The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-04-10
WHAT AILslENT Is SELF
EVIDENT?

Another fallacy we reluct to relin-
quish Is that certain ailments are 50
self evident they require no physi-
clans diagnosis.
This belief Is very common among
even the more intelligent portion OF
the population in respect to . puta-
tive malady which in my opinion
doesn't exist, namely the common
cold" It is a familiar dodge Of our
federal, state or provincial and mu-
nicipal health authorities to issue pui-
letins warning the public or advising
how to deal with 1.-The common cold.
but to leave it to the victim Of the
illness to decide for himself whether
he has It. Never. to my knowIedee,
has any public health authority any
where in America told the public how
to know when one Is dealing with the
common cold" or how to tell It isn't
really q serious illness which demands
medical attention at once. These pro-
life publishers Of pamphlets. bulletins.
and news about the common colo
would hardly know what to say ABOUT
It II anybody knew what the COM
mon cold Is" You zee. as long Is no
body knows whether or what It =. tne
boys can turn out stuff about u oy
the ream and say what they like. ana
who can question It. 8 long Is TAX
payers are willing to stand the ex'
pense? ...u,
On tho next lower grade Of inteln.
aence are o great many persons VINO
regard piles" Is . self evident con.
dition which requires no proper dag
nosis. This fallacy has led to an enos-
NOUS amount Of needless suffering
and not . few premature deaths. Be
sides there Is q large factor Of waste
inyolyed-waste Of money paid out for
nostrums or treatments which, even
II they were good for hemorrhoids
are Of no benefit for what really ais
the sufferer: and waste Of time on
such bungling treatment.
No one can reasonably or safely =.
sumo q rectal trouble Is "piles" until
a physician has made . proper exam
nation and determined precisely wna'
the trouble Is. Even Il there Is 90
yiously an external hemorrholda
mass, still It Is unsafe to assume tna'
is the whole extent Of the trouble.
But people Of all degrees Of intell
gence rather resent being told sue!
truth as this. One individual tool
alarm at something I said In thu
column about this very thing, rushe'
off to q physician for examination
learned that his trouble was . mino
one and not the very serious condition
he feared, and promptly took steps :
punish me for the scare I had give
him. Another asks me what my rake
off Is, when he needs my suggestion
goes for examination, finds the troubl
"a iust plain old piles, as he had al
ways believed, and gets nicked % 2
the specialist. Certainly didn't advt
him to 90 to . specialist. II any plai
ordinary family doctor isn't. comps
tent to make such an examinatio
and diagnosis. then the doctor In
. worth having q your medical advise
5 One odd chap did thank me for ha'
, | ing prompted him to seek m examil
] | alton. q his piles" proved to BE-
q far more serious condition and By Ia
chance the mans condition vas dia,
/ noeed before iryeparabls damage N
} been done.
! Perhaps the fear Of surgery keel
i. some victims Of rectal trouble ITO
) consulting the physician Tor the ne
) essary examination and advice. tt
1 Is unwarrauted, for nowadays pr
: pressiye doctors In every communi
; are treating hemorrhoids and 9th
rectal troubles With perfect success
Q methods which neither detatn 1ro
E ordinary occupation nor give the p
o tient more discomfort than the .
q ment itself does.
{ QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS