The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-10-27
STRENGTHENING.

The Portland OregOnian says:
II is inconceiVable that members of
a profession so honored in the world of
science so closely allied to the numani-
ties and in tender. almost sacred. touch
with the direct human need. should be
guilty Of entering into the commission
business for the extortion of double
fees from the suffering. to the end that
doctors unknown TO science and of
scant experience may find opportunity
TO profit at the expense of human mis-
cry and even of life itself Yet We
have it upon undoubted authority that
this condition of affairs exists. not only
in the great competitive centers of pop
ulation. like Chicago. but to a greater
or TESS extent in our own city. In
quiry has developed this fact. and de-
tails are given which cause a shudder
Of apprehension and establishment to
pervade the community.
The surgeons knife was never before
in the history of surgery used SO freely
as now. In the hands of the skillful,
conscientious surgeon it is or may be-
certainly it often has been-a blessing
to mankind. On the contrary. if it is
given by means of a commercial
transaction into the hands of unskilled.
INSCRIPTIONS men. it may easily be an
instrument of untold torture. UNI
speakabIe outrage and criminal waste
of life
But a few days ago dispatch from
Chicago told Of the death in great
agony of a woman who had been OPP
Grated upon for some ordinary i'll some
months before. \ post-mortem exam
ination revealed the presence in her
body of an instrument left there by the
surgeon who had performed the opera
ton and closed the wound. a case
came to the knowledge of the writer a
few months ago in this city wherein a
patient had been operated upon by a
surgeon evidently unused to such
tasks, After months OF suffering d
yard or more of packing of some sort
used in dressing the incisiOn Sloughed
from the surgeons knife with her life
1t would be interesting to know
" he her ali of he
CD who were guilty of this inexcusabe
offense against suffering human crea-
lures We're "surgeon-f farmers" in
league with needy practitioners who
took this means of increasing an in
come which they could not legitimately
earn.
Be this as it may. CONFIRMING
is practiced in this city to a greater or
less extent, and it is with this. fact that
We have to deal Needless to say. our
reputable skillful> and prominent sur
geons condemn it in unqualified terms.
1t represent transaction so con-
scienceless and So suggestive of the
gravest abuses Of confidence that it
may be properly termed monstrous
According to the estimate of a physi-
clan and surgeon of high standing both
IN the ethics and practice of his pro-
fession. - per cent of all surgical cases
sent to this city from outside dis
trictS are under the ban.
The State Medical Society-an hon
cred and honorabl body-exists. or is
supposed to exist, for dual purpose,
Its prime object is to uphold the dig
nifty and honor of a profession that
stands for science. for the alienation
of human suffering, for saving and
prolonging human life, and for the
broadest humanity. 1t is not to be sup
posed that this society is without
means whereby it can compel its men,
bers to observe the ethics of the pro-
fession and conform to its rules. 1t is
outspoken against quackery and stern
in its denGnciation Of quacks It is
supposed to hold the key under the
law, to medical and surgical practice in
Oregon. Since prominent members of
this society acknowledge that the grave
abuse of surgeon,farming exists in
this city. is it too much to ask that
the State Medical Society take the
matter up and proceed TO demonstrate
its power to purify the profession of
these most constituencies quacks?
Il the society has valid reason for
its existence beyond its mere routine
work, here is a most excellent opDo~
tunity to prove it. This abuse exists.
That fact Is conceded. It will not SUI