Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-10-31

healthy living in his own person
and home, urging the same standard
of morality for men and women,
and securing the cooperation of
teachers, ministers and druggists in
warning of the people, the young
especially, of the dangers of immor-
ality, habit-producing liquors and
drugs, and all other thingss at en-
nifty with pure living.
AS will be readily seen, this re-
form involves just such revolu-
ton in the practice of medicine as
has gone on so rapidly in the prac-
tice of law in recent year. Lawyers
were formerly engaged almost en-
tirely in conducting litigation in the
courts. So, it is only a question of
time and popular intelligence when
large per cent of Any profession
will be acting mainly as medical ad.
visers for families, to keep them
we'll, instead of the more difficult
and expensive task OF treating them
when sick. All sickness cannot be
prevented with present knowledge,
but most of the common diseases
which are destructive to health and
life in children and young people
can, and with proper aid from chill
dren and young people can, and
with proper aid from governmental
laboratory and research workers, this
list should he constantly extended
Do not get the idea that it will
be easy to do all this, or that there
is mucA real popular interest on the
subject at present. The newspapers
are the best opponents of public
sentiment, and are most friendly to
this movement, and so long as they
give two or three pages a day to the
races, foot and base ball and the
brutalities of pugilism, and fourth
of a column week to health news,
we may be certain that there is little
demand for the latter. The enlist
ment of political economists and
teachers in the movement was the
first real encouragement. The in
sertion of planks in the platforms of
both political parties favoring ma
tional health policy, and the cam
paign of education against tubercu-
losis, give promise of good If sup
ported by systematic, wisely led lay
in every section Of the
country, such as the American
Health eague is fostering.
Whether it will be necessary for
physicians to 60 into public life in
the interests of these reforms, as
they were forced to do in Europe, is
a question for the future. For a
century our legislative bodies, state
and national, were dominated by
high class lawyers. Better oppor-
tunities are now open to this class
and such positions are sought by
lower grade of lawyers and others
who make business Of politics.
With this change, others have come.
The problems before this country
were never before so complex or
difficult and, instead Of being legal
and for the lawyer, they are mainly
economic, with social and moral ele-
ments. which require higher official
class for the solution. Broadly train
ed business and literary men, teach
ers and Industrial leaders should
certainly be selected in such numbers
that their voices and votes would
be effective. There is a doctor in
close touch with almost every voter
in this country and it may be better
for them to assist in selecting men of
the kind indicated than to go into
public life themselves.
In any event it is an educational
work.. and our profession has the
knowledge which fits and imposes
the duty Of leadership. 1t will in
volve years of unselfish labor, and all
may not be equal to it. How doc
tors are to be compensated under
this new order, and whether as many
will be needed, We have not stopped
to inquire. We konw that it opens
a new field of unlimited possibili-
ties, that the doctor of the future
will be far more important and
usefulman than the one of today,
and we only ask for such a league
with the people, offensive and defen-
sive, as will insure success In every
community.