Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-09-22
SELF-pRUGG!NG.

Contributed by the Medical Association of the
District of Columbian
The causes that lead to habitual drug
taking are mosts frequently pain and loss
of sleep. 1t is short-sightsd policy to
remove an unpleasant symptom for the
time being instead of going to the root
of the distorted state for which nature
has provided the PAIN headache, nervous
ness or insomnia. as warning signals that
there is some injurious condition present
that needs to be removed or avoided. In
stead of siencing these warnings of
nature by drugging, good physicians
take heed to natures purpose. carefully
inquire into their significance. and do
what is possible to remove the disordered
state or remedy the conditions that bring
it about.
Aside from the habit Informing drugs.
such as morphine and cocaine, which al
ways bring about more suffering than
they relieve, when taken frequently or
i'll advisedly. there are very many peo-
pie who Suffer Tor CINE they suffer-
from rheumatism, govt. kidney disease.
liver complaint. catarrh, impure blood,
consumption. cancer and the like. who
are habitual drug-takers. This class is
largely recruited by the alluring adver
tisements of the patent medicine sellers.
The language of these advertisements is
such as to suggest to almost any one
who reads them that he has one or more
Of the diseases that are claimed to be
promptly and surely cured through the
renedy's al-erbracing efficiency.
These advertisements are carried in
every kind of publication that reaches
the public. and their insistent display
is very apt to have its effect on those
who do not know their true value. This
tendency of human beings to imagine
they are suffering from any malady they
hear described is constantly shown in the
case of Il large number of medical stu
dents. who are convinced they have the
diseases they studying.
We fear that the time is yet far off
when there will not be a multitude that
are deceived by the false claims of
predatory charlatans, self-deluded by
the idea that they are capable OF dag
nosing and treating themselves. The
pockets and stomachs Of such people will
continue to suffer. as has been the case
from time imme mortal. The unscrupu-
lous have always preyed upon the gull
ible. in spite OF repeated warnings
Thucydites Fourth century b. c. casti-
gates the quacks. DefCe gives examples
of quack advertisements that compare
well with the cleverest of those of today.
The following quotation is from Oliver
GoldsmithS Citizen of the World:
when l consider the aSsiduty of this
profession, their benevolerce amazes me.
They not only in general give their medi-
cines for half value, but use the most
persuasive Inconsistencies to induce the
sick to come and be cured. Sure. there
must be something strangely obstinate
in an English patient who refuses 50
much health upon such easy terms
Yet, notwithsta nding all this. there are
many here who now and then think
proper to be sick. Only sick, did l say?
There are some who even think proper to
die. Yes by the head OF Confucius they
die: though they might have purchased
the notwithstanding specific for half u
crown at every corner.
If there be any who wish further evil
dence of what is set down here they
are invited to apply to the bureau of
chemistry of the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture or to visit the ex-
hib.t of the American Medical Associa-
ton in the Red Cross building, Potomac
Park.
We do not expect that this tendency Of
humanity to be foolish in matters of
health to be eradicated in day, but
we do believe that some improvement
can be made; that by education the num-
Der of victims, whether deluded by them
selves or by the vampires of patent
medicine, can be reduced. With this end
in view We invite attention to the fol-
lowing:
l. Drugs can and do accomplish def
mite things in the body, when properly
used. in the past drugs have been too
much relied on, and employed unskill-
fully and to excess. When skilfully en-
ployed in appropriate conditions they
are valuable aids in the restoration of
health. and in some diseases absolutely
essential.
=. Any drug that has any power of
doing good has also the power OF doing
harm, when improperly or excessively
used. Drugs are not foods and their
proper requires thorough Knowledge
of their actions and dangers, as well as
knowledge of the condition of the pa
tient on whom they are employed.
3. No man, even the most Skillful, can
properly diagnose or treat disease
without direct personal study of the in
dividual case. Any one who undertakes
to diagnose and treat disease by cor
respondence is conducting a fraudulent
business.
4. The old saying that "a doctor who
treats himself has a fool for a patient"
has a wider applicable than to the men,
bers OF the medical profession.