Montana labor news., 1951-01-04

DOCTOR AT THE BEDSIDE

In practically every ph, sicians office throughout the United
States a patient will notice a renowned painting OF a doctor IN
lamplight seated at the bedside OF a stricken patient keeping his
anxious vigil throughout the night. 1t is a beautiful painting
tel;no the % Of what doctors werea and not what they are now.
The sincere medical physician still has a sympathetic interest
in his patient By far, however. the ordinary medical praou-
toner has become the most commercial OF any professional
group. Surgery is an exception and these fine men in white have
performed miracles. Not all doctors r surgeons, however, and
many who claim to be are not overly qualified as medical prac-
ttioners-
The American Medical Association has a trail following
il that ertainly is not edifying. The average doctor who mann
800 81, of;ce hours nroceeds in treating his patients in a
rather chain gang fashion. The more who wait tor hm IN the
reception room. the quicker he writes a prescription at s5oo or
S.. 90 a throw. They have contributed little to the advancement
of medical science and through their membership IN the a. M. a.
permit themselves to be part Of an obstructionist group in the
matter Of health. They can hardly point to a single achievement
of developing disease eradicatng vaccines.
Two Young doctors at McCil University, Montreal, who
preferred to experiment rather than accept fees, gave the world
insulin to save the lives Of millions 1t was government doctors
on salary who eradicated yellow fever and not the pract-
toner of the American medical profession. Pencilln was not
a brainchid Of a doctor who for $500 prescribed an aspirin
tablet for a fellow who had a headache. Stretomycin. aureo-
mycin, terramycin, a well as the rest of the anihotic med
icres were discovered in laboratories by men who thought in
terms of saving lives rather than IN collecting tees rasteur
himself was not a doctor at all.
Could anyone in justice deny the right OF medical attention
for alp Should the poor be allowed to wnher away and die
because their economic status cannot afford the high price OF
the general practitioner Yet the American Medical Profession
in the recent political campaign spent approximately twenty
million dollars to defeat the government medical bill which
VOOAA AASAAS
United States; provide additional hospitals for them and to
establish universities o that more doctors could be graduated
10 provide for the medical needs Of our nation. In this the
American Medical Profession showed an utter disregard tor the
high oath Of Hippocrates which they swear to live by when
they receive their diploma.
This association not only OPP osed Vigorously the universal
need Of medical treatmen as contemplated in the government
sponsored health bill but the Il record OF this group from a
health standpoint is equally hare to understand. 1t vigorously
fought federal aid to states " h would reduce infant and
maternity deaths. 1t opposed ) -'nahon against dlpthena and
other contagious diseases by pub \ health authorities. 1t fought
against the reporting OF CONN yatle diseases and pubic
health services to control tub Iicss and still opposes free
Jiaonostic centers for tuberculosis and cancer. 1t 4 fought against
practice, and the American Re ross blood bank. 1t fought
the setting up of a free venereal sease clinics, group medical
voluntary insurance plans until it could no longer stop them-al
in the interest OF a putrid tee tia. rs membership alone desired
to collect from anxious and torrned patients.
The American Medical Profession IS constituted today
in many respects is a hinderance TO a profession which should be
the most honored and worth while IN the entire world. The
doctor at the bedside is almost a thing of the past. If he visits
the home at all, it is only for a brief moment The whole
American Medical Association needs a renovation. Our nation
needs again the sincere doctor at the bedside.