The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1922-04-19
H FAMILY DOCTOR
Prepared by the


COME wag has said that the definition of "A friend is Of who knows all
practitioner IS he is technically known, is that s@ of friend. Do not all
of us know families who have been treated by the san doctor for years,
and 10 whom their doctor is counselor, friend ana conhdant a S well as medical
"dNsor? Or people who were brought into the world by the same man who
drought their children into the worlds and whose affection fol- their physician
is Is firm IS the rock OF Gibraltar?
With the H. c. L. soaring steadily, and with the increasing tendency
towards specialization, more and more ambitious young men are leaving the
hed OF general pacue TO become SPECIALISTS, tut inc eo"d' oulasmone
family doctor is al institution We can i'll afford to lose. 1t IA a gratifying
have III ambition at all to become a specialist in any line. My sole ambition
is 10 be a good family doctor-one whom people consult about everything
my winter to summer underwear" owe that work and it Is tho thing
In his capacity Of family physician, the general practitioner gains an
intimate knowledge of the family history Of his patients personal, social
occupaHonaL We consult him for a new apment, and he remembers that
five years ago we had a illness which might have sol bearing on the
new trouble. He recalls that on Of on parents is subject to periodic break
down, and when W e exhibit signs of nerves OF 9erstrain, he issues a warning
that will spare us the same suffering This knowledge of family tendencies
and personal fdiosyncrades frequently makes ii possible for the family doctor
to spot the trouble where a casually consulted specialist would fail. And
personal idiosyncracies play a very important part in the physical condition
of men and women.
Because If the continual, intimate contact with the lives of men and
women who eonfde and trust in him, and his knowledge IF circumstances
p ppn 30 Ur have have pnovn te he 1 eynprianco Of ' ,nngt o tho doetor uonie6
selfconfdent your burdens having magicaly shrunk into nothingness
ing nowadays. These critics forget that the cost of living has increased
for the doctor just al much rs it has for them. As q matter of fact the
family doctor rarely becomes commeriaHzed; If anything, his fees ire too
small, and frequently he is not paid what he does charge
Just a word about the family doctor in the country. Many people are
inclined to look rather skephcaly upon the country doctor, considering him
less competent than his city confrere. Last week, was discussing with a
professor o surgery and with the dean of the medical school of m Of our
universities, the relative abilities Of city and country cuaone bth
men had been in army service in France and they agreed that 50 fr IS
showing IN le p"e hospu"S nan ma ne Guy u"u". July w
have frequently made great contributions to medical science. For example
and If Is said hat a mob stood omtside threatening the Doctors life if the
cessful. One of the greatest contributions to medical science was the dis
coyery in 1882 of the specific cause of consumption the tuberculosis bacillus
A good family doctor not only understands human nature nd human
fore, trouble develops which he cannot positively diagnose n treat, he calls
in a consulting specialist. These men have made a special study of the
practitioner turns when he himself Is in doubt