The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-10-08
MEDICAL PROFESSION WILL INVESTIGATE SPECIALIST RACKET

The comedy of specialism in American medi-
 cine is now approaching the burlesque stage. The more intelligent portion of the population
 is getting wise" to the specialist racket as this has been tolerated, if not actually sanctioned by the medical profession of America. At the Association in Philadelphia in June resolu- ton was passed that a commission on qualifica- tions for specialists, consisting of nine mem bers, be appointed by the speaker of the house
 of delegates of the medical organization. This commission is to give consideration to the pres ent status of specialism in medicine and define | the various specialties which may be considered necessary for the best interests of the public
 and scientific medicine. The commission is to
 consider the questions of education, training and clinical experience doctor should have if he is to limit his practice to special field or
 be known to the public as specialist. Well, better late than never. From the way
 our all-around specialists our brass specialists, have been growing and snarling back at my animadversons the evil, might fancy
 that the organized profession intended to main- tain the good old policy of, dignifed silence about this scandal. Let us hope that the inves- | tigations of the newly established commission
 at least rHnf fhnt d, Gr the group" system of plucking the gullible public is doomed. After all the high pressure tricks of specialism have been worked the wiseacre public and all the fast talk about this being an age of specialism has brought in the smart ones | it begins to look as though the honest family doctor were due to stage come back, at least for lot of goofy folk who in the din of self | adulation made by the brass specialists of the day. really imagined the family doctor was
 nearly extinct.
 | the commission the kngpin of brass specialists who calls himself ''internist" and employs all
 the wiles of quackery in sharp competition with honest general practitioners. When they have classified these hardboiled fakers, then hope they will turn their attention to the eye-ear- | nose -and-throat boys and set up minimum of five years of general private practice as a re-
 quirement for license to practice as nose
 and throat specialist, an additional five years if
 be specialist also in diseases of the ear, and an additional ten years of general practice,
 making twenty in all, to qualify man to hold himself out as an eye specialist, oculist, oph- thalmologist.
 Pending the completion of the work of this commission, I advise all patrons to beware of the rabble of specialists now competing for public confidence. At least four out of five of them are brass specialists fakers. though mem- bers in good standing" in the medical associa- ton. I mean they are fakers when they de-
 any honest, capable general practitioner in the same community ordinarily charges. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Sleep and Weight
 Can weight be lost by loss of sleep. How
 much sleep does the average adult require? c. Answer-1. No. 2. Younger adults require
 nine hours. middle aged adults eight, elderly adults or hours ~ Narcotic Dcpressant
  we have agreed to ask you to settle. Is whisky
 a stimulant or a depressant? (Mrs w. K. R.l
 Answer-Alcohol in any form is narcotic de- pressant.
 Baby Has Bow Legs Twenty months old baby has noticeably
 bowed legs She has had Super D nearly every
 day of her life and is still getting 1t daily. She
 walked at 13 months Can you advise anything
 to straightcn her legs? (M. S.)
 Answer--I don't know what Super D means.
 See that the baby gets plenty of sunshine on
 naked skin. Get her a pushmobile or bicycle or tricycle. to encourage her to use her legs.
 Later (after years of age) if the lowing re-
 mains uncorrected. see the doctor about braces or other orthopedic treatment.
 Safe MIX for Children We plan trip through part of the country
 where milk Is not generally pastcurzed. How can VIC purify milk for our children? (E \. M.) Answer-Boil 1t five minutes. No objection to this for temporary precaution or if the chl- dren get q good daily ration of fresh fruit or fresh vegetables or their juices there is no obs
 jection even if you continue boiling all milk for
 an indefinite period.