The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-12
MEDICAL ETIQUETTE.
Rigid Professional Rules Followed
by Some Physicians.
From the Pittsburg Dispatch,

From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
"The desire for a strict observance of
professional ethics among physicians is
sometimes abnormally developed by
consciousness of ones superiority into
practices which are ridiculous and alb
surd" said a well known doctor. "Busi-
ness is business in the medical as we'll as
the commercial world, but, as there are
many little social ACTS that may be in
dulged in, even while changing merchan-
disc into gold, so a physician. who has the
profession close to his heart will not dis
guise the natural social instinct of man
by exaggerated manneriSmS that are in
tended solely to magnify his own impor-
tance in the eyes of his patient. Profess
sional etiquette is all right but when il
makes man appear to be more of think
ms machine with an automatic dispensing
attachment, II is time to revise practice.
I'm my experience | have met with
many curious examples of distorted ideas
OF what professional etiquette should be,
but the most marked case of any iss to be
found in a Philadelphia doctor of high
standing. He possesses considerable skill,
and this along with many mannerisms
and affectatiOns, with a startling nicely of
dress always in the latest fashion, has
made this physician the pet of the world
of fashion, who are willing to pay eXorbi-
tant fees for indulging in a social fad.
They all like him because he is so diff
ferent.
THE doctor is great stickler on the
ethics Of medical practice, and considers
his methods the only proper ones for a
physician to follow. He refrains when
visiting a patient from saying anything
to any person in the house, aside from
asking information concerning the case
in hand, but a most polite 'good-daS'
when arriving and leaving. He believes
that the doctor should be apart from the
man. so. in well defined manner he con-
ducts dual life-Dr Blank as the physi-
clan, and DR.. Blank as the social man.
You can imagine how this cool pro-
fessional manner seems, in the homes
of his friends, yet no matter how closely
he may be connected when called in
professionally he always maintains this
was called in by a college chum to at
tend his wife. The two had been the
warmest of friends in college having
roomed together and graduated in the
same class. But as such things go in this
world, they had not seen each other
OF late years, their business keeping them
apart, and kind fortune having favored
the mans home with health, so there
was no need OF a physician. But he
called his friend in when he Qeeded him,
greeting and a hearty handshake, only
to have cold good morning and an
Indifferent grasp Of the hand in return.
have some cause for his apparently cool
Indifferent manner, said no more, but
conducted him to his wifes room, where
he answered all the questions put to him
by the physician. As he was going down
stairs he stopped in the library, and
taking up a decanter. said: Allow me
TO give you a glass of sherry, doctor
This the doctor refused. and proceeded
on his way down stairs, and with a
good-day' went out of the door.
The gentleman was nonplussed by his
strange actions The friend of his col
lege days, so changed His meditAtions
We're interrupted by the ringing of the
bell, and upon going TO the head of the
stairs he found ii was the dostor re-
turned. But it was not the doctor il
.Hvvra. i. -
not wait for his friend to come down
and greet him, but rushed up the stairs,