University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1908-10-30
nlPLINC TO
PHYSICIANe.

ls notable address to the doctors os d,
Middlesex Hospital in London. HI. =
marks in full, delivered without ~.
: as reported in the London Mail a.. !
follows:
/, 1t may not have escaped Your ~,
I fessional observation he said. ~.
I there are on Y two classes of ms,L;.,
in the world-doctors and patient,
! have had delicaey in confessinp tn u.
, patient class ever since docto, 81,
me that all patients were phenon...,
liars where their symptoms are a..
eerned. But, speaking as a patient ,
should say that the average pat;.,.
looks upon the average doctor v.,,
much as a non-comba,ant looks On a..
troops fighting on his behalf, and tb;,L,
that the more trained men that Arc h.
tween him and the enemy the bette,
Il have had the pleasure of m.s,;..
a number of trained men who. in dns
time, will be drafted into that perm..
nent army which is always in actin,
always under fire, fighting aeain.t
Death. 1t is unfortunate Tor the docto-
that Death-the senior practitioners.
bound to win in the long run. We m.
tients must console ourselves with III.
idea that Your business i, 10 make n.
best terms YOU can with Death on nm,
behalf, to see that his attacks are d.
layed as long as he may be, or diverted
and to see that, when he insists upm
driving the attack home. that he does N
according to the rules OF civilized war.
fare.
Every sane human being agrees that
this long-drawn fight for time that We
call life is one of the most important
things in the world. 1t follows. there-
fore, that You, who control and oyersse
this fighting, must be among the most
important people.
The world decided long ago that doe.
tors have no working hours that any,
body is bound to respect Nothing e.
eept your extreme bodily illness will
excuse you, in the worlds eyes, for ne
fusing to help mankind at any hour of
the day or night. In your bed, bath, or
on your holiday-if any OF the children
Of men have pain or hurt-you will BE-
summoned; and what little vitality You
have accumulated in leisure hours viii
De dragged out of you again. At al
imes-in food, fire, famine, plague, bat
lie, murder. and sudden death-it will
'e required of you that You should re-
'ort for duty at once, to 90 out on duty
It once, and to stay on duty till your
trength fails you or your conscience re-
eases you-whichever may be the longer
eriod.
And l do not think your obligations
'ili grow less. Nobody has heard of .
III to promote an eight hour day for
octors. No change in public opinion
Ill allow You not to attend a patient
hen You know the man never means
pay You, or protect You from the
eoPie who, although perfectly well able
pay, prefer to cadge round a free
'spltal for their glass eyes or cork legs.
seems to be required of You that
~ must save others; no one has laid
'wn that You need to save yourselves.
lou belong to privileged class, and
me Of your privileges are these:
You and kings are about the only
opie whose explanation a policeman
Ii accept if You exceed the legal limit
a motor car.
on presentation Your visiting card
II pass You through turbulent and n
'us crowds unmolested.
III You fly yellow flag over a dense
tier OF population it will turn it into
lesert.
III You fly Red Cross flag over .
ert 1t will turn it into a center of
'ulation, Men will crawl to it on
lr hands and knees, as / know.
Aou may forbid a ship to enter .
t, and if You think the exigencies
an operation demand it YOU can stop
'o,OOO-ton liner. with her mails, in
-ocean.
At Your orders houses, streets, whole
rters OF city will be pulled downor
ned.
And You can call upon the armed CO.
'at'on of the nearest troops to sec
your prescriptions are efficiently
led out.
such people have been against you
! the beginning-ever since the ear
Egyptians erected images of cats
oxen upon the banks of the Nile.
Your work goes on, and will 90 on.
remain the only class that dares \
the world that We can get no more
OF machine than is put into it,
that, if fathers have eaten forbid
fruit, the children's teeth are very
to be affected.
time when few things are called
1elr night names uhop ~ ;S opainst