Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-06-02
The Everyday Heroes.

1Ne Everyday heroes.
Heroism in the medical profession
is by no means confined to the con-
spicuous cases of those who risk life
in some world noted experiment. 1t is
shown in an almost equal degree by
I'surgeons at hospitals, who run con-
slant danger of blood poisoning, and
by ordinary physicians, who are under
the same danger and who also are in
peril Of cOntagion and infection. Two
noted cases of physicians that died
from blood poisoning contracted while
operating are those of DR.. Charles
Thomas Hunter of the Pennsylvania
Medical school and DR.. Leslie NJ
Sweetman of Toronto, both receiving
the deadly germs through slight
scratches in the hand Other cases of
blood poisoning from similar causes
many of the attacks proving fatal, are
those of DR.. John Wilson Gibbs OF
| New York, who was bitten on the
hand by raving patient: DR.. George
King. one of the most prominent ply
sicians on Long Island, who succumbed
through scratching his neck after he
had performed an operation; DR.. An
drew ]. McCosh of New York, infected
by patient through a slight abrasion
on the hand; DR.. Bowling Benjamin Of
Camden, y. j.. who was bitten while
trying to open the throat of a youn.
child with membranous Group; DR.
Charles Carroll Lee, president of the
County Medical society of New York
DR.. e. W. Brunette, also of New York
DIR. John M. Byron, the bacteriologist
and scores of others.
The cases of heroism in the cause O.
science are not confined to the medica
profession. They extend all the wa.
down the ages from Galilei, who wen
: to Jail because he insisted that tn
, world is round, to Professor Matteuci
who underwent grave peril to max
scientific observations of the grea
eruption of Mount Vesuvius a fey
years ago. The other fine example
are those of Benjamin Franklin, VIII
risked his life in the famous kite eS
pertinent by which he proved tina
lightning is identical with electricity
and William Thomas Green Morton
the American dentist who discovere
the use Of ether in surgical operation
and who established that it is not fats
by experimenting with it upon himself
Happily in none of these celebrated IL
stances was the supreme sacrifice {
life exacted as the price for devotio
: to an ideal.
? It is the medical profession, how
ever, where the danger is greatest an
the victims most numerous. The do
: tor is always face to face with di
4 ease in all its forms. Others may fle
: from contagion. He must ever rus
q into the midst of it. The average ma
@ may in most cases avoid infectio
: from cancer, from tuberculosis, fro
h blood poisoning and from the mar
r other agonizing shapes that death a
l. sumes. The doctor is constantly e
Y posed to these. and the slightest pir
J. pie or abrasion of the skin may off
g the bacteria an entrance into his ov
It body Not only is he endangered
e such ways, but he deliberately invit
# the most terrible scourges in ord
3, that he may observe the laws whi'
IS govern them. discover their causes al
y If possible arrive at the means Of the
d prevention and cure. Nor does he C;
all this heroism. He would scorn t
name as an affectation or pose. I
IS faces death as a part Of the day
\. work. 1t belongs to his calling. Pc
d sibly he is right. Perhaps every mi
:. shnnld he ready to offer himself