The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-05-06

may be, who has ministered to their
ailments. sympathized with their
grlefs, rejoiced in their triumphs-
who has been their trusted counsellor
Tor long years in SO many intricate
troubles of life. Efforts to beittle his
attalnments Will only rebound upon
yourselves.
Remember, while you may see lit
tie slip of his, he is Nery apt to dis
cover several of yours, and if you
wish to advertise it, the people are
apt to side with the old fellow, be-
cause they can not recall that they
ever found him in grave error
Courtesy is always due to the aged,
and none more than from the young
to the old doctor. 1t is the open
sesame to his heart and confidence.
1t establishes the strongest and tend
crest ties of friendship lasting through
life. One of the paths to success
runs directly by the old doctors door.
Neglect, not to travel it. The seal
of his confidence and approval gen
orally opens the door to the conf
dence of the public. Trusting to his
long experience and wise counsel will
teach you to avoid many deadfalls set
with hair triggers. The theatre of
doctors life has many strange set
tings and there are many parts to be
played. No doctor can reach the
greatest usefulness without ambition.
Strive to be the best and do the best
with the materials around you. The
law of the State requires of you that
amount of reasonable skill generally
exercised in your neighborhood
There is always something to do
even for the Isiest beginner. 1.-THE
poor we have always with you.
Minister cheerfully to their ailments,
and for many reasons they are apt to
be many. 1t will not only be the
proverbial bread cast upon the waters,
but many times oil also. 1t will give
your light a chance to shine that
otherwise might stay lit for q long
time under a bushel.
1t is the duty and let us be glad to
say the pleasure of every high-souled
physician to give his unstinted services
to noteworthy objects of charity
around him. He never forgets that
the toothache is the same in the pau
per as in the prince; that pale death
knocks with equal footsteps at the pal
aces of the rich and the cottages of
the poor. "Pallida mors pulsat aequo
pede turresque requiem tabernas.
Money getting alone can never be the
purpose of the humane doctor. He
who sets out with this end in view had
better retrace his steps and seek some
more fertile field in which to give
loose vein to his talents. The humane
and honorable practice of medicine is
not conducive to money getting. 1t
rarely brings wealth, but justly it
brings influence, sometimes fame, and
often power in it's train. The doctor
should not sigh after the flesh pots of
Egypt, but unfortunately his anatom-
zeal construction is such that he is
keeniy alive to the pangS of hunger
and of cold.
Flattery is sweet morsel to the taste
but furnishes little material of nu-
tritiOuS quality. 1t is often fed to the
young fellow in liberal quantities and
a fair dish is now and then served up
to tickle the palate of the old one. ~
case in point will serve to ILLUSTRATED
One Of my medical friends was SEM
for a good distance to perform sur
gical operation under the promise OF
being paid a respectable cash fee.
The case was a chronic one and had
not yielded to the treatment of the To-
cal physicians. The whole neighbour
hood had gathered at the patients
house to see what manner of man the
doctor was, and the oleaginous local
politician was deputized TO interview
him with the hope of escaping pay.
ment of the fee. When lii" '!C'i'' al
rived the $40 x; IN Srcttc LIN O.
fusively was delighted ID see i'm in
that section of the Country that his
reputation was spreading, his practice
growing. He was flippantly assured
that if he did this work well no other
physician could ever see a patient IN
that neighborhood; that it would f',-
ever be a crown of glory and a great
bunch of feathers in lis cap. 1ncie
might have been more in the pream-
BILE had not the old doctor grown rest
less and impatient, and being little
crusty from hunger and a long ride,
broke in with, "Blank your crowns
and feathers. l don't wear croWrS
and feathers and / can't eat them. II
you want that work done, III take the
cash you promised or I'll leave you
with your crowns and feathers, AID
let/you get some fool who will ear
them" The good people were stricken
dumb with amazement to find so
much sweetness wasted upon the des-
ert air. StraightWay they fed the old
doctor and rubbed down his horse and
assured him that the fee was ready.
1t is hardly necessary to add that the
operation was skillfully and success
fully done. But it requires great skill
to reproduce the manners of an Aber-
nathy, who was perhaps more cele-
brated on account of his bad manners
than his skill, and he need not be ini-
tated on that account.
The establishing of-active fraternal
relations with medical societies should
be commenced early. They represent
throughout this land the aristocracy
of the profession. They are the chief
media for the interchange of thought,
the expression of opinion, and the dis
semination of knowledge. They are
the common meeting grounds of the
profession where each, if he is worthy,
may have his share of honors and ad-
vancement. They will give you every
opportunity to give vent to pent up
knowledge and opinions. You can
pour your troubles, if you have any,
or your achievements into willing,
sympathetic ears. In these bodies the
individual members have nearly all
travelled the same road, and there is
always some strong, friendly hand