger
Of Philadelphia, and also IN the transactions o.
the Virginia State Medical Society for 1855. IS
tell man he has cancer or consumption Is u
make him dOubly miserable, and also TO shorter
his life. Tell him he has IA "tumor" or his lung
are "weak," and that he has bronchitis" (Dotf
Of which Is true), and he will be- satisfied IL 4
plainly your duty TO make your patient as COM
Portable and as happy as you can. God conceal:
the day OF our death from US In mercy. y
should the doctor; but you should be Ger
tain 10 inform tho patients friends ~
full time OF the real nature OF tht
case. When you are wrongfully discharged by
family don't show resentment. 10 might %
agreeable TO some people 70 see you were wound
ed, but this IL not the proper reason. foI
would sacrifice your self-respect and dignity ol
1t. Hate no man on account Of his ignorance o
weakness. Patients have legal right to discharge
doctor whenever they think proper, but thel
have no more moral right 10 do so than 20 turf
their backs on and dishonor an old friend Win
out Just cause. When doctor Is discharged by
family they dishonor him as far as It's In tnen
power They damage his professional standing
They say by their conduct; {" I have long tim'