Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-27

es The public. and their insistent dis
! Play is very apt to have its effect on
| those who do not know their true
value. This tendency of human be-
| lhgs To imagine they are suffering
| from any malady they here described
! is constantly shown in the case of a
large number of medical students,
who are convinced they have the dis
eases they are studying.
| We fear that the time is yet far off
! When there will not be multitude
| that are deceived by the false claims
OF predatory charlatans, or self-dc-
luded by the idea that they are capa-
| BILE of diagnosing and treating them
solves. The pockets and stomachs of
such people will continue to suffer, as
has been the case from time i'm
memorial. The INSCRIPTIONS have
always preyed upon the gullible, in
spite of repeated warnings against and
exposure of swindlers. Thucydites
fourth century b. c. eastsates the
quacks. Defoe gives examples of
quack advertisements that compare
well with the cleverest of those of to-
Gay. The following quotation is from
Oliver Goldsmith's Citizen of the
World:
When | consider the assiduitE of
this profession, their benevolcnce
amazes me. They not only in general
give their medicines for half value,
hut use the most persuasive remon-
strances to induce the sick to come
and be cured. sure there must be
something strangely obstinate in az
English patient who refuses so much
health upon such easy terms
Yet, Notwithstanding all this. there
are many here who now and then
think proper to he sick. only sick
did | say? There are some who even
think proper to die. Yes, by the
head of Confucius they die; though
they might have purchased the health =
restoring specific for half d crown at
every corner
If there be any who wish further
evidence of what is set down here
they are invited to apply to the bu-
reau of chemistry of the United States
Department of Agriculture, or to visit
the exhibit of the American Medical
Association in the Red Cross building.
Potomac Park.
We do not expect this tendency
of humanity to he foolish in matters
of health to be eradicated in a daY
hut we do believe that some improve
ment can be made: that by educa-
tion the number of victims. whether
deluded by themselves or by the
vampires of patent medicines. can be
reduced With this end in view We
invite attention to the following
l. Drugs can and do accomplish
definite things in the body, when
properly used. In the past drugs have
been too much relied ON. and en-
ployed unskiHfully and to excess
When skilfully employed in appro-
pirate conditions they are valuable
aids i'm the restoration of health and
in some diseases absolutely essen
tial.
= Any drug that has any power
Of doing good has alse the power ii
doing harm. when improperly or eX-
cessively used. Drugs are not foods
and their proper use requires thor
ough knowledge of their actions and
dangers. as we'll as knowledge of the
condition of the patient on whom they
are employed
g. No man. even the most skillful
can properly diagnose or treat dis
ease without direct personal study OF
the individual case. Any one VIII
undertakes to diagnose and treat dis
ease by correspondence is conducting
a fraudulent business.
t. The old saying that "a doctor
who treats himself has fool for =
patient" has wider application than
10 the members of the medical pro-
fession.-Contribute by Medical AS
SON of District of Columbia. to Wash :
ington Star.