The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-04-29

give lnGlH an opportunity to earn q llV-
ing, yet they become very dispirited
during periods of great healthfulness. 1t
is not natural for one whose income is
precariOus and dependent upon the mis-
fortune of others to desire that misfor-
tune will not come to others.
1t is not intended to convey the i'm
preston that all doctors or even a ma
jority of them fail in honest dealing with
their patients because their interests are
antagOnistic. Many men enter the pro-
fesSion with a heart full of love for Suf-
fering humanity, believing it to be a
grand and sacred privilege to relieve
distress wherever found. If the sufferers
are poor and cannot compensate hin. with
money as we'll as praise and well-wish-
ing, he becomes SO crippled financially
that he cannot live and spare the means
to supply himself with books and instru-
ments to keep abreast of the times. I'm
der such conditions, if his pride exceeds
his benevolence, his noble sentiments
grow less and he looks after the dollars.
The accumulation of money is not al
ways an easy matter. Most men spend
their entire energies that way with
meager success. Money getting is a
most serious drawback to the physician
who is enamored of his calling. whose
tilltl pltdSuIc IS " cure pcOplc, anu lnlS
is the only kind of man who ought to be
allowed to practice medicine.
With the question of money left out,
there are very many things that seri-
ously interfere with the individual doe
tor being what he ought to be or treat
ing those entrusted to him with the care
and solicitude they ought to receive.
Paradoxical as it may appear, the
good in human nature is often just as
harmful to a Doctors and a patients in
tereSt as the bad. One of the most diff
ficult and trying positions a doctor can
be placed in, is when he ought to have a
consultation. The times often arise
when he is uncertain as to the trouble and
consequently at sea so far as treatment
is concerned. He knows the natural
tendency of disease is to recovery. He
knows if he calls in some other doctor
to help him, the patient will take alarm,
| perhaps lose confidence in him especially
should recovery follow. He further
knows that the chances are the doctor
called in will somehow manage to whis-
! per in the family ear that he was sorry
he was not called sooner. This is the
most damaging remark that could be
made, so little said, yet a vast deal I'M
piled. Under such conditions a doctors
path ID luuCtu III L hS odlCSt way
he can see out of the difficulty is to take
chances on natures curing the patient,
keep the friends and family cheered up
! and if death appears to be inevitable
tell the family to call in other help if
they desire it. The conSultant will then
| share the responsibility, get nothing but
his fee and all hands will be satisfied.
| The corpse says nothing.
Even when the attending physician al
lows his anxiety to get the better OF
him and calls in another doctor he fares
badly so far as his personal interest is
concerned. We will illustrate by two
circumstances. A patient went to Wash
ington, N. c., stopping at the hotel to be
under the care of a local doctor for an
operation. The doctor requested a medi-
cal friend who was stopping at the
same hotel to see the case with him.
Result-the patient was more impressed
with the medical friend than with his
own doctor and urged him to take the
case. This being refused, he became
upset. refused to be operated on and
went to Baltimore to have the work
done.
Another case occurred in Kinston, n.
G.. The family doctor on two or more
occasions called in a consultant. Re-
| covery followed each time. The family
! was urged by the consultant not to
| change doctors, but they insisted on
doing SO. giving as a reason that If the
case was q bad one the conSultant was
| called anyway and they might as we'll
call him iii st as last.
In most of these instances the deep
personal interest of the attending physl-
clan worked to his own disadVant-
age. Knowing doctors as We do, we
think one should stick all the closer to
the man who will call for aid as soon as
he sees a danger signal.
Another of the difficulties in the way
of the doctors is the private nance Oh
individuals and the emissaries OF olner
doctors. Any old snaggled tooth granny
can ruin the reputation Of the pest ooc-
tor in the world by telling how rousn
he is. Some scamp who could and did
not pay his bill will say, Il used to nave
him in my family. have DR.. X. now
o,d like him better" Every community
: has a number of people, some OF them IN
good social circles, who pay for their
medical services by for some
particular doctor and telling lies on the
others.
II matters not what q doctors Skill
may be. if he has not the Worlols Wis
dom IA tread his path of thornS without
too many pricks, he will surely se' ~
If q doctors salary and duties are hAeu
by law, his interest then becomes ne
public interest and he will nave the y
tive cooperation of the pubic III stamp
ing out disease. Every inducenenl - De ~,
a rascal would be removed ana !, "ouio
be his greatest interest to cure people -
his care as rapidly as posslpio' 80 80.
work would be lightened and MS pay ~
decreased. Men would then o'anu "
their merits and be judged ny men
their own calling, the only ones '"p"
of correct judgment. Inc pu9ie" ooA