The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-04-22
rey William Brady, N. D.

WISH cOulu impress upon every
follower Of this department the real
value and limitations of specialists.
So many, many letters reach me from
people who have paid dearly for ig-
norance of these matters.
First, in no place in America is there
any legal restriction upon the practice
of any speciality Of medicine or sur
gerry. So long as a candidate has re-
ceived a license to engage in general
practice he is entitled to practice any
preparation. Hence specialist or a
surgeon is not necessarily better edu-
Gated or better trained thar any other
doctor. OF course, many physicians do
voluntarily pursue special study after
receiving the medical degree-in fact,
all the better specialists and surgeons
do so; but so do all the better general
practitioners nowadays.
Second, it does not follow that be-
cause a practitioner calls himself a
specialist in this or that line, or even
because he limits his practice to some
particular line. that he is at all eX-
pert at such work. Many youn g.
tyro is sort of born specialist.
without any general experience at all;
and many IA travelling charlatan is a
kind of all-round specialist, take it
from his own paean of self -adulation.
A doctor who devotes all his time to
the study and treatment Of certain
types OF disease naturally acquires
some special skill, becomes more or
less expert in his own line, if he is of
{; scientific, studious turn of mind, but
not otherwise.
There are quite as many incompe-
tents in special practice as in pulpits
business offices and every other line
of endeavOr.
Specialists are a great blessing. No
whole field of medical science. There
fore, it is a fortunate thing that the
family doctor can study his patient,
lind evidences of some special condi-
ton, and refer the patient to a compe-
tent specialist for help. This is true
~>"ho'hS' ~ ID ttiSo llle DeSl evidence
of honesty and skill in the. family doc
tor He sends the patient to a man
he knows is worth consulting. His
selection of the specialist is likely to
be more appropriate than the patients
selection would be, for the patient, as
hundreds OF letters to this department
show. too often consults the wrong
specialist. How is the patient to know
who is reliable?
The way to Il. specialist lies through
the family doctors consulting room,
and it is the only economical and
efficient way.
Singers and Speakers.
Please suggest something to prevent
the thickenins and roughness or hus-
kincss of the voice which bothers a
person much engaged in public speak
ing or singing. l have known singers
and speakers who used some garcle
and obtained great relief. CA. w. h
Answer
Powdered alum ............ 1 dram
Detection Of barley.......... ounces
Honey of rose..,..............-.... ounces
Dissolve the alum in the barley
water, then stir in the honey of rose
Use as a gargle before singing O,
speaking.
Stiff and Painful Shoulder
| am "a years old, and have suffered
for four months with a stiff and pain.
full shoulder, which ! believe resulted
from trying to pull down a heavy win.
dow. 1t keeps me awake often, and
have to walk the floor with it. | can.
not get my hand to the top of NV heat
to brush and dress my hair, nor can
put on my corset, or hook anythins
behind. Have had an X-ray pictur,
which was negative. Have blistered
baked and otherwise maltreated tn,
SHOULDER to no apparent purpose
can hear a swapping or grating in tn,
shoulder. but | sometimes hea at il
the opposite sound shoulder IS Their,
no relief for my trouble? (Mrs. E
f. r.
Answer.-The description suggest
DISCRIMINATION Of a little pa,
or sac. probably the one under tn
acromial process (top of the shoulder
Try this: Lean forward as to tie tn
shoelace. Let someone hold the arm
in that position while you straightel
up. II you discover that the arm goe
we'll above the head without pail
Though it does hurt when you lower i
YOURSELF. then the likelihood OF bur
sits is strong. The treatment of sub