Connecticut western news., 1922-05-04
INTERESTING PAPER BY
 DIR. JOHN G. ADAM
(Continued from page 1)

doctor is in a hurry to get back to his office, or even as trivial matter, as his dinner, and when he is nearly home, MT. Brown runs out and halls him in, is it any wonder, that the doctor feels bit peeved to have his patients in the office remark, that they have waited patiently for half an hour, and had just made up their minds, that he was home, taking a nap.
 With all the present day tendency, for our good law makers to pass laws telling physicians, when and how, they can prescribe drugs, of certain therapeutic values, it would not seem unreasonable, if law were enact ed, making it misdemeanor, for a baby to be born, between the hours of ten P. M. and six A. M., but 1 doubt if the law would ever become very popular, or be very rigidly en- forced.
 If patients would only call early at office hours, and try to get home calls in,l early in the day, it would help to make a doctors life easier, and this is surely a matter of per sonal responsibility with the patient, while many d burden could be light ened, many disagreeable night call omitted, if people would be more reasonable, and not let their pro- crastination and neurotic natures, obscure their better judgment, for a tired doctor or disgruntled doctor, cannot give efficient service, op do justice to his patients.
 The question of. poor roads is squarely up to each town, while the matter of providing good school facilities should be of vital impor- tance to any community.
 It can hardly be, expected that a physician would choose a small rural community in which to bring up his children, if he is blessed with any, for being an educated man himself, he realizes the value of education for his children, and not many country doctors can afford to send their children away from home, to receive the education they need, in prepar- ing for college course. 1a. 9
 Surely good roads and good | schools are an asset to any town, and matters from which all residents can gain benefit, and it seems to me, that if rural communities desire young, well educated physicians to settle in their towns, to look after their preventable medical needs and unpreventable sickness, they must awaken to the fact, that living con- ditions must be made more attrac- tive, educational facilities improved, and travelling conditions less bur dehsome. l"#.
 Second: Those for which the medical profession is largely res ponsible.
 The present medical course takes years of study, and a large financial outlay, so that most physicians pre- fer to locate in large towns, or cities, where. they can still keep up their hospital work, eventually, hoping to receive adequate financial and pro fessional reward. .. - Some one has suggested, that cer- tain schools of medicine might give short course in medicine, granting bachelors degree in medicine and permitting these men to practice in the country, under certain rules and regulations, but am sure that would not be satisfactory and if the time necessary to obtain full degree in medicine must be shortened, think it should be taken off the premedical study, for with the present day ad- vances in medicine, the course as it now is, is none too long.
 There is no doubt that the aver age doctor in the country misses very much the companionship of other doctors, misses the facilities for following up hiS cases, which almost always, if the diagnosis ;s obscure, ST the patient needs srecial treatment, must be sent to larger centers, and he loses the personal supervision, and does not always find it possible to keep in touch with his patients progress, matter that is sometimes troublesome, when ques- toned by the patients friends. Third: Those causes where the responsibility rests upon both the physician and the community. h
 The matter of separating the causes and placing responsibility is difficult, and no doubt in many in stances the onus rests upon both. No one will question the state ment, that the medical profession, does more for suffering humanity, without fee, but not I hope, without ultimate reward, than any other busi- ness or profession, and right jeal- ously should that record be guarded, but with the increased expense, in cident to medical practice, it is hard for the country doctor to keep up, his standard of living, educate his chil- dren, increase his knowledge and usefulness, by study in medical cen ters, and last but not least, set aside small nest egg, for the inevitable rainy day, unless his fees are largely 1 increased, or his collecting system improved.