The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-05-24
seant Praise for Doctors.

There are among the physicians, AZ
among every other class OF faulty hui
mainly, men who are a disgrace 10
their order. There are Quacks ano
vampires who prey on the weaknesses
of their fellows, but the great body
OF doctors stands out today. as IL mas
done In all ages past, the mobiles;
and most self-sacrificing corps OF men
In all our race.
The poet sings increasingly or the
fame OF the military hero, and the his
torian and author record the glories OF
soldier and statesmen, but little has
been said of the heroism OF the doctor.
Here and there voice has been raised
in his honor, but, by some inscrutable
regularity OF human nature. he has
been regarded as a more hitting SUD
iect for the Jester than the eulogist
Back in the gloom and murk, the I'M
ceasing bloodshed and the unrelenting
cruelty of the middle ages one name
stands out in splendor undimmed py
the terrific vices OF his time-Amboise
Pare. The life OF Pare, Is one or the
most illustrious in the annals OF medi-
cal science and Is at the present time
typical OF the great and noble quail
| ties which have not been lost by his
modern colleagues. A member OF the
reformed religion. the greatness or his
| genius and the purity OF his character
preserved him through the bitter per-
secution OF his co-religionists. Even
the ruthless and bloodthirsty tyrants
of his day forebore to lay hands on
| the great surgeon who shed more
| radiant glory on his country than all
its monarchs and generals.
Pare's Great Devotion.
No threats or promises could shake
Amboise Pare In his answering devo-
ton to his religious faith or his equal
devotion to his professional duty
When the Duke de Guise fell on the
battlefield with a spear head driven
through his skull, Pare, confident IN
his skill announced that he would OK
tract the weapon and save the duke :
life. The court physicians, far de
fcient in medical knowledge TO their
Protestant confrere, declared that
such an operation was tantamount 10
murder and washed their tlmorous
hands OF the entire matter. Pare
knew well that IL the duke died un
der his care his life would be forfeit
ed by the fanatical and superstitious
soldiery, but such considerations
never influenced him. He saved the
generals life as at later period ht
| might have saved the life OF tins
young King Francis IL he had beer
| permitted, as he wished, to exercise
his art under similar or even greater
danger in case OF failure.
There is. a great picture hanging n
the Tate Gallery in London entitled
| THE Doctor" by Sir Luke Fiedes
Because of its essential truth Its APP
peal has been probably greater than
any painting OF modern times. The
scene is an humble cottage interior
Beside the cradle of a little, sick
child sits the grey-bearded doctor, en-
gagged In last, hopeless struggle with
| his great enemy. The father stands
on one side, watching dumbly, with
an agonized appeal in his eyes, the
grim fight that is being waged for
| the life of his little one, fight In
which he can take no part. In the
} background the grief-exhanstoo moth
er has bowed her head con her arms
to shut out a sight that she can bear
no longer.
A Beautiful, Sad Picture.
II is a beautiful, sad and terribly
true picture and II represents pain
| fully common incident in the life CT
the average doctor. Day and night
he wages his unequal battle. Fame
he rarely gets, wealth still more rare
| ly and his major reward must come IN
| the knowledge Of duty well done.
Especially in these days OF commei%
cialization and the worship OF the
| golden calf Is the attitude of the doc
| tor to be marvelled at. There are
hundreds OF physicians in Boston who
lead toilsome, drudging days and
nights in gallant efforts to stem the
tide OF human suffering and misery
which seems to be an inseparable part
Of great city. Anyone who Is at all
familiar with the work Of social set
| Elements, dispensaries, hospitals and
other agencies who work among the
poor, is aware Of the priceless work