The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-08-08
EDUCATION THE SOLUTION OF THE
 SPECIALIST EVIL

fancy my friend the skin specialists are not very enthusiastic about my teachings TOT skn specialists collectively seem iSnnS , od,n,cahis nI men and capital physicians. Nerve spec,aisS,sL, , well. there none today; so my rioicuie oi M une nerve specialist racket aiienates only tne friendshin of a few confirmed nervous wrecks The all-around or "head" specialists-doctors who pretend they're good in all diseases or the eyes, ears, nose and throat-can only grIt tneil teeth and utter low curses about what teacn the public; they can't do anything to me apouI | it, because have the goods AND the protes- l sional standing, you see. Probably no otner group of regular quacks in the profession mates me and all my works so Venomousiy as uo tiie internists. These are the ponderous huinpuso who pose as specialists in whatever you happen Ito have wrong inside. There are many comical things in our profession. and in our mooern medical ethics but nothing, I am sure, more ahs,rd than the recognition of internal medi- | cine" as a legitimate special field or practlce: Tn my judgment, arrived at after more years oi study than most of these humbug specialists have practiced, the rason d'etre of this alleged speciality is merely to afford the pampereo gen tiemen who elect to follow it a legitimate op- portunity to gouge and exploit the credulous folk who believe that doctor must be better doctor if he holds out a specialist.
 In an elder day there were rev physlcians who really limited their practice to consulta- tions-that is, they accepted only patients re- ferred to them by practicing physicians or an, swered only calls sent in oy with a solid background of experience pennd them. Their colleagues knew and recognized the value
 
 These honest consulting physicians did not cater to the wiseacre crowd-in fact there was no such class of near-rich or newly-rlcn to ca ter to- They depended solely upon recognition of their skill or ability by their colleagues.
 Your latter-day "internist' is mere ma chine, and most of his alleged "diagnostic work is nothing but hte conglomerate of all the data, meaningful or meaningless that the vari- ous laboratory hirelngs or office girls or caiiow assistants present to the big shot after the GUS toner has been run through the mill. For your hundred dollars, more or less, you learn a lot of fearful and wonderful things about your basal metabolism blood chemistry, cholesterol and hydrogen ion tension, but who knows what if anything ails you?
 I haven't the shadow of a doubt but that some of the brethren now making good income from the nternist racket might be able to sup port themselves if they were compelled 10 re- turn to honest general practice and be bit less fnical and choosy about answering calls But am reasonably certain that most of these pre-. tentious charatans we tolerate in the ranks of organized medicine would starve if they had to compete on honest terms with honest doctors.
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
 The science of Underwear
 For years I have worn heavy wool undcr-' wear in winter and very light wool in the sum. mcr, for the reason that wool abs0rbs the sweat better than linen or cotton ana aiso uhat .ne .ne next the body, thereby leaving the layer next the body less sticky and giving frecr vcnti!n- tion. What do you think or my prac''ce' 'M' O.
 Answer-I think you are quite right. Any one who has worn a wool bathing suit and com pared its comfort when wet and in the breeze with that of cotton, knows that light weight wool underwear is ideal for summer, and Tor those whose habit or occupation keeps them much indoors in winter.
 Don't Give Up the Swim, Girls
 am 15 and enjoy reading your column, from which I have learned many things. I have to give up swimming for whole week every month in the summer time on account of. (M. @
 Answer-If you follow my advice. daughter. you won't give it up for any reason. There Is no longer any question that girls and women en- joy better health if they do NOT moycoddle themselves just because they are girls. Menstru- ation Is a function, not sickness nor a weak ness.
 A Business WOmans Idea
 Could you recommend to me a thoroughly competent physician specialist fin (such and such distrct) who gives the chemical Oblitcra. ton treatment for varicOsc veins at a moderate price. Being a business woman my income 1s limited. GA. V. C.)
 Answer-Hum. about what price did you wish to pay, Madam? assume that any phys- clan specialist suggest charges reasonable fee. If he charges an exorbitant fee cross him charged by physicians feel sure he must be wrong un and do not like to recommend him.
 Please write something about eczema. have tried almost everything for weeping eczema without benefit Is diet helpful? (Nirs II. WI
 Answer--First, all that weeps is not eczema. Probably one-third of all cases of alleged "ec- in fact other skin troubles Diet is sometimes factor. If you will white again, inclosng . stamped envelope bearing your address. I'll mail you a monograph eczema which may be of some help. Send no clipping, please Just ask for what you want.