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

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 141
tiiictioii or applause may likewise be direct- zealous in his work, cultured in manner
ed toother and fairer fields, easier of access and safe in character, and it never has oband
more fertile in results. jected to pay the price necessary to give
But to the viiile man, the earnest worker, adequate support to such of the profession,
the seeker after scientific truth and with the Bad pay and inadequate support does not
purpose to contribute in some measure to- arise "de novo" with the public, but is
wards the alleviation of human suffering usually chargeable to the directness and
and the uplift of his fellowman, it offers an indirectness of the individual members of
inviting field, broad and wide and teeming the profession.
with possibilities. But the laborer is worthy You have given me the liberty and I am
of his hire, and a life devoted to such work going to make a rather startling statement,
and consecrated to such purposes deserves but I won't publish it; I am only telling it
and should have sucli compensation in at the hearth-stone of our family circle and
material things as will conduce not only to 1 don't want it to shock even tlie sensitive,
his physical comfort but insure his own The public has been long-sufiering and en
self respect. I would not indulge the hope dureth much, and I have no doubt some
of riches, but you are entitled to a compe- doctors have but little cause for complaint
tency of supi^ort, commensurate with the when they stop to consider the quality of
skill you dispense. To the most of us medi- service they barter in exchange. A doctor
cine is our profession and our business, our who is not informed in the accepted leachvocation
and the sole contributing factor as ings of his profession and does not make
our means of a livelihood. It behooves us due effort to acquaint himself, but is conto
give it our best service and demand of it tent to blunder along in a mis-shapen and
its best rewards. careless way, indifferent to the best interest
Happy is he who is content with his of his patient, and oblivious to his duty and
choice and finds the peace of satisfaction the demands of his profession, in my opinin
its field of labor. As Elbert Hubbard ion gets all that belongs to him, let the
tersely says, "If you don't get happiness credit sheet be ever so small,
out of your work, you will never know Mediocrity is the one great barrier in the
what happiness is." He who does not feel vvay of genuine progress; we attempt loo
a keen and abiding faith and interest in his much of labor and do too little of real
work fails in the higher and more dignified scientific work. There is too much of jealdevelopment
of his own personality and ousy and too little of true fraternal spirit,
contributes but little of real value to the A generous rivalry is a henlthy stimulus to
support and growth of his chosen profession, greater and larger development, but a harsh
It is such an one who becomes the unhappy, and bitter antagonism is the essence of all
drivelling subject of a jealous mistress, out littleness and is to be forever despised. It
of harmony with its true aims and purposes, jg a method and policy with some, and in
and the unmethodical and unbusinesslike fact it is their stock in trade, to wage a
personality that so frequently goes down in ceaseless and eternal warfare of direct, bitdefeat
and failure. ter and personal antagonism against other
The public may not judge you aright, it members of the profession, or secretly by
may be you are criticized too adversely or insinuationsor uncharitable criticism, under
accredited with skill you never possessed, cover, endeavor to cripple their influence
but every man is conscious of his own or hinder their progress. This is a measly
strength or his own weakness, with a defi- and contemptible means to an end, the sole
nite certainty unknown outside the realm purpose of which is to build himself by the
of his own conscious mind. destruction of another without regard to
But I want to tell you a 'secret, a truth cause or effect. Such poor policy is the
founded upon facts learned by observation growth of a poorer mind and heart whose
and experience, and it is this; The public day of judgment is near at hand. I pity
has neither appreciation nor respect for a
real poor doctor. He commands neither
the poor deluded soul who "knows it all,"
and seeing no virtue in others boosts himtheir
esteem nor their patronage while toil- self as a pattern of excellence and a paraing
here on earth, and it is only when foot- gon of wisdom, for he surely sees through
sore and weary with the race and the bur- a glass darkly. A professional braggart
dens of life he lays himself down in the bears a close relationship to a professional
slumber of death that mourners gather liar, neither of whom can be trusted or beabout
his last resting-place and with a bene- Heved.
diction of simple words speak a modest
farewell to his departed spirit.
The public spirit and the public conscience
demand that a doctor shall be com-
^^^ ^^^ „^, l^^ ^q^^^ to wage war
.
, , ,. -..Mr
"P«» ^^'^^ other m the private toils of our
vvork, for it is a deadly foe to our fraternal
peteut in skill and knowledge, honest and peace, disastrous to our professional prog-