The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-03-02
SHOULD DOCTORSBE
SALAR|ED OFFICERS?
The Public Would Thus be
Better Protected.
PRESENT DIFFICULTIES
Physicians Have no Leisure Time For
Investigations.
HARMONIOUS CO. OPERATION IMPOSSIBLE
Present Ppread Ct Small PIX throughout the
State Due Entirely to Lack Of Profess
sonaI and Personal Interest
of Docfors


The latest and one of the greatest dis
coveries of medical science, that the
mosquito is the sole carrier of the yellow
fever germ, was worked in Cuba by the
medical department of our army under
strict discipline.
The best minds of the tropics have for
centuries been trying to discover means
to control yellow fever. Their efforts
have been barren of results, not from
lack Of capacity or earnestness, but
simply from inability to control condi-
tions under which crucial scientific
methods could be tested
Any doctor in private practice pos
sessed of sufficient natural ability to in
vestigate under scientific methods usually
has enough patients to engage his time.
The living he has to make does not al
have the means to conduct careful
painstaking and lengthy investigations
No matter how valuable these investi-
cations might be to the race they would
have no monetary value to him, because
it is contrary to the traditions of the
profession for a doctor to withhold for
, speculative purposes any knowledge ne
may gain.
The concerted and harmonious coop
Grafton of several men is usually neces
sary to the working out of scientific
problem, and at present it is next to
Impossible to find the required number
in any one locality who will
labor unselfshly and honestly to-
gether. One can not spare the time, one
has not the capacity, one lacks enthusi-
asm and one is afraid somebody else
will get all the glory Under other cir
cumsances, with nothing to keep them
apart. these same men would work con-
scientiously over any subject to be in
vestigated.
When we think over the vast amount
of medical knowledge the world has al
ready acquired, it seems wonderful that
under the conditions so much has been
accomplished. The history of medical
progress demonstrates that each advance
step has been the work of one man and
over ninety-nine per cent of doctors are
mere followers of what some else has
taught and not Of what they know them
selves.
Doctors are so uncertain Of what they
do know and what they ought to know
by experience that they are ever ready
to relinquish tried and successful Meth
DDS to embrace some new fad or idea.
hoy oil III, H. III
a new remedy, he forthwith rushed into
print. The medical journals are filled
and the news penetrates the utmost COR
ners of the earth. million eager doc
ters go to pouring it down the Threats
of their patients. Ninety-nine times out
of hundred the remedy is worthless,
yet million doctors have had to find ont
the fact each for himself by expert
menting on his patients This is a bad
state of affairs. The rank and file should
never be allowed to use remedies or
measures until they have been tested in
thecrucible of experience by well trained
and accurate observers, men authorized
and paid by the government to ascertain
facts. When these facts are established
beyond doubt, they can be given out
as facts and not as opinions
The present spread of smallpox
throughout the State is due entirely to
the lack of professional and the person
al interest of doctors. If all the doctors
were under government control when the
experts said a given disease was small
pox it would have to be smallpox and
managed as smallpox.
1t is a pretty hard thing for doctor
IN IN, both 10 ca
is smallpox or chicken pox to announce
that one of his best patrons has dis
ease resembling smallpox He naturally
does not want to expose his good friend
to the annoyance of quarantine, neither
does he want all his other patients to
quit him and go to bis competitor, as
they would while he was attending
smallpox, and probably remain with
him forever after Doctors are human
end there are exceeding few who will
not hedge q little sometimes.
When the doctor is made a saIaried
civil officer he will do his whole duty
There will be no inducement to shrink
He will feel that his living will not he
affected by the bad opinion of any one
man. but wilH recognize that he is re-
sponsible to the public for its welfare.
If every one who was sick was COM
PEELED to call in doctor and every doc
tor compelled to keep an accurate record
and make report to the proper authority
of every case he saw, then, and not till
then, could smallpox or any disease be
stamped out. The Kidding of the pauper
and dcad-beat of disease is a matter Of
protection to the public and this is one
of the reasons why all people should re-
ceive medical service without fee.
III. O. HYATT.
Kinston, N. c., Feb. 10, 1902.