The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-01-30

TOT all emergencies, to say nothing or the tooth-pulllng tools and other shiv- er-breeding instruments sometimes ex- posed to view If he was ignorant of many of the remedies and appliances now in use he In a large measure sup piled the deficiency by hard headed judgment, well observed experience and careful nursing Besides it was in his favor that he did not have to both CT his head with many or the newly invented and refined diseases that af- flict mankind to-day, He had no al lotted hours for his patients, but was always on duty, and we knew the sound of his gig. Your ways are better than his; but we desire you to regard this admission as all the more valuable because it is carved out of our loyalty to our village doctor, who brought us through the diseases of childhood with out relapse, who saved from death our parents and our brothers and sisters in many a hard combat with illness and who. when vanquished and forced to surrender was present in the last scene to close the eyes of the dying patient and sympathize with those who wept
 I hasten to say that we do not for @ moment suppose that advancement ln the science of medicine and surgery has smothersd the faithfulness and ten der consideration which characterized the practitioner of former days. If we seek charitable service to the sick and suffering, noble appreciation of obll- gation to humanity and self-abnega- tion in the discharge of professional duty we must look for them among our physicians. and surgeons of to-day If we have now arrived at an under standing you are hope, prepared for a suggestion quite in keeping with the extremely moderate and reasonable disposition that characterizes the pa tient and layman. You have invaded our benighted contentment and led us out into broad fields of scientific dis covery.
 This has inspired us with a newborn spirit of wisdom and criticism which demands that new and larger fields be opened to our complacent gaze. You have penetrated the places where the germs of disease are hidden. We are quite certain that you should be re- quired to destroy the origin of disease and ultimately usher in the day when the only escape from the world will be through a passageway marked 'old age exit" If this has the appearance of exacting too much, or if business considerations present obstacles to it's accomplishment, I think we ought per haps to reduce our claims, or at least give our doctors time to find other em- ployment.
 In the meantime those of us who are conservative must be allowed to hope that further investigation will con- tinue to point the way to the preVen- tion of disease. For this investigation we must still rely upon the efforts of those who have already done so much in that direction, encouraged and stim- ulated by such effective organizations as the Academy of Medicine We are sure that this work, having arrested the attention of the worlds brother hood of medical science, will not be neglected; nor need we fear that Amer ica's contribution to splendid results will be deficient
 In some Instances, however, investi- gat1on has performed its part and only effective action in other quarters is ne- cessary to supply needed remedies. Tn such cases. of course, you are absolved from all responsibility in your profess sional character by exhibiting dangers and warning against them Thus cer- tain diseases which you deem conta- gious yet remain imperfectly isolated. You have demonstrated the peril to health of unWholeSome water and noX- ious surroundings; and yet much re- mains to be done by way of protecting our people against these dangers. You have established code of ethics which condemns charlatanism in all forms and yet ignorant pretenders roam over the land offering to perform miracles, or are located In our towns proving upon the weakness of the rich and af- fiicted while men and women are al- lowed to die without medical attend ance, deluded with the hope that faith will save them in their last extremity. Within the limits of your professional power and influence you seek to re- strain any approach to criminal nal- practice; yet newspapers disgustingly though covertly advertise the way to such crimes, and startle their readers with sensational tales of death and misery to which they are directly ac- cessory.
 I need not suggest that such evils are allowed to exist by reason of the insuf- ficiency of our laws or iaxity in their execution. I have intimated that for this condition you are not responsible in g. professionable sense, but are you sure that as citizens you are doing all in your power to remedy the situation :? The village doctor was not only our physician, but he was man of inf1u- ence in all neighborhood affairs. In every matter that concerned the good of the community he was at the front. He was president of the village or rep resented his town in the county board of supervisors; and if he was ever late in visiting a patient it was because he fingered at the post office to discuss the political situation. Thus he joined with the performance of professional duty discharge of the obligations of citizenship. We cannot but think that the discoveries and improvements in the medical practice which We now en- joy are dearly bought if the members of the profession in their onward march have left behind them their sense of civic obligation and their interest in the