The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-04-16
As The Doctor Can Not Be Got.
ten Too Quickly at Times
to Save Life.


tnese institutions, and the number Of
graduates made up great army.
Six per cent OF these college gfadu-
ates will become doctors. There are
among them anatomists, bacterfolo-
gists, pathists, homeopathists, medi-
co-legalists. mental hygenists and
lots Of others with Just as long
names and yet only one million per-
sons died In this country last year.
How many more would have died but
for the progress OF medical science
only a careful examination OF an In
complete mortality tables could show
in way. It Is an encouraging sign
that there are fewer and far better
medical schools in the United States
now than there were eight or ten
years ago; for whereas in 1866
there were 1913 regular schools Of
medicine with 4,877 teachers. and
24.972 pupils. In 1884 there were
only eighty-six regular schools with
6,466 teachers and 1873 pupils, The
courses Of study are harder. the con-
ditions Of graduation more difficult,
and the equipment of the schools gu
perior to anything every before
known.
Most of the medical students who
complete their courses follow their
profession in the rural districts. They
are not specialists but do what Is
called general practice" and must
have a general knowledge OF all the
'ologies for which the specialists
stand, because, as rule. their pa
TENTS do not possess large means
and must depend for relief from their
ills upon the, sound Judgment, trained
skill and faithful service. Of the .coun-
try doctor. There are thousands Of
them in the United States. which
fact induces the writer to say that
every country doctor in this land
ought to be an active worker in, the
good roads movement. It was said
recently by distinguished surgeon,
when Congress was paltering with the
provision that should be made for
the medical branch Of the, military
service, that word was sent out. to the
doctors throughout the land about It
and Immediately they began to write
letters. The effect was almost In
Simultaneous and the desired provision
was made. There are thousands Of
them and they represent one million
voters" observed a wise old politi-
sian. They are closer to more people
Than the members of any Of the other
learned professions. They know what
bad roads mean. They travel over
them day and night every day and
hight In the year, and how impossible
It is to reach their patients oftentimes
when the issues are Of life and death.
Very Hard Life.
Even under the most favorable con-
ditions, the life of the. country doctor
Is hard. a life of sef-sacrifice, Of SELF
abnegation. He Is about his business
all the time. He comes when he is
called and where. He lives for others
and his work is the work Of alleviating
human suffering, comforting human
sorrows, saving human life. He does
not receive much applause from the
world about him and does not care for
It. His charity is unreasonable. his
rewards are Insignificant He prac-
tees his profession under the hardest
conditions. AS general thing, his
patients do not live in luxurious sur
roundings, but are Of the plain people
rather more worth the saving than
they who dwell in kings palaces, and
he has to deal with them as he finds
them, whether in lowly hut or grand
mansion. Time with him and with the
patient waiting his ministrations Is
oftentimes the deciding factor in life
or death. Only a. few days ago. in
Washington. the capital Of the nation,
where the streets might well be called
golden because of what they have cost,
a woman who had been run down by
an automobile died. as the attending
physician asserted, because under the
traffic regulations the ambulance dis
patched to the scene of the accident
was, compelled to run so slowly that
death interviewed. Scores of cases
could be cited doubtless by country
doctors Of deaths that might have been
avoided had It been possible for them
to reach the patients in time to- min
lister prompt relief. 1t would have been
possible but for the almost impossible
condition of the roads on which they
are compelled to travel on their. mis-
sions OF mercy.
Few people who live in the towns
with paved and, lighted streets can
appreciate the fearful darkness that
falls upon the roads in the country
when the sun goes down, and 1t Is by
these ways that the country doctor
must travel in rain and snow and
wintry weather whenever the call
comes for his services. He does his
bit faithfully. There are few slack
ers in his tribe. DR.. William Nc
Lure, whose story is told in Ian Nc
Laren's Bonnie Briar Bush" was
typical Of his sort, and there, are
thousands like him in this country;
and when he has worn his life IN
service to his neighbors, all the peo-
pie of glen, highlaAd or marsh pay
him tribute, even II none thought Of
making his ways easier when he was
riding to their relief. Taking men
as they are any who would choose
the profession Of the country doctor,
the most
Devoted and Consecratedg
Of all who serve humanity. It is
feared that the country people do not
think about 1t. else they would In
sist for their own protection upon
the building Of better roads over
which not only would they be able
to transport their products and
transact business, but by which in
time Of sorest need the country doc
tor could Journey. with expedition to
those requiring succor. al y ; ..st,