The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-08


Suppose a disease of the eye depends. as
Is frequently the case. upon another dis
ease which has its seat in the kidneys.
When your oculisi. who is merely an oeu-
list, IS called in. how can ne cure the dis
ease without being familiar with kidney
troubles? Or, how can surgeon operate
on the stomach thoroughly unless he Is
eonversant with the general laws of the
stomach? X viii be time enough for DR..
Young Man to think OF becoming a special
list when he has built up a good general
practice.
Now. as 10 the field of labor TO be
chosen. Large cities are poor places 10
start In, unless the young doctor has suifi-
cient funds TO keep him going during the
years of dreary waiting which must be his.
Go to country town or small city. DIR.
Young Man-rhat is my honest advice.
there you will have chance of eetting
noticed. Emergency eases are possible
there. In big cities the hospital ambulance
takes such cases from you, while the huge
army of other practitioners prevent you
from coming 10 the front. The life of a
doctor in country town is. TO my mind,
most enviahle. He grows old with the
old folks: he sees the young folks grow
up around him. If he is the right sort
of a man everybody esteems and respects
him. OF course. practice in country
town has its limitations Fame does not
often come in the country doctors way.
nor does his yearly income rise beyond
a certain limit. Blu; he is, or ought TO
be. very happy. the country doctor.
when you have practicsd and made
some money in the country. One can fol-
low the trend of ones ambition. and set
up a metropolitan Office. But il Is just
as well to be prepared for failure-fiat.
miserable Misunderstanding failure. 1 knew
a doctor who was making $1,000 per an
mum in New Jersey town. He was dis
contented. and yearned for fame and
city reputation. Accordingly he came To
New York. In three years he had lost all
his money. and now he Is back in New Jer-
sey trying TO recover his old practice. On
the other hand. have known of country
doctors, and even OF young graduates. who
started in New York. and acquired fame
and fortune. But let me frankly confess
that there is a great deal of the chance
element IN metropolitan regulations.
1.-THE young doctor should go away from
home when he begins to practice. No
man is a prophet in his. own country says
the old maxim. | knew OF a spiend.diy
equipped young physician who set up in
his native village, hoping that family In
fiuence would help him along. Quite the
contrary occurred. People would say:
why, that's old Browns son. I once
boxed his ears for stealing my apples.
You don't catch me going 10 mere boy
like him for advice Within twelve months
my young confrere found out his mistake.
packed his trunk and opened an another
office 300 miles away. Now he Is doing
famously-
Your typical young doctor is doubtless
DESTROYS for advice regarding the sort OF
office he should select. Some people think
that what is termed buff goes a long way
in young physicians: but there never was
such a mistake as this The days OF Saw
yer late Nockemorf are over for good
People are not going 10 be taken In by
gaudy offices. stylish turnouts and the
pretense OF a big practice. They know that
young doctors are not rushed 10 death by
business and such display is wasted on
them Let your Office and surroundings
be what your means Will allow, DIR.
Young Mani Do not oyerstep that limit.
Debt is the shoal upon which many
Youthful physicians ship * lost, and debt
is unavoidable when one lives beyond ones
means.
..Dr. Young Man should work on the
legitimate lines of his profession alone.
Politics or public life belong not 10 his
province. When a doctor becomes poll
tjcian he ceases to be a conscientious ply
sician With us the motto is. or ought
to be. Ne sutor ultra crepidam"-'sho
maker. stick to your last Contributing
iects | regard, however, as wholly within
the doctors province. Indeed. by that
means he keeps up with the onward march
all the better.
THAT reminds me that too much stress
cannot be laid on the study OF current
science Electricity, mathematics. chem
.stry--ail the exact sciences, In fact are
useful. perhaps Indispensable. One never
knows what new discovery In any one OF
how of los M
change tho whole course OF our belief.
Also one never knows what discoveries 1t
may be our own happy lot 10 light upon.
Accidental finds have led TO most or the
great revolutions IN medical knowledge.
The circulation OF the blood, the theory
OF vaccination. the Roen'gen ray-they
were all discovered By accident. But you
may be certain that the men who discov-
cred these things were sound scientists.
who kept their eyes wide open. and knew
how to grasp an opportunity.
II cannot too much emphasize the need
of health In young doctor. Physician.
keep thysell healthy ought 10 be the prov
erb for US. a well-tiieted healthy aC.tor,
who takes his five-miie walk daily need
not fear Infection very much. All work
and no play makes Jack dull doctor;
hut. then, Jack ought not To run TO the
opposite extreme of all play and no work.
either. Business ability. natural or ac-
au;red Is necessary. il the physician would
make "A good income. Let him avoid CIV
ing credit If his patient is too poor to
raw. charity and the maxim of Hippo
crates should make him lend his skill gra-
tultousiy But steer clear Of the trust
system a. far as possible. DIR. Young Man.
Business habits should he cultivated. too.
once acquire a reputation for getting up
nj a. m and you can sleep until noon
If YOU wish to- Don't be too anxious about
getting your vacation. Remain In town
during the summer, even II the heat an
novs you and visions Of the seaside and
the country come 20 tempt you. Remember
that during the summer the successful
physicians are neHrly all away. Tla; s
your chance. In the absence af the big
wigs you may be called in. and once
called in. be sure 10 make d good impress
Sio1.
Absolute honesty Is "a sine qua non;
aud discretion ought 10 be sppit with
capital II In the doctors dictionary. II
~ perfectly easy for young physician
to ne fndiscreet A boyish desire to brsg
foolish confidence. In some unworthy
friend or thoughtleAs yielding to tn.
wiIes Of the pomper.' may lead DIR. Young
Man into unwise admissions And the re-