Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-06
MEDICAL ETHICS.
The Recent Charges Have Aroused
Muea Comment Among Physicians.


There would seem to be no let up in the
interest taken by local medical men in the
charges recently preferred against two
leading practitioners for alleged violation
of the stringent code of ethics that doth
hedge the profession. 1t is a hard matter
at best for the doctors to always keep
clear Of the trouble that is bound to ensue
II they transgress any of the rules that
forbid advertising and the thousand and
one other matters that are supposed to be
beneath the dignity Of the profession. Still.
1t is not often that objection is raised
against two such we'll known men as Dr.
Franck Hyatt and DR.. w. A. Hammond.
At the recent Pan-American medical con-
gress held in this city doctor from Eng
land raised merry little tempest by an ad-
dress he delivered on the subject of medi-
cal ethics. The rules In England are very
much more severe, even, than they are In
this country, and when he came to dis
cuss them at length IT was evident from
the start that he was making trouble.
Many of his hearers did not take the
same ground as their English brother. ana
those who did were Of the opinion that the
subject was not one that II was sa1e or
in very good taste to discuss in public
meeting. The ethics and their violation
are usually considered behind closed doors
To young physicians especially they are
more or less of a bugbear until such time
as he has learned what he may and what
he may not do with propriety. This will
give some idea of the sensation that was
created at the Of abe med
cal association Of the District.
DR.. Hyatt was one of the physicians who
was in constant attendance at the BEDSIDE
Of the late ex-Secretary Blaine, ana against
him the charge was made that in recon-
mending a certain mineral water for lts
curative properties he had signed himself
as the physician to Mr.. Blaine. A ply
stefan, II would seem, may sign a recon-
mendation for a medical mineral water
though he must keep the skirts OF his coat
free from all charge of having had any
thing to do with patent medicines.
DIR. Hyatts friends are said to have been
rather indignant that any charges we're
preferred against him when these, they In
sist, could have been disposed of by the
simplest word of explanation. They say
that If his testimonial was used. accompa-
MED by the words quoted. 1t was without
his knowledge or consent, and 1t is under
stood that the original copy of his mineral
springs Endorsement will be forthcoming
to make his vindication complete.
The charges against DIR. Hammond are
in relation to his alleged connection with
patent medicine firm which manufactures
an article called 'cerebrin." of which he
was the originator. DR.. Hammond has pub
licly denied that he pays for any adver-
Using or receives any money from patent
rights in this preparation.
Dr. Joseph N. Gardner. against whom
charges were brought Of unprofessional
practice, for having gone over to home
opathy, seems to have disposed Of the
charges in a card, in which he says: "Hav-
ing been convinced by ample clinical OBJ
servations of the superiority Of homeopathy
over that Of the old school rendered my
resignation of membership to the Medical
Association and Medical Society of the
District of Columbia some time since Hav-
ing severed my connection with these or
ganizations Of my own volition, and that
from honest conviction, l am at a loss
~,
ton should have, as they term 1t, any
charges against me-"