The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-01-21
HOME HEALTH CLUB

SELF-HELP: In a recent article in
these columns 1 called your attention
to the dangers of ignorance regarding
self-help in the treatment of varto us
ailments, and 1 pointed out the fact
that while fully 20 per cent of the
practicing physicians Of this country
have volunteered for war service, there
is still great cry for more doctors,
Ilore surgeons and more nurses.
Now. comes the famous DR.. Bayard
Holmes. q distinguished surgeon and
ajienist, and in deeply thoughtful
way points out the seriousness of the
situation in an article published in the
North American Journal OF Homeo-
pathy and taken from the official bull
letin of the Chicago Medical Society,
after showing why the attendance at
Medical Colleges has been cut down,
even before the war started, at the
rate of about 1900 per annum because
of the trust-like tactics of Medical So
cities and colleges, he goes on to say
Thus in the United States, with q
total of 100000 and 10000 prac-
ticiRg physicians and an annual mere
Ihent of less than 1000 new ncenti-
ates, we are called upon by the draft
law to give up all of our medical stu
dents, to the number of $4,000 and at
the same time to lose all of the fit
young men between twenty-one and
tkirty-one from whom new students
should be recruited.
at is possible that some of the
losses in our medical students and the
young medical men who are going
across the seas can be made up from
those rejected as lame, halt or blind,
or as alien enemies, if our schools ad-
NIT on academic qualifications only.
But we believe that it would be seri
Gus handicap to- the medical profess
sion of the future if the sources of its
recruits were limited to those unfit
for military service.
There ought to be $4,000 physi-
clans and surgeons for each 1000, 900
soldiers sent to France. These men
ought to be physically fit and thor
oUghly equipped by proper hospital
and clinical experience. They need
net all be young and capable of go
ing into the rangs; indeed, a consid-
cradle portion of them ought to be
men over fifty, who have had expert
cnce in administrative affairs of a
broad and extensive sort. 1t is OBJ
Niously as uHwise to limit medical
military service to a birthday age be-
low fifty-five as it is to require every
youth of a birthday age of twenty
to thirty-one to so into the trenches
IF the war lasts six years, and there
il no reason to think that 1t will ter
inmate sooner, the scarcity of medical
attendants in the United States, regu-
lar or irregular, will be very great
With less than 10000 physicians OF
suitable age and reasonably fit physi-
cal condition to draw from, the first
two drafts of 100000 men each will
leave the medical affairs of the Uni
ted States in the hands of the decrepit
the infirm, and the alien enemies. Il
we learn from the experience of Eng.
land, we will see to it that such a con.
dition does not arise.
There seems to be certain things
which we as a profession ought to dc
ct once. First of all, we ought to see
TO it that the draft does not disturb
any legitimate pursuit of medicine
by any student, fit or unfit for mill
tary service, now matriculated or nre
loge or scientific school. 1t is inevi
table that large number of theoret
lcaIly prospective medical STUDENT
will be diverted to the more inspiring
fields Of aviation, engineering ant
other activities of war. The enroll
ment of the medical schools is likel,
to fall off, or be recruited from tn
unfit, from alien enemies, and possib
~ from ''slackers'' (if medical stu
dents become e1empt).
I'VE ought to cut off, in the secont
place, an red tape, all the academi
fol-de-rol and the titled and hoodet
frumpery which have fastened them
selves on our medical faculties and gu
state examining bodies. Medical stu
dents should be accepted before thei
intellectual and moral enthusiasm ha
been tagged out by agnostic collegiat
d!sciplinarianisn. Until the end of TIL
war a high school education with tn
urge that goes with 1t to do, is a bet
ter equipment for a medical studen
than the bachelors or doctors degree
with the intellectual flag with whicl
It is ordinarily sealed"
Now that things are facts, and
the war continues for several years
the oId-fashioned neighborhood mid
wife will be an absolute necessity
while the home apothecary shop wi
again make It's appearance.
Tho Home Health Club book vol.
entitled Medicinal Plants of Amerl