The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-30
MEDICINE MAGIC
ALWAYS POPULAR
DR.. Wood Tells Columbia Stu
dents Of Fallacies, in Open
ing Academic Year.
NEW DIAGNOSIS EXACT

Five hundred students filed the lec.
ture hall of the College of Physician
and Surgeons OF Columbia Cnivers't,
yesterday at the opening exerciS, .
Of the academic year of 1913-is
There was "A brief address OF
welcome by President Nicholas Muir
ray Butler, in which he said the new
college building and the new frcsby
terrain Hospital to be erected at 1G5ti
street and Broadway would undoubtedly
be the most modern and finest insti,u.
lions of their kind. He also said that
the present European war has lent "A
new Significance to the medical pro
fcssion.
The principal address was delivered by
pr. Francis Potter Wood. director Of
cAnCer research, on Magic and Med.
cine Or. Wood said in part
THE mere mention of the prAscrip.
lions of a Malay magician embracing
sCorched cats whiskers and other
equally valuable remedies brings A
smile to the face of the recent hnspi'al
graduate who prescribes from a sam
pie package of the latest synthetic drug
from Germany. just left by the post.
man and proved to BE- OF the highes.
value, because. first. the advertising saws
so. and, second. 1t has been tested OIL
ten dogs and twenty rabbits-a much
more scientific method than trying il on
man.
what country lad suffering from that
digestive remorse which SO often fol.
lows an assault on a neighbor's annie
tree but would appreciate tho modern
Improvement over castor oil and mintod
ginger IN p~sychotherapy or even ia.
Emanuel movement. or. If willing "a
stray from the straight and narrow pa,r
OF regularity. would not prefer absent
treatment from "A Christian Scientist or
manipulation by an ~osteopath." added
Dr. Wood.
And" he continued. what MON,
spinster but would a~ckuuwlcdro the
glory OF modern therapeutir achieve.
ment In the discovery which enables her
to enjoy in the in%nocuous form Of
widely advertised tonic her daily or
thric" daily cocktail II still remain A
Jealous n esteemed member Of the
W. G. T. T..
From these serene heights II scion.
tlnc medicine we can well afford 10
treat with contempt such unfor'uo,i.
aphorisms n that attributed to IN.
greatest of medical comedians The ouIy
thlIg the matter with quacks is tina,
they cure 80 many people. aud To- re-.
gard with satisfaction the uminouS gloom
which has suddenly snuned GU, IN.
literary Light who composed that lh,l
upon the medical profession The Doc
tors Dilemma"
Or. Wood pointed out that powad,
no attempt is made by the intellectually
honest physician to obscure the mrthol,
OF diagnosis nor the results Of III.
scl'Htlhc reasoning. nor il there an
hin mystical in the treatment.
We sift the testimony" he said, 20,
the patient and his friends In the light
or the known untrustwOrthiness of nu.
man evidence and ask that a large ppr-
ton OF the diagnostic Information b..
written records btained BY chcmir,'
or biological methods beyond the MANN.
ulatiNe skill of tn phi sician himself"
DR.. Wood pointed nut n remarkable
example OF crowd psychology affecting
both the medical profession and the L..
public and showing the appeal of ta.
occult as seen In connection with
tuberculosis cure a few years ago. The
cure was exploited. he said. apparently
by a syndicate which shielded itself
behind the dlscoverer, who 49, prob.
ably perfectly honest in his ~ &c thar
IN" bacterial cultures which ne I-,i
had value in the treatment Of tubcrru.
loSis.
In Germany. he said. the remedy me-,
win a cold reception. but n this COIN.
try, owing 10 the pscudo-scicutinc WAY
IN winch the whole question was ve'-
tilated even before Dr. Friedmann's an.
p~earince, and to the opposition of r..
medical profession 10 the use OF tbs
secret remedy, sympathy FOR Dr. Fried.
mann was aroused even among the in.
tellisent. Thus there resulted a lit
ter feeling toward the medical profes.
sion as jealously preventing the pub
nc from benehting by a marvellous dis
Covery.
The remedy for the love of the mrs.
FERROUS, br. Wood said. WA edu,a-
ton, and he praised the campaigns he.
ing inaugurated by physicians through
bulletins OF medical societies ana pub.
lie health officers.
These hi added. will abate some.
what the density Of popular i~gnounce'