The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-06-07

"The death of ex-President Harrison
is taken as text for abusing the
medical profession by one of the
quack- favoring dailies. 1t calls the
event conspicuous instance of the
helplessness of the medical profes-
sion when confronted by certain
cases of disease. Pneumonia,
says, while it is "always dangerous,
is seldom deadly" and it suggests
what a storm would have been raisedif
the ex- president had trusted himself to
the Osteopaths or Christian Scien
fists. The editorial is a type of many
now appearing, inspired by ignorance
and malice, and the question OF ten
arises whether such utterances are I'M
worthy Of notice or should be taken
up and resented. Under ordinary cir
cumstances it would hardly be worth
the trouble to notice them, for they
usually defeat their own purpose by
their rank eXaggerations and evident
inspiration by prejudice and ignorance.
| 1t does not require much intelligence
to recognize the fact that medicine has
earned the confidence of the public by
its success and to perceive the proba
bility that this same caviling editor
would throw himself into the hands
of a physician did he think himself the
victim of dangerous or troublesome
disease. An average intellect can per
ceive that the death of so prominent
an individual under the ministration
of vOodOoists or ignorant masseurs or
bone settlers might reasonably arouse
comment and sins of omission be
charged. The editor and the public
do not apparently know, however, that
for six months of the year pneumonia
is one of the most fatal of all diseases
in our Northern climate, and with IL
lagrippe complications incomparabl5
the most fatal. Moreover, 1T Is the
disorder which, more than others in
recent years, has been one of the least
amenable to control and its mortality
is increasing while that OF other
diseases, like tuberculosis, is decreas
ing. The editorial referred to is sim
ply an exhibition of ignorance in this
respect There is sort OF cheap self
consciousness of virtue and hberallty
INDUCED in by editors and others that
shows itself in taking up and support
ing self -asgertive frauds and denounc-
ing the bigorry of those who, with
better knowledge, are compelled u
conscientiously oppose them. 1t does
not matter to such that little lnVestl-
cation of facts and a limited utlllza
ton of their intellects would demon
. strate to them the error OF their ways,
They are too well satisfied with things
as they are. In the meantime medl-
cine and the medical profession VIII
continue to follow the scientific paths
r and do all they can to lead mankind
into the ways of bodily salvation.
After this stunning blow which was,
7 perhaps intended to put the CONNER,
cial Appeal tout of BUSINESS, we
: it has survived and has the following
: to say about it:
l This crushing criticism is from the
columns of the Journal of the Amerl-
: can Medical Association, and it refers
to an editorial that appeared IN the
r Commercial Appeal some time ago
7 The lofty tone and pompous arrogance
displayed are characteristic of the spe
' cialist, who has become cramped anC
} narrow when he fancies he is expand
= ing. As defender of the faith he mus
. resent anything said about his clients
t who look upon him as the David of the
profession, but he fails to disprove
! anything that has been said in these
columns. Medicine has made great
progress since the days when The
, learned ones used to bleed man t.
death in order to save his life, bu
there are many things yet to b.
learned, and among them the treat
9 ment of pneumonia. And if pneumonia
. is too dire a scourge it may be asked
= why those who follow the scientific
4 paths have not discovered treat
p ment for measles. 1t is only the other
day that water has been allowed the
patient burning with fever. If a mar
5 dies as President Harrison died while
= being treated by those who follow
> the scientific paths, he is quite as
dead as if he had been treated by
''voOdooists or ignorant masseurs.
TENNESSEE COLLEGE OF OsrEoPATHY
For catalogue, address S. T. Max
well, Columbia, Tenn. 1t