The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-05-01
DIR. yERvEY's DEFENSE.
The Political Address Delivered at
RennettsyiIle Explained at Some


In the Charleston Evening Post OF
April 18th, last, appeared an edito-
rial under the caption Doctors IN
Politics. referring to an address de-
livered by me before the South Car
olina Medical Association at the eIs-
nuaI meeting in Bennettsviile. Sub
seouently the News and Courier, the
Anderson Daily Mail and other pa
pers took the cue suggested by the
Evening Post and permitted them
selves to be relieved Of a few face
tious and highly amusing remarks.
Thereby the writer, and incidentally
the Medical Association, were done a
great injustice.
The text which served as preach
ment was an incorrect version Of one
single sentence, lifted bodily from
amidst important qualifying express
sions. The manner in which the ad-
dress was received by an audience
composed not only of prominent ply
sicians Of this and other States, but
including many distinguished lay
men, among whom might be mention,
ed men who have their ears as close
to the ground as Col. Livingston, and
ex-United States Senator John L. Nc
Laurin, should be, and is, sufficient
to lift it above the ridicule of these
heavyweight daily editorials
Incorrect reportorial work is rep
rehensible, but is sometimes to be
extenuated; but EDITORIAL ing upon
incomplete or incorree nd unsub-
Z stantiated information is always in
:excusable, the far reaching effects Of
which may be seen in this instance,
where other papers have taken the
improper cue vouchsafed by the
Evening Post. The iudricous aspect
of the situation appears in the fact
that the editor Of the latter influential
journal got his misinformation from
the news columns Of another (the
News and Courier), the Post itself
not having sufficient news-gathering
force or aggressiveness to have
representative on the spot. Let us
hope this lesson will bear fruit an
other year. We doubt not the i'm
portance Of our association has been
advertised by this little contretemps-
Nv address was not intended to. be,
and emphatically was not, notice to
future candidates that they must
submit their political views to the
Medical Association for diagnosis"
On the contrary, it was vehemently
asserted that the association is not,
and must not be, a political machine.
But it was notice to future candidates
that unless they are ready to support
certain measures which the medical
profession knows to be critically es-
sential to the protection Of the people
through the preservation Of the pub
lie health, then the medical associa-
ton and the individual members
thereof must, and will, from sense
of duty whose motives Of honesty and
unseIfshness no man can tluthfully
inpugn, actively oppose such candi-
dates election to Office. This is vast
w different thing from entering
the political arena on the grounds OF
general policies or political move
rnents.
Hypothetically. let US take the case
of a. physician in charge of an insti-
tuition of medically ignorant and
helpless inmates. Some person is
apt to be put in command of this in
stitutioa who is known to be oppos-
ed. let US say, to vaccination, or
diphtheria antitoxin; who is an un-
believer in modern sewerage and san
itation for the prevention Of disease;
and who in the transcendent superi-
oritv OF his elf-sumciency disdains
the de-ronstrable facts of modern
science. What is the duty of the
physician in such case To Sit su-
pinely by and see this criminally dan
gerous ignoramus appointed to au-
tho-ity? Or to oppose his incum-
bency openly, actively and incessant-
~? Evidently the editor Of the Even
ing Post and his allies would have Us
"hands off, in such a contingency.
viii they dare III plain words, TO as
sumo such a position? Hardly. Yet
the Hypothetical case is precisely
analogous to the situation discussed
in my address.
Would it be immodest to remind
these gentlemen that for twenty years
or more the state Board of Health
has faithfully, efficiently. Increasingly,
served this commonwealth in the. inter
-. coIa5x- of tho r,,1hljc welfare and