The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-01-26
SMALLPOX SYMPOSIUM
CONTINUED from Page Ten,

become nugatory because there is no sem
timent behind them to enforce them.
Every doctor who ever made himself
prominent in the enforcement of med
ical law has found that he has made a
tcol of himself. The dear public he was
so anxious to serve sees in his action
Jealous spite and quietly laughs at him.
An important lesson the profession needs
to learn is when the public wants laws
they will enact them. 1t is every ones
privilege, right and duty to express opin-
ions on any and all topics that concern
the public welfare. He can and ought
to help educate, being assured that if his
teachings are along right lines they will
ultimately be accepted and acted on. 1t
Is as silly to force legislation before the
public is ready to receive it, as it is to
pull apples before they are ripe.
The natural feeling of distrust which
all people feel toward doctors and other
Professional men has always been intensi-
fed by restrictive legislation. 1t was as
great toward the doctors before as il
ought to have been. They are angels of
mercy while the patient is suffering but
when the bill comes to be paid, it is quite
another thing, the individual has nothing
tangible to show for his dollars. SEN
timent of honesty and fear of future
need mpel him to settle and remain on
good terms with person on whom he is
liable at any time to be dependent This
distrust will always exist as long as the
relief of human suffering is made a com
mercial transaction, as long as men prac-.
tice medicine for living and collect
their own fees from the individual suf-
ferer.
An important element which the pro-
fession SENS to entirely overlook when
slindly seeking &c better themselves is
the natural tendency of the sick to get
well. We think it is a safe assertion to
make that the percentage of recoveries
following the most scientific and approx
ed methods especially of acute and infec-
NOUS diseases is not ten per cent greater
than would naturally follow no treatment
at all. In other words, ninety per cent
OF recoverleS would occur in the practice
OF the most ignorant compared with the
hundred per cent in the hands of the
sklllfu. This ninety per cent scattered
throughout community and systematic
ally Dragged abcus easily appears greater
than a hundred not discussed. Thus,
even If people are naturally disposed to
carry their patronage to the best men,
they are often debarred from doing so
by their own inability to distinguish be-
tween real and supposed success. The
natural tendency to recovery and the
role played by suggestion in the cure of
f6ncied ailments affords the ignorant and
vainglorious pretender who has learned
the art of getting his patients talked
about an almost impregnable bulwark
behind which TO fight the skilled profess
sicnal If even large per cent of sick
people died who did not have doctors,
tie profession would have better fight
ing ground to stand on, but they don't
die.
The ever recurring question of What
shall we do?" still confronts us. The
traditions of our profession say that the
greatest and gfandest duty of man is the
amelioration of suffering and lettering
the condition of humanity. Are we do
ing our best? If not, why not? Sad ex-
perience has taught us that legislation
avails nothing unless it meets the ap-
prevail of the majority of the people. To
meet that approval, there must be uni
flying of interest. The doctors interest
and the patients interest should be one
and the same. These interests can never
be unified as long as there is a question
of fees between them. 1t may be piece
of professional egotism on our part, but
we consider that the adjustment of the
relations between the medical profession
and the people upon proper and whole
some basis, would be the grandesk step
ever taken in Civilization and would be
Taught with the greatest benefits that
ever accrued to the race. 1t is we'll
worthy of our most serious consideration
The high ethical plane upon which the
followers of the healing art profess to
stand, certainly ought to cause them to
hail with pleasure any readjustment of
conditions that would enable the profess
sion Individually and collectively to rem
der greater and more efficient service to
mankind
The relief of suffering should not be
associated with the jingle of dollars. The
greatest and grandest the one perfect
man never made charges for healing the
sick. He was the worlds ideal doctor.
Before formulating plan wisdom die
tates a careful consideration of past and
present conditions. There is no gainsayicg
the fact that the medical profession con-
ters ineStimablc benefits upon individuals
OF community through Its ability to re-
leve pain, men broken bones, save life
by surgical operations, cure many forms
of disease. 1t is an essential integer in
the social fabric
If ours is the noble profession, We say
it is, why not try the effect of educating
the people up to a proper appreciation
of it? IL is easy TO do. less than de-
cade will be long enough, t we ST i've in
the right direction. The common sense
of the people can always be depended
on. Past efforts have been futile 1t
is self-evident to every thinker that we
are at a critical period. The profession
of medicine must become a trade with
all its wiles and arts or it must be
habited on the clothes of righteousness.
and benevolence. Which shall it be? We
think the best and greatest men in the
profession will prefer to make it grand
calling rather than d money getting vo-
cation. But how shall we 10 it? Simple
enough: Make the Doctor civil officer
20 serve during life or as long as he
does mis- duty. For old age or for dis
ability. retire him pension. Pay
him out of the public treasury, and make
the acceptance of fees from the individ-
tai cause for impeachment and ex
pulsion from Office.