Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-01-25
MILLER VS.. THE DOCTORS
Charles w. Miller in
the Waverly Democrat

Representative Charles w. Miller in
the Waverly Democracy
The squib writer of The Daily Capt.
| tai remarked last evening that Repre-
sentative Charley Miller is anticipating
very enjoyable winter" which is only
half stating the case, but all right as
far as it goes am looking forward to
a useful winter as we'll, and the joy
that may garner will be the joy that
accumuates with continued we'll do
ing. Already l have INDUCED in some
little self -congratulatson, for 1t would
be useless for me to try to conceal the
satisfaction I gather in noting that the
sentiment for the reforms have been
lhammering away at in my crude way
for the past two years Is spreading like
an epidemic of chicken pox in a town
where the doctors need the money.
Censure for the impudent and despotic
board Of health is heard on all hands
and the doctors trust is receiving con-
siderable attention also. My band wag-
on Is already we'll filled and even two
of the four house doctors express a
desire to get into it if will promise
not to drive too reckless. while third
has plankel himself down in a seat
beside me with the assurance that I
can't hit 1t UP any too strong for him.
That is quite q contrast from last ses
sion when ! stood practically alone
among those who dared to express
themselves as to these double plague
spots on our otherwise decent civiliza
ton. Another good sign Is the admis-
.;-v 80 ~f hoo ri %1,o{
saw in a Des Moines paper the other
day, that reformation is needed, along
with the assertion that the reformation
would come from inside.
| The sentiment of the people Of Das
| Moines is always a large factor in In
fuencing legislation. and on account of
the much board of health domineering
and medical society deviltry that has
been going on here there is much feel
| ing against these cooperative branches
Of the medical trust. The people OF Des
Moines have a right to be enraged and
disguised, for the provocation Is ire
mendous.
| Next week the district court here
will be engaged with case Of a sur
geon who 1t is alleged sewed up a six
teen inch gauze pad on the inside OF
patient. 1t is a private prosecution, NJ
course The state board of medical ex-
aminers do not concern themselves
about such very common oversights II
the careless surgeon is in good stand
| ing with the society. This Is the fourth
case in this state that has been brought
| to my attention during the past two
years. where surgeons left sponges or
scissors or corkscrews or other brio "a
brac on the inside of their patients, and
not one OF Them ever caused the state
board the least concern. and the secret
of their Indifference to the malprac-
titioners is plainly the fact that they
are in good standing with the organ!-
zation But woe to the surgeon who.
outside of the organization, should be
unfortunate as to have such an ac-
cident or even one of al less serious
character A. case in point shall cite
! later on.
| First, let me call your attention to
the case Of Dean Howard. the head of
the music department of Drake uni
versity, who one morning a few weeks
ago was found dead in his room. And
since he had been attended by ply
lar In the medical directory, which
| physician wrote very precise and
proper death certificate, 1t was not a
matter for the state board to look into
according to their notion of what their
duty is. There was the usual big fun
eral, the usual profusion OF flowers,
the usual tears and heartaches. And
| that appeared to mark the end Of
Dean Howard, except for the sweet
memory that should linger long with
| those who knew and loved him best
Days and weeks passed, but all was
not we'll. Nasty rumors and con1ectures
which gained currency quickly after 1t
became known that the heart of the
gentle music master would throb no
more in unison with his perfect melo-
i dies, not only would not down, but
grew into such volume that the local
authorities had to take cognizance of
| the clamor by instituting the investiga-
ition of coroner's jury. Here again
| the state board Of medical examiners
! did not concern themselves. All they
cared to know was that none Of the
so-called ethics of the medical society
had been violated. The long deferred
! coroner's inquest was held last week
Before the jury came the man who had
| last seen the dean alive and testified
| that he saw the physician who had
been called to attend him on account
of an attack of gastritis dissolve three
tablets in teaspoon and inject the full
amount of the solution into the suffer-
er's arm. He was most positive as to
| the number, repeating his statement
| three times that the number was
three, no less and no more. Nothing so
very remarkable In this, but follow
me further. Next day this same wit
ness appeared again before the jury
requesting to change his testimony
so that 1t would show that he saw only
one tablet dissolved and used, and there
he stuck as tho his life depended upon
| it. How this mental phenomena was
produced must remain a mystery as a
matter of course but personally, am
convinced that such thing could not
happen except in favor of the members
of an Organization whose ways make
those Of Standard Oil appear like the
Vaccinations of a lot Of giggling school
/ girls.
But here is a case Of q doctor such
as the board of medical examiners de-
light in giving particular attention, as
lthey are doing, because he has vio-
| lated the ethics, not of the law or OF
society," but of the medical trust, which
assumes that any doctor worthy OF the
name ought to be smart enough to get
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