The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1900-11-24
PROFESSIONAL INCOMES.
rhs Receipt. OF Doctsrs Are Net ~
Large as the Majority Of People
Suppose.

The law is probably the most profit
able Of the so-called professions.
There arc more and larger prizes to
be gained by an acute and eloquent
Disciple Of the legal art than r open
TO the medical man or the minister.
says the Medical Record. In this
country and Great Britain the in
comes Of the foremost advocates and
Of attorneys In lucrative practice for
the most part oyershadow the yearly
earnings Of the best-known physicians
and surgeons, and 10 q stiil greater
extent those Of our spiritual advisers.
Occasionally one bears OF very large
fortunes being left by prominent doc
tors-Sir William Gull. Sir Andrew
Clarke, DR.. Pepper and Sir william
Jenner are cases in point, hut these
r exceptions, and sums accumu-
lated by medical men cannot be COM
pared either In number or magnitude
to the colossal amounts amassed by
members of the legal fraternity.
When, however, the average incomes
ofs4hesc three classes Of the commun-
ity are considered their relative posi-
ton In Great Britain and the United
States will be found TO differ. Viewed
thus, in the United Kingdom the cler-
gymAn is at the top Of the list. the
lawyer second and the doctor last,
while here the lawyer OF doctor gets
a larger share Of the 'losveu and
fishes" and the minister has 10 be
content with the crumbs.
The average income of q physician
in large cities on this continent may
be placed At $1,000. in the smaller
towns at 81, 500, and In the rural dis
tricts at $1,000. Two or three New
York physicians are said to make
over 100000 q year, Eve or six about
$4,000, but the average income, al
though higher than In Chicago or in
other. American large cities, does not
greatly exceed $4,000 yearly. The
minister averages in the city perhaps
$1,000 and In the country certainly
not more than $500 yearly.
Az regards living expenses, both the
lawyer and minister have an advsn-
tage over their professional brother.
In New York city, for example. Office
accommodations suitable to q physi-
clan are very dear in 9 good neigh
hood, costing not less than $40 or $50
q month, which, with board and lodg-
ing aud other necessary disburse-
ments, will represent q sum Of S12o
monthly, q sufficiently wsighty bur
den for Q struggling youthful prac-
. titioner to bear. The young minister
|. has no rent to pay, while the legal
|. neophyte can regulate his outlay In
: this respect according to the length
Of his purse.
Nevertheless, the lot Of the medical
. beginner, compared with that Of I
. pastor In a like situation, has Its com
. pensations. He Is at least more OF
. less independent. The minister, OF
the contrary, is, as q rule, permitted
to exercise his own Will but to a linn
Q tied degree, and often Is doomed Il
a -, 4kr..nk N HNntiuna NJ fait Guh
|. .a.s % = a.nr,... ~ censorion
I .ns"-s.d $500 An .xc.,lsnt AZ
sa..a.,en =, i ,r,a,. ~ an America,
m,.;.,ar ana ,hs various mn
se.raaaa-a. a,;,h which he has d
a~.~nI =, ~. hsnas q, his congr,
- a. o,ssn n a1rh. nsmnat,on q
Thason w. = nest nov.l write
n ~ ~ ,a,. T.roId Fr.d.yic
10 whsn al "a so,d tbst can he. said
A.. A.. fsv v.ars Of med,cal nractic
ars vs.rs ~ arduous effort. full O
10 d;siIius,onmsnt and d;sanpointmepl
Tha la,s s,r Andrew Clarke told ID,
o.. aF,.om tba vantage ground a
n,nr. .han "a yssrs Of hard work
can ssv thai | have striyen ten year
o., for bread. ten wears for bread an
,s butter. and 20 years for cake an
II all" The truth undoubtedly is. an
10 esneclaIly In the large centers Of POI
~ ulstIon in America, that the oppoi
t%unities for a physician to obtain al