St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1906-06-13
Country Doctors,
A st. JOhnsbury Physician Takes Ex-
ceptiOns to an Editorial in Ghe New
York sun

A ST ,JOhusbury Physician Takes Ex-
| ceptiOns to an Editorial in Ghe New
York sun.
DR.. T.. NJ. Allen writes from the Post.
graduate Hospital in New York the fol-
lowing letter to the Sun:
In regard to the Getty and Country
Doctors" editorial in the Sun OF May 20,
| belong to that great number of doctors
who would be in the class designated as
Country" l have practiced is years
in the country, and presume l started
with about the same amount of know
ledge as the average man who graduated
in 1891 from New York school which
has always been rated high. In the 10
years have made probably many mis-
takes, l have also seen and known OF in
that time great many mistakes made
by the great men in the profession, notably
in New York, to which medical and surgi-
cal center have made frequent trips to
brush up" and get the new things.
Certainly no greater mistake could be
made by Country doctor" than was
made by at least one of the consultants
in attendance upon our foremost citizen
but few years ago. The country
DOCTOR" while not so erudlte or ex
perieuced, would have been much more
guarded in his prognosis, and the out
come of the case would have justified it.
The mistakes in diagnosis and treatment
of disease and injury seen every day in
the clinics OF New York hospitals make
the Country doctor" 60 back to his
own sphere feeling that all the know.
ledge of medicine and surgery is not
confined to New York doctors; at least,
if it is so confined, it is possessed by
comparatively small number of mel
those in the hospitals.
We all e. JOY coming here and getting
information as to the progress of things
medical and surgical. We sit on the
benches and listen to many statements
which we know are not so, and simply
swallow and say nothing, for who are
we but Country doctois?" We see
surgical sins repeated day after day
which would and should be ground for
malpractice suits were the facts known
to patients and their friends. In nearly
every hospital have visited have noted
these errors, and by the most advertised
men in the profession OF New York at
that. But we are only listeners and we
60 back home and try, to the best of our
ability to sift out the wheat and OF
course are greatly benefited, for there is
much of use in what we have seen and
heard.
have depressed somewhat from what
started out to say, and that was: Take
out the hospital staff men of New York
and the medical men OF the city will not
average so well as their country brethen.
A very good reason can be given in
support OF this statement. The Country
doctor" has to face all kinds of difficult
propositions in medicine and surgery.
He cannot call an ambulance and rush
his patient to hospital and relieve him.
self of all responsibility. He has to think,
and think quickly. He must have his
wits about him. He has no specialists"
who cannot see two inches away from
the field Of their speciality. He has to do
the work, and what better proof Of his
ability to meet and cope with all the
varied conditions is there than a COM
parison OF the death rate of the sp rsely
settled country and that of the city?