The Washington herald., 1912-09-08

The following article was contributed
to The Herald by the Medical Society OF
the District of Columbia: ~
I'VE live in progressive age or at
least We flatter ourselves that We do.
The worst reactionary thinks that he is
a great libertaria, and that he stands for
freedom. for progress, for advancement.
And the quacks in and out of the League
for Medical Freedom think it very clever
to try to persuade the people that We.
the regulars, the old school physicians,
represent the old-time ideas in medicine,
stand for reaction, for obscurantism,
while they are the followers of modern
ideas, have left the beaten paths and
stand for liberalism, liberty. and the
latest discoveries. Just the contrary Is
the truth. 1t is we who are employing
every means afforded by the natural sci
ences-chemistry, physics, biology. bot
any, and Zoology-to unravel the mys-
teries of disease. 1t is We who use every
instrument of refinement and of preci-
sion in the diagnosing of disease; II Is
we who spend our lives in the labora-
tories trying to make nature disgorge her
secrets of the cause and treatment OF
disease; 1t is we who are frightening
the course of medical studies and are
increasing the preliminary education re-
lege, and II Is therefore that every dis
covery without single exception in the
prevention, etiology. diagnosis, and treat
ment of disease during the past half CEN
fury has come from the hands of the
regular medical profession.
What Have Quac<s Done.
What have the quacks done and what
are they doing? Are they responsible
for a single contribution to the science
of medicine? What are they doing be-
sides clamoring to be let alone, to be
exempted from any preliminary educa-
tion. from any regular medical studies
Have the quacks and the so-called liberal
physicians done anything to advance
the science and art of medicine and sur
gerry? Absolutely nothing.
Mot from them can you expect any
progress in the prevention and cure of
disease. The future of medicine is in
the hands of the regular scientific medical
profession. It is sufficient to point to
our progress in the etiology and treat
ment of diphtheria. malaria. yellow fever.
syphilis. and TO our perfectly wonderful
in every branch of surgery.
including surgery of those most vital
convinced that the future will bring us
still greater results. And when we see
how everywhere scientific. properly Or
ganized medicine has its sway the NOR
tally rate is going down. we cannot help
a feeling of resentment and contemptuous
pity against those who. in ignorance and
wickedness, join the camp OF the oppo-
nents of regular scientific medicine.
The quacks. In their endeavor to ridi-
Guile and to discredit present-day scien-
tifc medicine. show the people how crude
and ignorant the physicians OF former
ages were. They bring up the pharma-
copeias and materia medicas Of two and
three hundred years ago and show what
nasty stun and what big doses we used
to prescribe. What have we, modern
followers Of modern system of medi-
cine, 10 do with the doctors Of a CEN
fury or two ago? AS well cast redicule
on the chemical wizards of to-day be-
cause their predecessors, the alchemists
Of old, were full of childish notions and
silly prejudices- As well sneer at the
great astronomers Of to-day because the
old astrologers entertained ideas and va
carries which would do credit to New
Thoughter or Christian Scientist Of to-
day. We should not be saddled With the