The sun., 1906-01-31
CLEVELAND ADVISES DOCTORS
TO LET PATIENTS KNOW WHAT'S
BEING DONE TO THEM.
Tho Ex.Presihent Says There should
BE Less High and Mighty Aloorness,
which Gives Quacks Chance 10
Fool the PeOple speaks to Legislature.

ALBANY, Jan. 9O.--Ex-President Grover
Cleveland made tho principal address at
the centennial exerc ises Of the State Medi-
cal Society in the Emmanuel Baptist Church
here tonight. The society Is holding It's
first session since its consolidation with the
American Medical Ass ociation.
DR.. Joseph D. Bryant, president OF the
society, presided and gave the annual
address after which there was an appropri-
ate greeting from Mayor Gaus Of Albany
and an address by Lieut.-Gov. Nj. Linn
Bruce, who took the place OF Gov. Higgins.
Regent St. Clair McKelway Of Brooklyn was
one of the speakers. DR.. William Osler
formerly Of Johns Hopkins University, who
vas to have made an address, was unable
to be present.
Mr.. Cleveland was frank in making GER
tain criticisms Of the medical profession
from the standpoint of a laynan. He par
ticularly urged that physicians take pa
TENTS more into their confidence. He said
In part:
Mr.. Ccveland's Address.
appear before this awe inspiring tribunal
holding brief In behalf of an immense army
NJ comrades as we'll as clients For the pur-
pose of our argument let us divide humanity
In two sectlons-one composed OF a few doc
tors and the other embracing the many mill
ions Of their actual or prospective natlehts
l appear for myself and those millions; and
I claim at the outset that Notwithstanding
our large majority. the medical section OF
mankind has In one way or another curtailed
the opportunity of freedom of thought and
confederate hearing. to which we are entitled
by "ths laws of Nature and Of Natures God
We ackno wledge that the world owes this
minority O living. With generous delicacy
which reaches sublirnity We are, on their
account. not overobedient to the laws OF
health; and we sometimes pay their oilis'
When sick we submit with more or less hu-
!. mility to their orders. If We recover 1t Is
only to take our place on tho waiting list,
still subject to further service. II we do
not recover 1t is left to US to do the dying
In view OF these facts. think l do not
mistake the temper Of my clients when l
represent that there Is growing up among
them feeling that there ought to be less
mystery and high and mighty aloofness
on the part of their medical advisers. We
have long been wont to treat with a kind OF
amused toleration the names In pigeon Latin
or Greek given by the doctors to very COM
mon things and to diseases which already
had names both simple and significant. But
all this seems to have much Increased with the
discovery Of new remedies and the chase
after new diseases. and this Increase has
apparently been accompanied by additional
mystery and additional inclination on the
part of our doctors to remind us OF their
stately superiority.
We fully appreciate the tremendous ad-
vance that has been made In medical knowl-
edge and practice within the memory Of
those not yet old. We are now told that
germs and microbes more or less deadly.
countless in number, of every conceivable
size and shape, and given to habits and tastes
adjusted to every emergency or their ex-
stence, not only inhabit tho earth beneath
US and the atmosphere about US. but lurk In
every corner and Granny Of our bodies with
murderous intent.
Another marked and startling indication
OF progress in medical knowledge Is found
n the sentence of removal and destruction
lately passed by medical science upon cer-
tain annex or attachment of the human body.
which has for centuries substantially escaped
more serious accusation than that OF inactive
uselessness.
In all seriousness. therefore. desire to
concede without the least reservation on
behalf OF the great army of patients that
they owe to the medical profession a debt of
gratitude which they can never repay on
account of hard, self sacrificing work done
for their benefit and for benetlcent results
accomplished In their interest. But at the
same time we are inclined to insist that
while our doctors have wonderfully advanced
In all that increases the usefulness and no.
bility of their profession. this thing has not
happened without some corresponding ad-
vance in the intelligent thought and ready
information of their patients along the same
lines.
We have come to think OF ourselves as
worthy of confidence In the treatment OF
our ailments and we believe II this was ac-
corded to us In greater measure 1t would
be better for the treatment and better Tor
u.s. We do not claim that We should be
called In consultation in all our illnesses,
but we would be glad to have little moro
explanation of the things done to us.
We do not like to think OF our doctors as
yelled prophets mysterious attendants,
shut out from all sickbed comradeship except
through cold professional mnistrations. and
all the time irresponsive to our utmost need
of sympathetic assurance. Nor should II
be considered strange If thousands among
us. Influenced by sentiment just now as
tonishingly prevalent should be disturbed
: by the spectre of a medical trust mystery,
and like all who are trust ahrighted. should
cry out for greater publicity between
physician and patient.
In an unperverted state we have no toll
erance for uneducated and unsc.enttic pre-
tenders or quacks who promise 10 cure dis
ease and We have no faith in their nostrnms
and haphazard remedies. Yet these nos
trums and remedies are bought and taken
h
manufacture and sell them amass fortunes.
And our doctors wonder at these things and
charge them to the ignorance. degradation
and superstition Of those who should remain
their loyal patients, This is hasty con-
olusion, not altogether just nor quite ade-
ouate to the solution of the problem. Per-
version Of judgment and vain imaglnings on
the part Of the patients undoubtedly enter
into the situation.
But we all know that the sick who wait
and longingly hope for health are peculiarly
susceptible to these things and that fatigung
discontent with halting results OF myster-
Gus and unexplained course OF regular med
ical treatment leads directly to the camp
of ouacks and charlatans who not only cum
ninely guarantee speedy recovery but cap
ture the Imagination and crafty caprice by
an alluring and apparently frank explanation
of the qualities and character of their reme-
dies or treatment
These considerations suggest the posi-
bility that our doctors themselves may con-
tribute in a remote and indirect way to a
condition irritating and disuuieting to all
conscientious practitioners and threatening
harm to the great body Of patients.
MIR. Cleveland congratulated the society
m tie tnO yea rs of usefulness and honorable