The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1911-07-07
FOREIGN BATHS
!. CALLED QUACKS
Much Criticism Of Their DiagnO-
sis, Says American Medicine.
THEIR CURES RIDICULOUS.
Patients From This Country Should Go
Abroad Properly Labeled - Foolish
Literature Sent Out From Certain
Famous Health Resorts.


Famous Health Resorts.
The intimation is made in an edito-
rial article in American Medicine that
many of the world famous physicians
practicing at baths in Europe are
"quacks." 1t is declared that there Is
a good deal of criticism concerning
methods of diagnosis at these health
resorts. The baths are called "ridicu-
lous," and finally it Is urged that
patients be properly labeled before
they leave these shores.
Diagnosis at health resorts" says
the writer, lis periodically criticised
in severe language and where there Is
so much smoke there must be fire. The
worst culprits seem to be those whom
we would presume to be impeccabe. If
not lnfallible. the centuries old cure
ais of Europe,
"They have hordes of physicians
who have specialized on diagnosis. and
the methods are presumed to be the
results of centuries of experience back
ed up with all modern means of ex-
animation. Yet we still hear bitter
complaints that cases are wrongly di-
agnosed. OF course the patients come
with strange infections from every
part Of the world. and 1t is impossible
for any one physician to keep in touch
with the local pecuiarities of every
nook and corner of the globe. Some
oversights are inevitable: but. granting
all that there are accusations that
universal diseases are not recognized
and that the patient goes away with
very false idea of his condition and
prospects of life. If all these are facts
they must throw considerable doubt
upon the statistics published as to the
results in certain diseases.
Benefits Not Doubted.
THE benefit of health resorts cannot
well be doubted. but the reasons given
by local physicians cannot be reason
ably accepted if they do not know
what they are treating patient
with unrecognized cancer may i'm
prove In his general condition while
the disease is progressing. SO many
CuNH NuStS udNG NOue 10 liSuL IuPTG
is a growing opinion that suggestion
plays a large part and that a vocation
with plenty of distractions would ac-
compliSh rs much without suggestion
Certainly these two alone are sutii-
cient to account fer the Improvement
called cures without calling in the
alleged effects of the waters and
baths.
The literature put out from certain
famous resorts imputes such ridlcu-
lous efficacy to the waters as to raise
amazement that reputable physicians
would sign 1t, and now that we know
the mistakes in diagnosis the whole
mass of literature loses scientific
value. Scarcely a word is said of the
effect that the climatic conditions In
certain mountain resorts are exactly
what many a man needs after years
Of injury in the cities of the lowlands,
even without the change, rest. recrea-
ton and suggestion. The subject
should be put on solid scientific
foundation. for many a patient spends
too much money on these trips for
Acdilu u6 CUuIu kel nome.
Doctors Only Attendants.
at has become fashionable to 60
abroad. and as long as that is the case
science cuts no figure in 1t at ALL We
seem destined to send a food of gold
abroad every season. and certain
parts of Europe actually depend upon
the money of fool Americans, who
are openly ridiculed for gullibiity In
addition to all this. the reports receiv-
ed from returning patients as to the
mannerisms OF many of the world ia
NOUS practitioners of special methods
good for about everything-rais a
grave suspicion that there Is quackery
differing in no respects from the meth
DDS Of every advertising charlatan In
America, who, by the way, secures the
same kind of lay Endorsement as that
given to the cures of the old world.
Gan esteemed contemporary has re-
marked that the continental physi-
clans have so lauded their local baths
that an impression mas gone out
among laymen that a doctor is only a
high grade bath attendant 1t is high
time that patients should be properly
labeled before they go away and that
they should be given distinctly to I'M
derstand that they need rest. change,
recreation, distraction and fun when
seeking proper climate and that
these can be obtained in many places
without the ridiculous baths.
Cures should be for cases in
which suggestion is really necessary
or In which water inside or out Is
scientifically proved to be beneficial.
There is much room for reform In
present methods OF sending these
cases away from home"