The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-12-22
A HORRIBLE CONDITION
OF the Medical Profession
in This Country
Everyone Should Reflect Before Sc
Letting the PLY stefan Who
Is to Guard Their Fam.
ily'S Health

| Many physicians in this country have passed
| with very little preparation from the farm and
from mercantile and mechanical pursuits to
| the grand and noble profession OF medicine,
and then undertaking the awful responsibility
OF handling human life, when they are abso-
lutely untitled to do SO! And, even in South
ern California, there are men practicing at
medicine, who not only have no license to do
| so, but who have not the least conception Of
the construction OF the human body.
There are, unfortunately, physicians in this
city who have knowle edge but character
and such men are daily derauding the poor
who are sick and need honest, skillful atten-
ton. out of their hard earned money, and even
going so far in their greed for money. and their
recklessness of consequences, rs to perform
operations when it is absolutely unnecessary
to do SO.
These are the physicians who make it their
business to dccry men who. by reason OF great
skill and larger knowledge. have obtained a
hieh position as honest, conscientious and
skiilful physicians, and whose earnest desire
is to beucf fit their patients as quickly as posi-
BILE. These are The men who claim no doctor
should advertise; that it is beneath his dig
nifty; and that even if he can cure certain dis
eases, he should let people findit out for them.
selves. Such reasoning to the sensible man
sounds like nonsense. 1t is only a few weeks
ago that an article appeared in one OF the
prominent medical journals on this very SUBJ
ject. 1t expresses the views Of hundreds OF
enlightened men and women, as well as of
many learned and skilliul physicians. 1t is
here given entire:
"Having thoroughly qualified himself for
the practice Of some particular branch of the
healing art. the specialist sees no improperly
| in acquanting the public with his ability to
relieve certain forms Of suffering. He be.
lieves that medical men should ossess equal
| rights with other business men, and that any
| code of medical ethics which would deprive
| him of any of the sacred rights guaranteed to
all by the laws Of this country. is professional
| tyranny. Nor does he display any false modesty
| in the manner OF making known his skill. He
| maintains that he has an undoubted right to
| place his ability to cure disease before the
| people by every fair and honorable means. He
| recognizes the display Of goods in the mer-
| chants show window as no less an advertise
ment and in no better taste than the pubica-
| ton OF a card in O newspaper. So also he re-
| CARDS the various devices by which some ethi-
cal physicians seek to place themselves con-
| spicuously before the people, as but so many
ways of advertising. and as not any more mod
| est than the announcement through the pub
lie press OF his professional services for curing
| certain maladies. "
| Some physicians who express 'holy
| horror of the Advertising Doctor, literally be-
| slowing upon him the epithet of 'quack,'
announce themselves a graduate, talk learn
| eddy and give notice to the public in some way
| that they are ready TO serve them. They en-
deavor to impress upon the mind Of their
| patient aud family, their skill. ride furiously
| about when they have no professional bust
| ness, keep up business appearances by using
several horses. and frequently join numerous
| nd no These 10
| methods are daily pursued and they are all
| but modes of advertising; they are in short
| artful, but not refined tricks, resorted to for
| private announcement.
Such indirect clandestine methods are not
half as candid and honorable as the direct
public statements of a medical practitioner who
thereby incurs an individual responsibility.
The practice of med cine is rapidly becom-
| ing specialzed, and where a few years ago the
| family practitioner was considered competent
| to treat all diseases today patients GO to large
| cities and consult spec alists who have devot-
| ed their lives to some special branch OF medi-
| cine.
| The following quotation, taken from tn G
Medical Ledger, explains this matter very
| aptly. 1t says:
'If you wanted portrait painted, you
| would not go to a carriage painter? No more
would you send your child to an evening
| the division of labor is the rule. until as the
| New York Independent says, it is ascertain ed
\ that the labor of thirty-six hands is required
! tC manufacture single pair OF boots. Seeing
this. the doctor who assumes to have gone
| over the whole field of medical literature, en-
| bracing many thousands of volumes, is sim
ply pSDl RI!esumlns upon the ignorance OF tn
! 1t is the duty OF everyone who is sick or all
| ing to get the very best medical advice they
| can procure, and in order TO do this they
| should examine carefully and without pre- III
| dice the claims of all before deciding to whom
! they will entrust their health-a trust more
| tody of millions.
Do not be deceived by wonder doctors. BY
| fitch from your pocketoook the last dollar you
| possessed, and then, having made pretense OF
curing you. turn you off because your money
is gone and with it your health.
Remember that no physician or staff of
physicians can cure all and every disease, be-
cause there are some ailments that are beyond
human skill, no matter how learned to sue
cessfully defeat in their inroads on human
lile.
today without equals i'll southern California
because they say to the sick You can come
and consult with them; it costs nothing. Be
cause if they find your case incura bic they are
honest enough to tell you so, aud not defraud
you upon a pretense of curing you. Because
they know their specia sts can cure and are
curing cases OF chroiiic disease that some have
pronounced incurable. and because, knowing
they have tue skill aud the means to aid the
sick and suffering, they are bold enough to
come out openly through the papers and say so.
Remember the English and German special
lists do not claim to be wonder doctors to
cure all diseas $. but they do claim that h Az
ing a conf lete staff of expert specialists they
are be tier ii ed to treat and cure chronic dis.
eases than any one physician who attempts to
cope tn all diseases.
By their kind and conscientious treatment
of their many patients, they have gained the
confidence OF the better class of people in
Sou hern California. They are men OF means,
and they not only located here Tor the WINTER
but permanently They are chartered and in
corporated under the state law of California,
with a capital stock OF T25O,UOn. for the pur-
pose OF building a grand hospital for the ac-
commodation OF their many patients which
will be equipped with all modern APP liances
and have the very best h! genie surroundings.
They also have their charter for the medical
college, which will be opened the coming fall,
and in which every chair Will be filled by au
able special st in the various branches of med
chronic diseases as follows:
Their first specialist, the surgeon, performs
all opera tons, treats deformitiec, spinal
| troubles, removes piles. fstula, cancer and
| rupture without the knife.
| Their second specialist treats skin and
blood diseases such as eczema, scrofula,
synthetic taints, etc
Their hird, treats diseases OF women in all
| their various phases; also diseases of the
| stomach. liver, kidneys and bladder
Their fourth, treats all private and nervous
| diseases of men only, and all Insulation and
| correspondence is strictly. confidential.
Their fifth treats catarrh ana bronchial trout
| les for So a month, including all medicines,
| and in order to convince the public of his CON-
| on week tiial treatment free that they them
| Sc yes may decide whether the treatment does
| them good or not.
The STAFF of the English and German special