The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1897-06-10


cessful advocate Of ventilation, sewerage,
drainage and immigration. until their
sentiments were well expressed bv Lord
Palmerston. when he said to the English
| nation at the time fast had been pro-
claimed to keep off great pestilence:
"Clean your streets or death will ravage,
notwithstanding oil the prayers of this
nation. Clean your streets and then call
| on God for help"
See what this profession has done for hu-
man longevity. There was such fearful
subtraction from human life that there was
| prospect that within a few centuries this
world would be left almost inhabitantless.
Adam started with whole eternity OF
earthly existence before him, but he cut of
the most Of il and only comparatively few
years were left-only 700 years of life, and
then 500. and then 400, and then 200, and
then 100. and then so, and then the average
Of human life came to. 40. and then it
dropped to IL. But medical sciences came
in, and since the sixteenth century the
average OF human life has risen from IS
years to A, and 1t will continue to rise I'M
til the average OF human life will be so, and
1t will be GO. and It will be 70 and a man
will have no right to die before 30, and the
prophecy OF Isaiah will be literally fulfilled,
And the child shall die 100 years old"
The millennium for the souls OF men will
Sin done. disease will be done, the clergy
man and the physician getting through
with their work at the same time time
| But II seems to me that the most beauti-
| ful benediction OF the medical profession
has been dropped upon the poor. No ex-
cuse now for any ones not having scientific
attendance. Dispensaries and iniirmaries
everywhere. under the control OF the best
doctors, some OF them poorly paid, some Of
I.... - ,N.,. all l.. a
comes out from the low tenement house
into the dispensary and unwraps the rags
from her babe, n bundle of ulcers and rheum
and pustules. and over that little sufferer
bends the accumulated wisdom of the ages,
from Escuapius down to last week =
autopsy. In one dispensary in one year
$50 900 prescriptions were issued. Why do
| show you what God has allowed this pro-
fession to do? Is 1t to stir up your vanity?
Oh. no! The day has gone by for pompous
doctors, with sconspicuous gold headed
canes and powdered wigs which were the
accomplishments In the days when the bar
ber used to carry through the streets OF
London DR.. Brockclsby's wig, to the ad-
miration and awe OF the people, saving
Make way. Here comes DR.. Brockelsby's
wig No: | announce these things not
only to increase the appreciation of laymen
In regard to the work OF physicians, but to
stir in the hearts OF the men of the medical
profession feeling Of gratitude to God
that they have been allowed to put their
hand to such magnificent work and that
they have been called into such illustrous
company. Have you never felt spirit of
gratitude for this opportunity? Do you
not feel thankful now? Then, | am afraid
doctor, you are not IA Christian and that the
old provcrb which Christ quoted in his ser
mon may be appropriate to you, "Physi-
clan, heal thyself."
Another reason why think the medical
profession ought to be Christians IL be-
cause there are so many trials aud annoy
ances in that profession that need positive
Christian solace. | know YOU have the
gratitude OF great many good people. and
know II must be grand thing to walk in
tolligently through the avenues of human
life, and with anatomic skill pOise yourself
on the nerves and ilberS which cross and
rccross this wonderful physical system. |
suppose a skilled eye can see more beauty
even in n malformation than an architect
can point out in any OF his structures,
though it be the very triumph of arch and
plinth and abacus. But how many annoy
ances and trials the medical profession
have! DR.. Rush used to say in his vaedic-
tory address to the students OF the medical
college: young gentlemen. have two pock-
ets-a small pocket and big pocket: II
small pocket in which to put YOUR fees, a
large pocket in which to put your annoy
ances."
In the first place the physician has no
Sabbath Busy merchants and lawyers
and mechanics cannot afford to be sick
during the secular week. and so they nurse
themselves along with loGcnges and horc-
hound candy until sabbath morning comes,
and then they say, 81 must have a doctor"
And that spoils the Sabbath morning church
service for the physician. Besides that,
there are u graat many men who dine but
once week with their families. During
the secular days they take u hasty lunch at
the restaurant, and on the Sabbath they
make up for their six days abst ncnce by
especial Sormandizing, which, before
night, makes their amazed digestive or
gans cry out for n doctor And that spoils
the evening church service for the phys
ician.
Then they are annoyed by people coming
too late Men wait until the last fortress
of physical strength Is taken and death
has dug around 1t the trench Of the grave
and then they run for the doctor. The
slight fever which might nave been cured
with footbath has become viruent tvphus.
and the hacking cough-killing pneumonia
As though captain should sink his ship
OF Amagansett and then put ashore in n
yawl, and then come to New York to the
marine Office and want to get his vessel in
sured. Too late for the ship, too late for
the patient.
Then there are many who always blame
the doctor because the people die, forget
ting the divine enactment, 1T Is appointed
unto all men once to die" The father In
medicine who announced the fact that he
had discovered the art by which to make
men in this world immortal himself died at
A years of age, showing that immortality
was less than half n century for him. Oh,
how easy 1t is when people die to cry out.
Malpractice" Then the physician must
bear with all the whims, and the sophistrics, |
and the deceptions, and the stratagcms
and the irritations OF the shattered nerves |
and the beclouded brains OF women, and |
more especially with men who never know |
how gracefully to be sick, and with their
salivated mouths curse the doctor, giving |
him his dues, as they say-about the only |
dues he will in that cnse collect. The last |
bill that is paid is the doctors bill. 1t |
seems so incoherent for u restored patient, |
with ruddy cheeks and rotund form, to be |
bothered with bill charging him for old |
calomel and jalap. The physicians OF this |
country do more missionary work without |
charge than all the other professionals put |
together. From the concert room, from |
the merry party, from the comfortable |
couch on cold night, when the thermom-