Crying Evils Against the Professton.—Several disgraceful evils
are now, and have been for a long time, existing among and
against the medical profession. Among? Yes. The more shame
it is for us that any of them should originate among our mem-
bers. One of .these evils-is the habit of direct and indirect ad-
vertising. Too- many professional men take occasion to adver-
tise their whereabouts and skill; and if they do not directly do-
so, the editors of the local papers announce for them all their
little notable cases as a matter of news ; often the doctor himself
furnishes the particulars. Who could ask a better advertisement?
If it is a grand operation he has performed, then a large space
must be granted in the columns of the newspapers, with a hand-
some puff for the doctor. Sometimes these are paid for by the
line, and sometimes they are inserted without the knowledge of
the doctor; but if he does not make any effort to suppress its
frequent repetition, then he becomes indirectly privy to such ad-
vertising. I know at this time of a doctor who was once pres-
ident of a State medical society, and now stands high as a mem-
ber of the same, who often has such notices of operations per-
formed by him in some of the city papers, and in one paper has
a card announcing his readiness to accept all cases, and those
from a distance provided for with good board, nursing, etc. If
the professional man is to stand or fall according to his merits,
how can these proceedings be construed as honorable ? Few
of our profession that have not noted these professional adver-
tisers and newspaper medical men, who still claim perfect regular-
ity, will have any idea how far this irregularity is carried on.
Certainly it is time that local medical societies were moving in
the matter.
Another glaring evil is the fusion of regular and irregular med-
ical colleges. Notably one in Michigan, where six professors of
the regular school deliver lectures to the homoepathic class
daily, in immediate connection with their own proper classes,
and at the same time and hours of the day. Then at the close of
the term these same professors must examine the students of both
classes, and pronounce upon their qualifications for graduation,
alike for regular and irregular students, while the homoepathic
student is examined by two additional homoepathic professors.
Thus it cornel about that six-eighths of the teaching received by
these irregular students is given by professors claiming to teach
regular medicine, and six-eighths of the responsibility for the
graduation of these irregulars rests upon the six professors who
teach and examine them. The mere dodge of leaving their
names off of all the diplomas, and having them signed only by
the president, etc., of the University, is, to use a vulgar phrase,
"too thin." If these men can teach homoepathicstudents, side
by sid£ with regulars, why shall not these same students, after
graduation, csnsult with each other whenever convenience may
require it ? The one is no more inconsistent than the other.
Again, the cry that had the faculty backed down and not held
their places, the homoeopathists would have cried out a great vic-
tory because the regulars were afraid to meet them in intellect-
ual contests, is also "too thin." Have not the regular profession
stood ready to openly contest any point the irregulars might
bring forward? We have nothing to lose; for if they have
any new or valuable principles or remedies we, as regulars, are
at liberty to adopt the same, and make them known to the world
for the good of our common humanity ; for we do not practice
by the use of secret nostrums or exclusive dogmas, nor deny the
use of any remedy, or the application of any principle, that may
be found valuable in combatting disease.
Another crying evil is that committed by religious newspa-
pers in advertising quack medicines. With very few exceptions,
the religious newspapers of our country take the advertisment
of any and nearly all patent medicines, and laud them highly to
the public, without having the least idea of the nature of these
nostrums, or whether they will have the least tendency to ac-
complish what they claim. Is this honest ? Do not the ed-
itors of such papers admit such advertisement solely for the
money paid for so doing? They must live, it is true: but must
they take the risk of ruining the health of their patrons in order
to acquire a livelihood ? What a handsome spectacle ! They
teach religious doctrines on one side, and recommend nostrums on
the other that claim to accomplish things beyond the power of
any known remedies to do ; and the worst of it is, the editors
are fully aware of this fact, and hence, it places them, as relig-
ious teachers of the public, in the attitude 'of giving Gospel
truths in one column and a well set lie in another. Bread for the
soul in one hand, poison for the body in the other. Happy
spectacle ! If these nostrums were all they are represented to
be, would or Could accomplish the great cures claimed for them,
then there could be found some excuse for such papers taking
them up and advertising them broad cast over the land ; but ev-
ery man, not overly credulous or a fool, must know when he
reads them that they are well-gotten up lies to deceive the pub-
lic into purchasing and using them, so that the nostrum vendor
may fill his coffers with gold, at the expense of the lives and
blood of their fellow-men, and the religious newspaper editors
become their aiders and abettors in this criminal business ; lean
call it by no milder phrase, for having seen men hurried to their
graves by some of these nostrums, it has been presented in the
gravest light. The cry of these nostrum vendors that physicians
descry them because they cut off their practice is false, for we
know that the more patent medicines a community tries, the
greater their demand for intelligent advice; and how very often it
occurs that some one is taken ill with some dangerous disease that
needs prompt and skillful management, but unaware of his great
danger, resorts to some patent sugar-coated purgative pellets, or
other nostrum, and awaits their. expected happy removal of
his physical ailments, only to find himself greatly deceived in
his expectations, and then has to call on his family physician at
last, from whom he learns, or his family learns, the great danger
he is in, and how much valuable time has been lost that should
have been used in well-directed efforts in combatting a serious
disease. A short time of active practice will develop these
cases in numbers beyond our expectation. Let the medical
press bring its wholsome influence to bear against these evils
with all its power, and though it may take much time to eradi-
cate them, nevertheless its power for good will soon be felt, and
great good to humanity will result therefrom.	T. C. S.
Kind Words.—We are in receipt of many encouraging com-
munications from medical brethren touching the character of
our journal, for which we return thanks.
It would be pleasant to publish them all, if our space would
permit. We make room in our present issue for two of these,
which will be found below. We find in these the most grati-
fying assurances that our efforts in behalf of the medical litera-
ture of the South are beginning to be appreciated, and that the
intelligent men of the profession are alive to the importance of
building up and sustaining a first-class home journal. We do
trust that every physician in the country will act upon the timely
and well meant suggestions of esteemed correspondents in the
letters referred to.
Crystal Springs, Miss., February 7, 1876.
Dr. Thos. S. Powell—Your favor of January 26, acknowledg-
ing the receipt of subscription money, to hand. I am glad it
reached you in due time. ' I simply cannot get along without
The Record ; I find it indispensable—all that is necessary, be-
ing a delightful companion; hope to be able soon to send you
some new subscribers. Wishing you personal prosperity and
continued success for the pet of the profession, The Record, I
am, sir, yours truly,	T. P. Lockwood.

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