The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-10-28

build better house, write a better
book. or make a better mouse trap
than his neighbor, though he build his
mousse In the woods, the world will make
a beaten path to his door,"
Impelled by a deep humanitarian
ad scientific spirit, the true physi-
clan endeavors to ameliorate human
suffering and safeguard the health of
his community, and he steadfastiy
trusts the judgment of his patrons to
see with their own eyes that his every
day work is the best evidence OF his
qualification to pra ctice medicine and
surgery.
With a conscience that justifies his
own self approval he laboriously tolls
to become a better physician and to
merit the approval or his colleagues
as well as his patrons. While often
wishing that the laity would not allow
themselves to be deluded by those who
blow their own trumpet" taro,i ef
newspaper advertising, he persistently
laoors to be better qualified for the
service he is rendering. so as to fur
ther merit the confidence of his
patronage, as years are added to en-
rich his experience.
AS a physician, / can excuse your
remarks, since realize that you do
not know that the profession of nnedi-
cine is something more than a COM
nnercial institution, but in Justice to
your readers think that you should
make amends for your reflection upon
their intelligence by making them a
due apology. You have betrayed q
lack of confidence in the individual a
distrust in the laws of your state, and
a disbelief in the sanity of your COM
munity.
Yours sincerely,
D. W. MCMILLAN.
1.-THE journal takes pleasure in ae-
cording DR.. Mcmillan the use of it's
columns for the foregoing eomnuni-
cation. 1t congratulates him also on
his able presentation of reasons why.
though admittedly proper to state them
by word of mouth. it is still improper
to state FACTS, In print, concerning
the proficiency and skill of physicians
and surgeons or the value of the va
rious achievements of science, discov-
cry, and invention for the relief OF
human ills and suffering We are glad
as well to have the good doctors GER
ALL of the physicians who are now
permitted to practice under the laws
of Florida. We had always assumed
that the vast majority of physicians
were proficient and reliable and we
believe they are. We trust them with
our lives-why should we not have
faith IN them? But we doubt II even
the general intelligence" which the
doctor so graciousiy accords The Jour-
naIs readers ever contemplated the
complete proficiency and skill which
he would have us believe must be
possessed by EVERY person before he
IS permitted by the laws Of this state
to practice in Florida. Speaking for
our readers we trust 1t will be no re-
Election on their intelligence and nc
betrayal of ''egotism" on our part, Il
we assume that they are grateful for
the doctors disposition to take them
into his confidence on this subject
even though a So called code Of pro-
fessional ethics prevents a physician
from taking the public into his conf
dence by statement, in print, OF facts
covering the ills and treatment thereof
TO which a suffering laity is heir. AS
for the remarks about the man who
could produce the house, the book, OF
the mouse trap, students of literature
land we disavow any pretense of being
one) will no doubt be glad to have the
question of the authorship of this
famous quotation so definitely settled
1t is worthy Of Emerson whether ht
wrote it or net.-Editor Journal)