The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-04-24

strict observance of our sanitary laws and each and every physician should consider 1t privilege to .seesto it that there exists no menace to the lives or health of the citizens by whom he is surrounded.
 .'Prompted solely by it's duty, to the public and for the good of humanity the physicians of this State, aided by some. of the laity urged the. establish : ment of hospital for the care and cure of indigent consumptives. This the Legislature at it's last session very wisely decided to do.
 Regrets Mercenary Spirit. |,
 1t is with much regret and deep modification that am forced to .ad- init that a mercenary spirit has 5crept into the ranks of our profession. For tunately this is not true of the major ity of doctors, but ins some, the pro- fessional spirit is dead or was never born and In it's stead spirit of com mercialism reigns. This is unfortu- nate for the covetous doctor and dis astrous to his confiding victim. Too many of the younger professional men of today feel that the sole aim and purpose of the practice of medicine. and surgery is to make money" and tbat 1t Is an easy road to affluence. They are not satisfied with. the slower but surer way of their fathers, but think that they must at once enjoy the same practice and income which came to their seniors only after years of toll and patience. Hence a deaf ear is turned to summons from a needy but suffering human being unless the fee Is produced in advance Brethren of the profession this Is not professional. That a doctor must live is true, but let him do that whatsoever his hand findest to do and do it honestly and conscientiously; do it for the good of the sufferer, do 1t for. the sake of humanity and not with his mind and thoughts on the possible fee in his patients pocket. and he will live and prosperity will be his. Poor people cannot be allowed to suffer and die because, of their unfortunate financial condition. Do some charity. Thus tn 6 young doctor gains experience. rrak es friends, advertfses himself in legit- innate way. improves his field of knowledge and increases his self re- spect because of consciousness of good deeds performed The poor ye have with you always is unfortunately true, but heed their entreaties, make as honest an effort with them as you would with the four hundred and see how differently you feel. The doctor who does some charity work may be easy but he is laying the .foundation for @ lucrative practice and building for himself place in, the hearts of his people which nothing but death itself can destroy.
 "The patent medicine. evil has be- come so extensive and. the consumption of these inert or harmful nostrums has grown to such alarming propor- tions that 1t is time for us to give some attention to this growing cank CT which Is making. drug habitues of many people who. under the soothing influence of these medicines. sink slowly into their last sleep. It is a monstrous business, backed by men of brains, energy and shrewdness, eimbued with a greed for gain only. command ing millions of dollars with which to subsidize the press. minister's and doc tors. It has an organization as power fu1 and more dangerous than the as sociation of liquor dealers and manu- lecturers, because its results are more far reaching, not even the helpless babe being exempt from its harmful concoctions. The advertisements of these patent medicine people are found in every daily and weekly paper in the land and their literature is strewn upon our doorsteps and enormous bill boards are covered with tFeir-S1isgust- ing pictures Stories of marvellous cures performed with testimonials of iIfterate land ignorant persons, are brought to our very fresides and un- V . -N r