The Detroit times., 1911-05-24
seant Praise for Doctors.

SCant Praise toE SS~hSt~|
There are among the physicians, as
among every other class OF faulty nu-
manity. men who are disgrace TO
their order There are quacks ano
vampires who prey on the weaknesses
of their fellows. but the great Dooy
OF doctors stands out today. as IL mas
done In all ages past. the nobiest
and most self-sacrificing corps OF men
In all our race.
The poet sings INCREASINGLY or the
fame of the military hero. and the MIS-
torian and author record the glories OF
| soldier and statesmen, but little mas
been said of the heroism OF the doctor.
Here and there voice has been raised
I'm his honor, but, by some inscrutapie
peculiarity OF human nature, ne las
been regarded as a more hitting SUD
| tect for the tester than the eulogist-
Back In the gloom and murk. the I'M
ceasing bloodshed and the unrelenung
cruelty OF the middle ages one name
stands out in splendor undimmed oy
the terrific vices OF his time-Amboise
Pare. The life OF Pare, Is one OF the
most illustrious in the annals OF medi-
4
typical of the great and noble quar-
| ties which have not been lost by MS
! modern colleagues. A member OF the
reformed religion. the greatness OF MS
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 OF 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 II
his skill announced that he would ex
tract the weapon and save the dukes
life. The court physicians, far de
! fcient In medical knowledge to theii
Protestant confrere, declared thai
such an operation was tantamount Il
murder and washed their timorou'
hands OF the entire matter. Par'
knew well that IL the duke died un
der his care his life would be forfeit
ed by the fanatical and superstition
| soldiery. but such consideration
never Influenced him. He saved th'
generals life as at later period M
| might have saved the life OF tbs
young King Francis II 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 II
the Tate Gallery In London entitled
THE Doctor" by Sir Luke Fiedes
Because of its essential truth its ap
peal has been probably greater thar
! any painting OF modern times. Tn.
scene is an humble cottage interior
Beside the cradle OF little, sici
child sits the grey-bearded doctor, en-
gagged in last, hopeless struggle with
his great enemy. The father stands
on one side, watching dumbly. witt
an agonized appeal in his eyes, the
| grim fight that is being waged FOL
the life OF his little one, a fight IL
j which he can take no part. In the
| background the grief-exhausted moth
er has bowed her head on her arms
to shut out sight that she can beal
no longer.
A Beautiful, Sad Picture.
II is beautiful. sad and terribly
true picture and 1t represents pain
fully common incident in the life o.
! the average doctor. Day and nigh
he wages his unequal battle. Fame
he rarely gets, wealth still more rare
/ " and his major reward must come II
| the knowledge of duty well done
Especially In these days OF CONNER
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 anc
nights in gallant efforts to stem the
tide OF human suffering and misery
which seems to be an inseparable part
of a great city. Anyone who is at al
familiar with the work Of social set
| Elements, dirpensaries. hospitals and
other agencies who work among the
poor, is aware of the priceless work