The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-08-09
MEDICAL ETHICS.
Impertinent Conduct Of the Medicai
Society of Charlotte, n. c.

We gather from tne Una iot'o -, -, 80 !,
the physicians of that city, In medical soclety
assem- bled, have adopted among other resoIu
tions the following. copies OF Whlcn were ol'
dered to be placed In the hands OIL tue news
paper reporters: ,,u,, ,o,s,do,
every newspaper notice that couples Physl
clan with his professional Work, ana ~ aney
decide that the wording OF the parucular
point. or has the appearance OF an advertise
ment they shall on the following day nave
published in the same paper this notice: VIZ.
noiice that Won published in your columns
yesterday an item of semi'medicai news , 10 q
which you couple DR.. --s name Wit
his professional work. Notices OF this Klno
are impolite, unethicsl and have tne censure
Of this society.
1t is not matter for surprise that our Char
lotte contemporary, commenting upon the
foregoing deliverance, should remark:
We submit that the medlcal society nns Nv, ~
print than the bar association, the grocers
union or any other association. we maven
time to submit our news Items TO the com a.
mittee Of censors, nor the aisPosit,0n w. uU ~
tee to tell brother physician that ne is I'M. m
polite" and "unethical," but we imagine tney
would feel little out OF place conveying tnis
clan a better Judge of what is "impolite" and
"unethical" for newspapers tnan 10 tne eoi'
tor? o,,,
To sum the whole matter up we would say
that the society has not
We will take pleasure In complying WIN the
eouests OF any physician to leave MS pane
out OF any item, as we have been In Inc naoitt !
of DOING but we are not yet reaoy 20 ien'o 1as =,
to any one TO say Wnat We snai'' VI 'n"'' A"'
publish.
Upon which The State remarks as folloWs:
The motive of the society in adopting this
resolution may not be as obvious 10 news
paper readers as 1t ia to newspaper men, 80
We proceed TO explain that medical socleties
have way Of iorbidding their members to
advertise in the newspapers, hoiolng LUIS
practice TO be unethical, and that tnus ioey
force physicians who feel the need OF auTer.
tising to resort to the free ad. counter. Inc
easiest and most satisfactory way for the ply
siciap TO secure free ad. Is TO give news
paper Information Of an accident or an lnter'
estlng case Of Illness, coapiea VIII .ne mhn sIH
or "operated on the sufferer" or "is attending
the patient" 1t Is this form OF advertising
that is "impolite" and "unethlcal. ana de-
mands the "oensure .hrs OF ne soGesyi & o,1oa hes
no more straightforward form.
II ia OF course quite absurd 10 attempt 10
coerce the newspapers respecting the Puolca-
tlon of such items. Ihe calls upon mem hs, aEr
clans and other professional men are a. times
onerous, but In cases where doctors furnish
actual news OF interest, such as reports OF
accidents, tQ0 reporters are uot oioPooou "
shirk the payment OF Pnolicity Wnlcn Is
asked in compensation. The adYert1semen ent
then is not actually gratuilous; something Is
offered for II; in effect the TRANSACTION Is an
"ex xchange OF courtesies." How such publ
cations can be "impolite" passes our under
standing. The question or ethics ls anotner
matter.
II NAV be "unethical' to secure by indirec-
tion an advertisement which may not, by tne
rules OF medical societies, be openly made
and frankly paid for-but how 10 1t "uneth'
newspaper! He is permitted, we 5eiive, 10
advertise his temporary absence from DIS
field of practice, and also his return 10 IL.
How can 1t be right for him to do this ano
vet wrong for him 70 advertise at other times?
He ia permitted TO keep q conspicuous sign In
front Of his office, announcing his office hours:
Why is IL unethical for him 10 Keep small
card stating precisely the same 1acts 10 DIS
How can 1t be right In the one
case and wrong In the other? The adverts-
ing OF the charlatan school is frequently OF
fepslye in matter and manner; but why
should decent advertising by reliable pnysi-
clans be prohibited?
We would be glad to have some medical so
ciety member. explain 70 uS why quacKery
alone should be allowed TO enjoy the great
advantages Of newspaper advertising; why y
through the employment OF the great engl-
merry Of the press, charlantry should De ena-
bleu TO flourish without competltlon from
sound medical knowledge and skill. EsPecl-
aIly would we like 10 know why 1t is ''uneth-
ical"-that Is, wrong-for q doctor advertise
when IT. is right for other professional men OF
equal dignity and character, like archltects
aud engineers, to use the newspapers openly
and freely In the advancement OF their lor-
tunes.