The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-04-16
ethics Of Dentistry May Starve G

- r,AnrE 10 Chicago to take up the practice
a of dentistry after twelve years devoteo
70 the perfccting OF my profession. ana 70
Enthusiastically / may say that Chicagois one
\ Of the hardest coolest propositions IN IN an an Z
my varied experience. !. !,
Cominf; from school In the frst place : i.4iu .
all the hardships Of the young man "ho'
from the ethical instructions OF ms scnoo1's
! comes Tor the first time in contact With an
I as., hIished profession that has manage IN
one way or another to forget Its ethics
i Z ha N been1 II, an Ohiotow of 10, 900 lnha'b-
] tn1sts for nearly two years Invent there wath
!, f,r11,ily and a little money andtherel found
Hsome OF the hardest stumbling stones that
nave bcset my path in I" ethics OF the pro
fessfon.,, took an Office in q downtown
Z building where two or three other dentlsts
N,Ircady were tenants Not a man OF them
lever spoke to me in a corridor or elevator or
Elsewhere in the building or vicinity.
one of these dentists In an office on the
next f1oor,under m was q high official in the
| ma sonic order. but he never took occasion
! to ask II were a member OF the order
though Mcknight have had some other means
L of dndine, out Hetook 1t out frownlng at me
| IN thu, elevator. asif challenging me for COM
Y ing into tho samebuilding with him.
professional Ethics vs.. Starvation.
" Well, suffered from frostbite on the part
\ Of my professional neighbors.. and from col.
y lapscd purse on the part of the citizens OF
the town. had my name on my office door
and 1t was in the building directory at the
foot of the elevator shaft on the first floor.
u But between the masonic veteran below me
\ and two church members of large practice on
the same floor with me. saw that was
\ up against a losing proposition. There was
VI ethical starvation ahead of me-and not Iar
y ahead, either. On the other hand, sun
had enough money in my pocket to pay for
column advertisement in one OF the local
Y papers Should I continue my ethical posi-
y ton until hadn't cent to pay the express
man. for moving my furniture out of tho
\ building?
IA decided against the alternative and paid
for the column ad. In good sized type twas
pretty we'll written. ! think. and 1t " took. :
filled my Office within week. While the
N masonic practitioner frowncd blacker and
blacker with each recurring meeting In the
Neleyator. But II my ethical competitors hat
\ frosted mo before this advertising venture
N my one advertising competitor IN the toWr
Y called upon me at once after the appear
\ .nce Of my "ad" and talked things ovel
Nth me In the friend!iest way. ~ was IN
I >frst notice had received professionally II
~ the town. and even fit was from an :" un
\ \ ethical" practitioner, the call was appre
" ciated because of Its expressed good fellow
VI sfhp and genuine hndliness.
.ht Cut After BEING Invited.
I'm Not long thereafter the State Dental asso
MA cia ton held meeting In the town, and a
WIN one Of It's functions In the evening was in
W yited to attend. with my wife. We did no
y 60 however for the ethical reason that a
was outside the pale OF the ethical pro
fession, should be guilty of breach Q
good taste In few days. however. tn
news came back to my wife from the lnasoni
dentists rendition OF the facts that becaus
OF my advertising proclvities We were tn
only ones who had not been invited to ~
entertainment! Perhaps you can magir
how such spice OF gossip may affect man
y ia rnily in town OF 10000 population,
m i am sensitive, and my wife Is SENSITIVE
" The word went round more and more tha
~ was outside the pale OF the accredited PR
! fessicn. Wherever possible this was presse