The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-07-02
EDITORIAL


There is pretty strong ground for b,
lieving that in the case Of the late 0ri
Barker there was malprac tice, that hi
broken limb did not receive prope
surgery, that Il was put together with
out knowledge Of some Of the commOi
facts that ought 10 be in possession o
any good COW doctor. From all account
he was dead TO the world 90 far as tha
leg was concerned as coon as the doc
tors had done itup, and a Salem surgeon
went there and found a % pound weigh
hanging 10 It 10 stretch IL ont 10 its full
length. Il would be interesting TO have
the surgeons who Get his leg make =
statement Of Just what condition they
found 1t in and what they did to it and
why 1t began 70 turn black and bad no
sensation left in II and practically began
tomOrtify az soon aa they we're through
with II. These things may not be as
they are told by other doctors, and the
profession may be 90 protected by law
that they don't have 10 give the people
the facts when they kill a man. But
Orin Barker's friends have q right 10
know. n Il was such a break that IL
was beyond the reach Of surgical skill
let Il be known and let the physicians
be exonerated. There is q disposition
TO favor a professional man and 70 give
him the benefit Of a doubt in his favor
when IL is apparent that he did his level
best and did all that could be done. But
sometimes mistakes are made, and some
ignorant men and women are practicing
medicine and surgery. II the doctors
who set Orin Barker's limb did not
understand their business IL Is time
they were debarred the privilege Of eE-
pcrimenting on human life, and their
permit 10 practice surgery sbodld be
removed. 40 for drugs II does not
make 20 much difference. Patent med
icine men, druggists, pharmacists, spec
ialists, Indian root doctors, Wahoo wo-
men, hoodOO men and barkeepers and
Rrocers are administering drugs with
about equal success and intelligence.
The drug mania has been having
its run somsny thousands Of years that
the human race we're wiped off exis.
tence long ago we're IL not for higher au.
thority and the belief that human beings
are divine and created on some other
pattern than medical college mannikin.
II would seem as though the grand
jury or district attorney might throw
some light on Orin Barker's death.
With all the examinations and all the
legislation and the pride Of the proies-
sion that is law-protected monopoly,
the Medical Colleges are grinding out a
grist OF incompetence. In Coos
county recently a man was hurt In
sawmill, having one OF the big veins Of
bis neck severed. He rode about 20
miles In a wagon, holding his wound
with his hand 90 40 10 keep from bleed
ing 10 death. lie was then taken 10
consultation Of surgeons, and they de.
cided 10 open his neck and take out one
Of his veins and tic II up 10 save the
mans life. II seems they tied the
wrong one, or tied IL above or below
where they should have tied Il according
TO their own theory. The man suffered
intolerable agony for several days and
died Of sheer exhaustion. The moment
he would fall asleep, his heart pumping
tha klnel III s,. -. III. - "a. ~
into his brain would awaken him with
sledge hammer blows on his uerebellum
and bis misery was something pitiiul.
OF course, he was only poor laboring
man and his wife and children had
10 see him pass away under the crueliat
torture. and there was no recourse. A
terrible mistake had been made and one
that could not be reclined. The surgeons
were not entirely 10 blame. They had
done their best, no doubt, but that they
were ignorant and inexperienced did
not prevent them from bringing In
big bill and the profession protected
hem against any indictment. All the
satisfaction We can Ret out Of this is that |
4 surgeons I've must have 40 had bet.
ler try and deal with men who are
Iully informed, who are conscientious
and who are not practicing their ghast-
" experiments on suffering humanity
on the strength Of their gall, nerve, i'm.
modssty and a aheepskln from some AZ
college or glue factory. The
same cIuelties are praotioed on dumb
animals In the name Of veterinary sci.
snoe, or rather in the absence OF Il.
Uncle Norman dwinn. Of North Salem,
! Mexican War Veteran, who handled
stock all his life. and iew men loved a
horse or COW any better than he, told
before he died that he had handled stock
Ior 20 years, aud he never had an ani-
nal Of his own or a neighbor's that
ildn't recover Il Il was turned out Co
HateF and grass and shade aud shelter,
md left 10 doctor ITSELF while most of
hose that were drenohed and operated
IA died.
About the most interesting set OF iel.
owe In every community are the
eniuses who imagine they are great aud
alented and destined 10 shine in the
'oFld and who are logrolling aud crowd.
" 70 the front like thirsty oxen at
Altering trough, each afraid the world
not going 10 recognize his greatness.
hey have a horn In the side for this