The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-02-01
Should be Arrested.

While the prohibitionists and the saloon
men are fighting the dispensary the greater
evils resulting from the work Of faith
curers" and "quack DOCTORS" and the decep-
ton practiced in the advertising of patent
medicines is allowed to 60 unnoticed. Abbe-
willie has suffered, we presume, as much from
quacks and pretentious medicines as from
liquor. And We regard the encourager and
promoter of the medicine habit, and the arts
of the quack doctor, as q greater enemy Of
the public welfare than the retailer of spirit
nous liquors.
The variety Of swinders known as faith
curers should be arrested and put where
they may not rob the afflicted Of their money,
and be imprisoned SO that their dupes may
not sacrifice their lives in the vain hope that
disease may be miraculously arrested even
while 1t is making deadly inroads into the
life and vitals of the unfortunate victim. AS
q drowning man grasps at straw, so an
afflicted man ia an easy prey to the arts Of the
interruptions vender ofineffectual nostrums,
the component parts Of which are carefully
concealed from the intelligent physicians of
the community.
AS yet the most learned Of the physicians
are not perfectly agreed as to the best mode of
treating cancer-and there are fifty distinct
varieties of the disease. But we believe It is
generally conceded that If a cancer Is to be
treated by use of the knife, II must be done
at the earliest time possible after the appear
snce Of the disease. Otherwise, there Is
serious objection to the use Of the knife when
the cancer appears on the body or on the
head. II no Irritating ointments are put on a
cancer, and II 1t is treated with any decree Of
care in keeping 1t clean. the afflicted perso n
may end his or her days at the close of three
score and ten. But where the cancer is cut,
or where the cancer is irritated by the con-
slant application of all sorts OF medicines,
the patient must 60 to premature grave.
There is q man in this county, who last
June began to suffer from o sprain in the
knee. He thought little Of 1t until about a
month ago, when ne consulted q physician.
That physiciars,made careful examination
OF the patient, and he had no sort of doubt
that his patient had "a quick cancer" or
something OF that sort. The only hope for
that patient lay in the amputation OF the
limb. before 1t had contaminated the body,
On: the operation was not performed until
some Of these "falth cure" believers persuaded
that afflicted man to try the "faith cure" in
Atlanta. He went to that city; spent his
money, and came back after the disease had
made more serious inroads on the man. He
has lost about month of valuable time, and
his chances Of standing surgical operation
are greatly reduced.
Another case: A year or two ago, citizen
OF this town had cancer on his leg. He con-
ferred with regularly licensed physician
The patient, he thought, had no chance for
life, except in amputation Of the diseased
member. A quack volunteered advice and
gave ointments. with the most positive assur.
ance of an early recovery. Result, the only
hope OF his recovery was abandoned, and in
very short time he went to his grave.
Quack doctors and faith cure" men should
be arrested, and the laws Of the country
should set Its seal of condemnation, upon
system OF superstition and outrage which
would disgrace the dark ages.
Those who irritate their cancers by oint-
ments, or cut their cancers, or put their trust
in faith cnres" always fare worse than
those who simply take care of the malignant
tumors.