Year: 1872

Mr.. EDIToR:-In your issue oi
September 26th l find an article


over the signature of physician, .


purporting to be an answer to an


address delivered by me before the


Wales Station Farmers Club, on


August oath. This address was
published by the unanimous request


OF all the members Of the club pres


ent when delivered. You will re


member that one object of this ad-
dress was to show some of the
causes operating against the farm
ing interest to make it improbable,
and point out remedy to counter
act the influences. Among other
things I stated that some Of these
deleteriOus influences were the result
of combinations instituted for the
purpose of subverting the natural
laws of business-that the workings
Of competition were effectually de-
stroyed by these ''rings." I Incl
dentally mentioned that combina-
ton had been formed by physicians,
adopting a higher rate of fees for
practicing medicine than could
have been generally obtained if this
business had been allowed to run in
its natural and legitimate channel,
regulated by the rulings of compe-
tition; and that all competition be-
ing effectually barred, as to prices,
by this combination, the charges
for practicing medicine fell with
crushing weight upon the poor men
of the country" Now, sir, am 1
not sustained in this assertion by
the facts in the case? In proof of
tt is statement allow me to relate
some items gathered from my own
observation and experience, which
! have no doubt win be attested by
the experience of many other farm
ers. And 1 will state here, lest my
remarks may be construed to apply
personally to any one who has prac-
ticed medicine upon my farm, that
seven different physicians have at
tended the sick at various times up-
on my premises. Your correspond
ent ("Physieian" admits that this
ring" of which he was q member,
was in full operation from the be-
ginning of 1867 to the beginning
of the present year, a period of five
years. During all this time the
charge for the practice of simple
according to the best in
formation I can obtain, varied from
fifteen to twenty dollars. This
money is usually made by the Ply
sician in from one to six hours.
How long does it take the laboring
man who tolls upon the farm, and
is dependent upon his labor for the
daily bread and clothing of himself
and family, to save this amount
clear of his immediate and pressing



The most observant farmers, who
keep a correct account of their in
come and necessary expenses, are of
.he opinion that if a farmer pays on
an average more than thirteen dol
ars and board per month to each !
employer, 1t will require only a few
years for the Sheriff to come around |
md offer his land for sale to the
highest bidder The wife and chill
iren of this laboring man, who are
unable to work, are to be
ed and clothed from this very small |
wages. It is very evident that it |
will take from three to six months, !
lad if there is much sickness in his
amily, a whole year of hard labor,
o save enough money to pay this
ee, which our "chayita6Ie" "Physi-
ian" has made off of him in one
lOur. He says further, that if the
and owner advances supplies to the
abOring man who may be a crop



Ter, his crop is held as surety for
,ay. Is there anything wrong in
his? How about the physician?
n five out of six cases of parturi-
ion which / remember to have oc-
.urred among the tenants on my
arm within the last FIVE years, the
aboring man was unable to get a
physician to attend his wife in a
ritical condition unless he could
ret me TO stand security for his fee +
no risk in his own busi-
Iess, but throwing il all upon an
,ther, who was in DO way interested
kept for the cause of humanity.
n all these eases / stood security |
nd paid the fees with my own
and. In one instance 1 remember
o have been aroused from sleep
bout midnight by q man who was
in work on my farm at fif-
cen dollars per month. He had
,een in my employ only about two
T three days when the incident I
N about to relate occurred. Cali
ng me up at this late hour of night
q a hurried and excited manner,
aid that his wife was in such a con
iition that he was afraid she would
lie unless she could get immediate
he had secured a
who was now at his
Iouse, but refused to do anything
o relieve his suffering wife unless I
7cuId "stand for the pay" which I
greed to do, and did pay the fee.
other members OF the medical pro-
ession viii excuse me for making
hese revelations, necessarily called