The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-05-05
FIRST DAYS SESSION.
Not Many of the Doctors In the City Owing to
Related Trains.

| Belated Trains.
The twenty-fourth annual meeting oil
the Homeopathic Medical society of ths
state of Kansas was called TO order at the
Board of Trade hall in this city at II
O'Clock yesterday morning.
The proceedings commenced with an
opening prayer by Rev. n. E. Harmon on
whom it also devolved TO make the well
coming address. Mr.. Harmon made some
very appropriate remarks and they were
responded to in behalf of the society by
: DR.. Hudson of Kansas City. DR.. Minick
and DR. Crosby, both of this lefty, were
president and secretary of the meeting re-
spectively. The minutes of the twenty
third annual session of the society held at
Kansas City, Kansas, last year. were read
by the secretary aud approved.
DR.. Minick, president of the society, read
his annual address. which is as follows:
PRESIDENT W. A. MINICK's ADDRESS.
Nothing is more essential to success in
any calling in life than definite aim aud
| fixed purpose. And no stronger tempta-
| tons beset US than those which tend 10
| lead US away from this essential. definite
| aim after side issues that promise temper
airy gain. The disposition IS too nearly
| general among men to grow restless and
! fearful under the apparently slow pro-
| gress made by the cause of truth and right
and personal success, and this often leads
! to the adoption of questionable methods
! for the more rapid promotion of these in
| terests. the result of which IS almost In
variably fungus growth and speedy
! subsequent decay. Truth is neither de-
feated nor discouraged, though its antag-
/ 81 a
less contest extending through thousands
| of years. The right has III II the potency
| OF victory, Notwithstanding the vicis STUDIES
through which it has passed for centuries.
The men who have achieved real success in
the varied callings Of life are those who
have kept steadily onward In the I'M
wearied pursuit of one lofty aim, never
faltering in the presence of a foe, and
never deviating TO follow the phantom
which promises success without toll and
fame without merit. These principles are
applicable TO none more than to those in
the medical profession, especially our
branch Of the profession. He who fights
the winning battle of Homeopathy but
weakens himself and delays the final
triumph of our cause when he resorts to
devices that are questionable and
adopts methods that are dishon-
cradle. Permit me to mention a
few things which, in my Judgment, are of
u.
advertising beyond simple card announc-
ing name, address and profession is, TO my
mind, improper, and is preJudicial to the
best interests of the profession. He who
announces himself as specialist without
having pursued special studies and enjoy
ed special advantages in his chosen field,
must OF necessity disappoint the expecta-
tions of the public, subject himself TO the
humiliating charge of being quack, and
stigmatize our entire branch OF the profess
sion within the radius touched by the IN
huence of his failure.
The sensational style of advertising en-
ployed by some physicians, such as claim
ing the ability to cure all manner of dis
eases, the announcement of only first-class
modern apparatus in the country, and all
this accompanied by cheap wood cut of
the great and only DIR. Cure-all, are thor
oughly unprofessional and highly repre-
hensible methods.
Another class of advertisers, also, de-
serve the condemnation of all truly pro-
fessional physicians. | refer TO those who
announce their greatness % on embiaZoned
windows and signs, or hire space in the
daily paper in which to publish extrava-
gait putfs written by their own hands.
Only those easily gulled are caught by such
methods of advertising rs have indicated,
while those who are truly intelligent ex-
press their disgust by accusing the offend
picion upon the entire profession. The
young man just entering into practice, and
the older practitioner just entering new
field; and again. he OF less skill and fewer
equipments than some OF his brothers,
will find various hindrances and discour-
agements in their work. Such conditions
are liable to awaken feelings of jealousy
unless careful self-possession Is main
tanned. Every practitioner should
promptly repress ali such tendencies in his
own heart for the double reason that they
initiate against his own growth and sue
cess and delay the ultimate triumph of
homeopathy. We need not be greatly
surprised when physicians of other schools
look with degree of jealousy upou the
amszng progress of our young giant,
especially since under his conquer
ing tread the colossal errors in
medical science which they have held for
ages are beginning to fall into the category
of things obsolete. But physicians of our
school should stand shoulder to shoulder
in the contest. Nothing can be gained by
striving against each other. In union
there is strength" IN division there is
weakness; in contention and strife there Is
defeat and death. The failure of one of
our number is an injury TO all. The sue
cess of each is the triumph of all. The en- |
tire profession, therefore, Is or should be. !
interested in the success of every one of its !
worthy members. There is ample room |
for all true physicians There are yet on
every hand wide ranges of territory in |
which the true gospel OF medicine has |
never been preached. Instead, therefore |!
of being jealous of our more prosperous |
brother practitioner, and seeking by adj /
verse criticism to destroy his Influence |
aud undermine his business, let us rejoice |
in his success as a common heritage or our |
cause; and, entering these inviting mis- |
sion fields with the prestige OF his achieve /
meuts in favor of homeopathy, we shall |
win success by honest toll and real merit. |
Having thus briefly stated a few things |
TO be avoided as detrimental to the pro- |
fession. permit me to indicate with becom
ing modesty two or three elements that l |
regard as essential to our highest efficiency |
as practitioners. First, we should be |
men. In all professions manly man,
other things being equal, IS In first de-
mand. Is it not true that the people we
most delight to number among or pat
rous are those who demand that
their physician, into whose hands
they commit such sacred interest
shall possess the character and habits of a
gentleman / think it is not too much to
say that such character can be maintained
only by that conscientious selfculture
which shall evidence itself in an easy aud
sustained observance of all those proprie-
ties that enter into the various relations of
life, The practitioner OF today and of the
future, more than the past, must possess
some knowledge of affairs outside his pro-
fession. He should, if possible, snatch
some time from his professional duties TO
devote 10 general and current literature !
TO the end that be may command the re-
spect OF the most intelligent people and
gain access to the most cultured houses
But his chief business Is with the litera-
ture OF his profession. Ii we empty
LAWYER we reuuIrs the best services he can