The news & observer., 1897-02-11
A PLEA FOR THE DOCTORS.


grievance that is greater. and more
worthy Of redress, by the present legisla-
ture. than the present defenseless condi-
tion-viewed from business standpoint
of the confding and humanitarian ply
s:cians Of the State.
| say confding, because the faith which
they have heretofore shown, in the public
has been absolutely unlimited, and thor
oughly abused.
That fact is fully attested by the
heavy aggregation of uncollected claims,
which every doctor is now carrying.
If any portion of the many valiant
workers in life's ragged BATTLE are just
ly entitled 30 protection, it is the doctors.
The sum of genuine good which they
do, for the suffering and illstaryed ones
in Efe, can never be computed. The pri-
vation, exposure, and personal sacrifice
(which they undergo, to releave others, can
only be known to themselves The
weight of responsibility which they carr
ry, the intense anxiety which they feel,
and the mental solicitude which they
suffer, can never be realized by any one.
Yet, for all this exhibition of noble
philanthropy, and gentle, tender human-
fty, they are, of all others, the most mail
treated and poorly rewarded.
This Is not as it should be. And every
good man ought to be interested IN the
correction of this abuse.
1t comes within the power and pero-
gative of the General Assembly to give
us a remedy, and let us confidently hope
that it will generously and considerate-
ly do so.
Why should not the faithful doctor,
who so zeaIously guards and protects
mans dearest possession, have and en-
JOY some protection for himself and he's
dependent family?
While the humane, conscientious ply
sician is earnestly and feelingly working
to save the imperiled life of dear little
tot, that is, at once, the pride and JOY
of the family c.rele while he is unselfish-
ly Drawing the dangers of a midnight
storm to reach, and rescue from impend-
ing death, an angel mother; while he
hastens, amid great personal peril, to the
relief of an affectionate but padn-stricken
father, in order that the provident pater-
nal hand may be spared to his family,
the kindly doctor himself has often, at
home, a wife and little ones two, per
haps, who are wholly dependent upon his
professional ministaataons to others for
their support and web being. Surely it
is a hard and unhappy fate that would
bring need and want upon the household
of him, who is so yaliantly fighting 10
avert that misfortune from the homes of
others.
At present, the medical man is, in a
sense, the lshamaclite of the business
world. Not that his kindly hand is rails
ed against any man, but that the hand
Of most every man is against him. All
classes of reputable business men now
when they are not dealing with parties
that have a commercial rating, and are
perfectly solvent-exact security, before
making an advance OF their respective
values, and it provokes no censure or
unkind comment for them TO do SO. In
fact, they are not expected to respond at
all to any demands, for aid or relief, ex-
cept upon the tender Of good and ample
security But let the doctor, who is, in
truth, the truest and best friend of man
kind, IN the hour Of pain and suffering
but intimate such strange and horri-
bic thing and there are many who at once
pronounce him a heartless man, devoid
of fellow feeling and sympathy.
No man living has better opportunity
to know men, or TO study human nature,
in its many Protean forms and manifesta-
tions than the doctor; for, as the genial
DIR. Opie, Of Baltimore, once remarked
to me: "Iie secs people with their clothes
Off and can study all Of their deformities
of mind, heart, and body. He knows
those clever, upright good fellows, who
regard the family doctor with sentiments
Of high respect and sincere regard, and is
TO them a close and dear friend, as well
as their bulwark of strength, when dam
ger is near. He enjoys the fullest meas
ure OF their confidence and good viii.
They not only meet their obligations to
him, In his time OF need but are always
earnest and faithful advocates of his
cause, at all times. Then come the poor,
that are always with US, and who have
special and peculiar claims upon our
charity and benevolence. To the true
physician, it is always labor Of love
to do all that in his power hes, to miti
gate the miseries OF their unhappy lot.
And last, and most numerous of them
all, are those foul birds of the flock-tlhe
harpies and cormorants-so to speak,
who regard the poor doctor as an alb
ject helot or public slave, and who prey
upon mis- services, in life, because they
rightly suppose that his attenuated Pc
cuniary remains win be wholly unworthy
of their rayenous attention, after his
death. They are ever ready TO COM
mand and utilize mis- best services when
ever
Fever burns or ague freezes
Rheumatics gmaw or collie squeezes.'
But the business il of a purely una
ex parte" kind When the times arrives
for them to do something substantial,
they pay only in empty praises, vehe-
ment maledictions, or specious promises,
that are never kept.
1t is chiefly for this genus that the lein
&c ID