Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1912-09-20
Not the Only Shameful instance

The practi ce of medicine is one Of the nobl-
est in which man or an Individual can engage.
provided it is properly followed; but when it is
chosen as profession by one who considers it
merely as a means to secure luxury. whose
avBricious conscience sees only the ease ard
financial reward that he may acquire from il,
such one drags IL down TO the level of the
ordinary cold-blooded commercial occupations.
The following comment by the editor Of the
neutrality-suspicious. Is fully endorsed by this
paper. The article was prompted by the alleged
refusal Of DIR. John Beatte of Salt Lake City to
go to the relief Of DR.. J. w. Ewin. dentist liv-
ing hut few doors distant. who had taken poison
with suicidal intent Dr. Ewin was personal
friend Of the writer. man of sterling qualities,
honest. conscientious. a church wCrker. and one
of the most successful and widely known dentists
in the city.
For more than year he had been in failing
health and had tried to induce his wife to consent
to leaving the city and move onto a farm. but she
declined TO do so. His nerves shattered. it is sup
posed he became mentally unbalanced and while
In that condition took dose of strychnine. His
wife pleaded with a nearby physician to come
to her home and attend her husband but her
efforts were in vain. AS to the refusal of the
physician. let us quote the article above men,
toned:
THE profession of healing is one of the most
noble TO which man may be called. The ability
to relieve suffering, to prolong life. to carry
touch of sunshine and optimism into the sick
room to bring the smile of hope to the counteance
of the ailing, carries with it also responsibilities
that make exacting demands upon the physician.
When the power with which modern medical
science endows its devotees is welded righteous
ly, when il is gladly and promptly used in the
interest of humanity, its professor honors himself
and his profession. When his avocation sinks
him to the level of trade when the physician or
surgeon considers his skill as valuable only be-
cause it can secure him comfort or competency
when he regards his knowledge as something to
be exchanged for dollars, merely a commercial
asset, the cumulative medical lore of the ages
has been given him in vain. and the vocation
takes rank with those which make no other than
sordid claims.
g Public attention has just been called to an
incident that should be as revolving to the earnest
members of the medical profession as it is to tn,
public generally. The wife of dying man, hast
inng to the residence Of the nearest physician
is informed that he makes no calls at night Th'
frenzied woman whose husband had taken poison
and had but small chance of life. hinged upor
prompt and efficient medical treatment, is ad
vised by this modern healer to so elswhere be
cause he had no intention of leaving his comfort
able bed to go out into the cold, One assume,
that, after her fearful departure, this member
of the nobest of professions returned to his slum
bers reckoning little that he had perhaps denied
human being of his single hope of recovery
''If that sort of thing is not unlawful. il
should be. Or at least it should be within H.
power of the authorities to take from such a
he the right TO practice medicine. Certainly. al
individual so lacking la ordinary human sym
patty, and so unmindful of the obligations in,
posed upon him by his supposed skill and tn
ethics of the profession which he conspicuousl
fails to adorn. is a menace to life and healt
rather than their protector.