Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-02-11
ERA OF THEORY CHANGES

an era of theory changes. Nearly cY-
cty day an old ana WeI-tried theory
is declared to be falIac,ous and a new
one is advanced To- take its place. And
in no iinc of thoueht are changes Of
theory coming faster than in those Of
medical and church doctrines. TheoIo-
gians are declaring 50 much of the
fcrmer teachings OF thc churches as
faIsc and undertaking TO prove that
so much of the Bible is myth, that
the Iaymaa hardly knows wHere he
lis at
However. it is tAe great revolution
of theory in The nedigal profession 30
which We wish t call special attcn-
ton.
For many long years The doctors
have taught the theory that typhoid
fever is due 10 germ which finds It's
natural element IN po'uted water aad
bad sanitary conditions.
\ Chicago expert now comes for
ward with the theory that typhoid
fever germs can exist in impure wa
ter and in unsanitary places for
few hours only, and will survive ten
days in pure water.
Alchs lsm has been regarded by the
doctors for half century at least
Now tha
can Medicine medical journal of
high repute and says;
at seems the duty OF physicians,
both in private practice and in their
public testimony as witnesses and eX-
perts, to set their faces resolutely
against tie all too prevalent tendency
to view alcoholism solely as dis
ease. That intoXieat1on is no excuse
for crime has been the almost uni
versal testimony of the bench. but one
of the greatest obstacles to making
this view the uneXceptional legal rule
comes from those so-called scientists
who advocate the morbid doctrine that
alcoholism is a disease. is insanity,
etc The only exception is in the
case of murder, when it is possible tt
prove absence of malice aforethouGht
by showing that the criminal was in
tz,licated. Even shat excuse should
he done away with because all an in-
D1lf n
10 be freed from the most heinous
crime would be to get drunk before
Killing his victim"
The Graphic is inclined tC agree
With the American Medicine that
drunkenness should not be accepted
rs evidence that there was no 'ma!iee
al @ethought' in the killing of a per
sc,l. as many q man has put himself
under the influence of alcoholic intoX-
icants With the premeditated purpose
of killing fellow being and pleading
that drunkenness so dethroned his
rca&en that ne did not know what he
was doing.
The theory that appendicitis is due
to the presence of some foreign sub
stance in the appendix and in II wise
contagious disease, is as old as the
disease o. appendicitis itself
Now comes pr. c. 5. Sheldon of
Madison. Wis.. Who is heralded as It
nan ef 2mingnce in his profession
With the astounding declaration that
a9eudTtiris is contasious II SAYS tlat
the disease is Of microbie arigtn and
lH5t t6a onlE rational explanation of
{, iS#fGat it is die result Of a germ that
eam he ffansGemeI The pr va}enee
~ ta.z-, -,tiseqse. he believes. suAstauti-
ates= H4 theory. tI@saHs ahefe i an
sajdemje.er -3apsn3iettts IN this eoun-
s,@ III Sleldan= is . graduate al Yale
aad has= 6psa u paHdfag physician
fue many wears.
Nerfly. it may a'-a he said that tne
3erier is an =eNgeetiugN wise e0e=w&e
knows whese he Is at in this day q
lis tujns change cf lbeolies.
NO SPECIAL TRAIN FoR WOOD