Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-02-11
AN ANTioUATEp FAD.

The old-fashoned hostility Of medical
associations to professional advertising
is, In our opinion, one Of those fastidi-
GUS sentiments that are behind the
times We see no good reason why
regular physician or surgeon should re-
frain from advertising his business In
public journals other than could be
urged IN the case Of a reputable lawyer
or member Of some other profession. To
be consistent with the notion, no doctor
should hang out q sign, or have II
painted on his door or window, an
nounclng his title and place Of CONSUL
tatlon. The ldea that because so-called
quacks extensively advertise their spe-
cial modes of treatment and publish
testimonials of their alleged success.
every doctor who advertlses may be
classed in their category, is incorrect
and indeed nonsenslcal
Stlll more repugnaut to good business
Sense is the opposition to the news
items concerning important cases, to
which the names Of the attending ply
siclans are often attached. We notice
that there Is proposition before our
local medical society to discipline any
Of It's members whose names are men
toned in the newspapers associated
with cases reported Is not that car
rying this fad Of the profession TO an
absurd extreme? Are physicians or
surgeons 10 be held responsible for the
dolngs Of newspaper reporters? DO not
the readers Of daily papers expect to
learn OF extreme dangerous or remark
able cases Of sickness. accident, opera
ton, or fatality, and are they not eager
TO know an particulars even to the
names OF the attending physicians and
surgeons
This is an age Of publicity. Too much
so, perhaps. We are of the opinion that
the sphere Of news-gatherlng has been
extended too far into private life, UNI
IN no ones personal affairs are looked
upon as sacred from prylng ears and
eyes and the ubiquitous reporter Is on
the alert for something which those
most concerned would keep within the
home, but which the average news
reader devours with ayidlty In view
Of the facts and the customs Of the
times, some allowance viii have to be
made for the work Of The reporter, and
Of the physician and surgeon, and this
extreme delcacy as to mentioning their
i,ames ana doings, whether entirely real
or not, should give way to the demands
OF the public and Of sound reason and
common sense,
Under present rules. the quaok occu-
pies place Of advantage over the
Regulars" which he Is not slow to
utilize. The public eye Is caught by
his mammoth display OF type and pic
ture. His trade increases and his profits
accumulate lie cannot be suppressed.
We do not argue in favor Of such ex-
travagant displays by physicians and
surgeons generally. Nor do we mean
10 say that there is anything improper
in the big advertising Of the specialist.
or that h. becomes a quack by so pro-
claiming his remedies or hts work.
We think the bars ought TO be
thrown down that shut the regular
practitioner into a corner, and close
his lips from speaking Of his achieve
ments and we believe agitation on this
question should be promoted as a
means to this desirable and sensible
end The old restriction is relic of
pas, age and It ought to so into the
pit which has buried large number OF
antlquated and abolished medical no
.tc,s