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Vol. 60, 1909 - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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SC) THE CHARLOTTE MEDICAL JOURNAL.<br />

namely, th<strong>at</strong> <strong>of</strong> the increasing competition only accepted but generally welcomed by<br />

in the art and science <strong>of</strong> healing, not alone the American people, despite its exercise <strong>of</strong><br />

within the ranks <strong>of</strong> the regular medical pro- arbitrary jjower, on account <strong>of</strong> its certainly<br />

fession, including its various adjuncts, the beneficent results, pro ^(vm pi/6//iv, and simhospitals.san<strong>at</strong>oria,<br />

dispensaries, and boards<br />

<strong>of</strong> health, but also in the so-called new disply<br />

because they are democr<strong>at</strong>ic,<br />

I am no advoc<strong>at</strong>e <strong>of</strong> centraliz<strong>at</strong>ion in the<br />

pens<strong>at</strong>ion tre<strong>at</strong>ment <strong>of</strong> disease, such as abstract, nor special pleader <strong>of</strong> the health<br />

Divine healing, Christian Science, Faith department system: but may not such a<br />

and mind cures, Emmanuel movement, protective union, or "merger, "—to use the<br />

hypnotism, massage, osteop<strong>at</strong>hy, hydro- commercial parlance <strong>of</strong> the day,—be a posp<strong>at</strong>hy,<br />

and all the other cults and p<strong>at</strong>hies, sible outcome <strong>of</strong> the growth and developnot<br />

to speak <strong>of</strong> the advertising quacks and ment <strong>of</strong> preventive medicine?<br />

charl<strong>at</strong>ans,—who although not more num- Or, are medical services to be engaged<br />

erous today, perhaps, in proportion to the and contracted for, on the co-oper<strong>at</strong>ive<br />

popul<strong>at</strong>ion, than in times past, still count plan, by societies and families, and phytheirvotariesby<br />

the thousands,— I say th<strong>at</strong> sicians to receive annual salaries for regain<br />

contempl<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>of</strong> these undeniable facts, larly caring for the sick and preserving the<br />

I should like to know wh<strong>at</strong> is to become <strong>of</strong> health <strong>of</strong> their p<strong>at</strong>ients,—as is now largely<br />

the legitim<strong>at</strong>e practice <strong>of</strong> medicine or the done in Germany with the so-called<br />

general practitioner in the future, from a "Kranken Cassen" and "Hans Artzt, " and<br />

financial standpoint?<br />

to some extent also in the United St<strong>at</strong>es by<br />

Physicians, like others, must live; but corpor<strong>at</strong>ions, etc.? Or, are they to be paid<br />

even now it is getting harder every day to only, like Chinese doctors, to keep people<br />

make a living in the practice <strong>of</strong> medicine, well, and not paid when they get sick?<br />

and there is no relief in sight. The pros- But be this as it may, in view <strong>of</strong> the depects<br />

are r<strong>at</strong>her th<strong>at</strong> the conditions will creasing frequency <strong>of</strong> sickness, as shown<br />

continue to grow worse. It is true, perhaps, by the records <strong>of</strong> vital st<strong>at</strong>istics, and the<br />

th<strong>at</strong> as the requirements for gradu<strong>at</strong>ion and waning priv<strong>at</strong>e practice <strong>of</strong> physicians,<br />

license become more exacting and difficult, which needs no demonstr<strong>at</strong>ion, wh<strong>at</strong> is to<br />

while the emoluments <strong>of</strong> practice get com- be the future, Mr. President, <strong>of</strong> legitim<strong>at</strong>e<br />

par<strong>at</strong>ively less, fewer men may enter the priv<strong>at</strong>e practice in this country? Intheevomedical<br />

pr<strong>of</strong>ession, and an increasing num- lution <strong>of</strong> the new school <strong>of</strong> tre<strong>at</strong>ment,—not<br />

ber <strong>of</strong> those who do may devote themselves to mention the rapid advance <strong>of</strong> progressive<br />

to research<br />

career,<br />

work or to a special <strong>of</strong>ficial surgery, or the successful oper<strong>at</strong>ive inter-<br />

ference in many affections hitherto regarded<br />

Butarealllegitim<strong>at</strong>epractitioners<strong>of</strong> medi- as incurable—wh<strong>at</strong> is to become <strong>of</strong>the oldcine,<br />

with the exception <strong>of</strong> the specialists, time general practitioner <strong>of</strong> medicine with<br />

to become ultim<strong>at</strong>ely merged into some pro- ^'s drugs and galenical prepar<strong>at</strong>ions, when<br />

tective system, some system <strong>of</strong> health pre- perfeced methods <strong>of</strong> modern sanitary<br />

serv<strong>at</strong>ion, likelhehealth departmentsystem, science shall have arrested or prevented all<br />

for instance, under legisl<strong>at</strong>ive regul<strong>at</strong>ion and infectious diseases and life shall be procontrol?<br />

This is not so impossible as it might longed to a green old age?<br />

appear. The health department svstem,'''as . . ^ .— 7" • ;t r.^r^r.A,^ ^.1.; .f.. ;„ ., *<br />

It<br />

c ^i alreadj exists in tnany parts <strong>of</strong> this country,<br />

IS a centralized, autocr<strong>at</strong>ic organiz<strong>at</strong>ion,<br />

under St<strong>at</strong>e or municipal control, de-<br />

,, ., ,. , ,.<br />

^OTE.—In the compil<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>of</strong> this paper I have<br />

„,ade liberal use <strong>of</strong> other articles and books written<br />

by others, as well as by myself.<br />

'-—^<br />

signed for the care <strong>of</strong> the public health."<br />

The word "autocr<strong>at</strong>ic, " and the acts which<br />

it involves, would seem to be inimical to<br />

our basic principles as a democracy. But<br />

AlcohoJ.<br />

By Wm. deB. MacNider. M. D., Pr<strong>of</strong>essor <strong>of</strong> Phar-<br />

macology in the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>North</strong> <strong>Carolina</strong>.<br />

(From The Labor<strong>at</strong>ory <strong>of</strong> Pharmacology).<br />

in this republic <strong>of</strong> ours there is a strong and ( a ) The Pharmacalogical Action <strong>of</strong> Algrowing<br />

tendency toward centraliz<strong>at</strong>ion cohol.<br />

and concentr<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>of</strong> authority,—as is seen (b) I.ogical Indic<strong>at</strong>ions for the use <strong>of</strong><br />

in many systems, syndic<strong>at</strong>es and monopo- Alcohol as a Therapeutic Agent.<br />

lies, in commerce and politics, as well as in (c) Changes Produced F.xperimentallv<br />

boards <strong>of</strong> health. A few <strong>of</strong> us may declaim in the Blood Vessels <strong>of</strong> Rabbits Subjected<br />

against this tendency, as being a usurpa- to the Action <strong>of</strong> Alcohol.<br />

tion <strong>of</strong> the rights <strong>of</strong> the individual, a re- The subject under discussion may he apstnction<br />

<strong>of</strong> personal liberty, a destruction proached and studied with benefit from<br />

<strong>of</strong> wholesome competition, and so on. Still many points <strong>of</strong> view. At the present time a<br />

however this may be in the main, when the consider<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>of</strong> alcohol from a sociological<br />

concentr<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>of</strong> authority is plainly desig- view point would be <strong>of</strong> interest, but for many<br />

n<strong>at</strong>ed for the common good, as in m<strong>at</strong>ters reasons, this side <strong>of</strong> the subject will be sepertaming<br />

to the public health, it is not verely left alone.

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