The Waikato Times. UNKNOWN.

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 126, 25 February 1873, Page 2

The Waikato Times. UNKNOWN.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1873

For a non-professional niS.fi -to point out the aliases of any profession is very much like flourishing 1 a red flag in the face of a bifll. It has, however, become necessary, if we are to act fairly towards the public, to point out souie of tho abuses in the medical profession. We may, before entering- on the subject, premise that tho remarks are only ifteant to apply to a limited numbrr of the profession, or to men who aro a disgrace t) the fraternity of which they are component parts. It has been 1 a matter of common lcmark for (many years in the colony, that the medical mdn who lay themselves out to minister to the wants of country districts are often — If not naturally from indulgence in vice — botaUy acfittcJ £>v their duties Di # unkotlnt?9S of the grossest 1 description -may be almost said to bo endemic". Tho' law of libel prevent our »lluding directly to any specific case, yet there are few of our readers who will bo unable' to find a Kead on which t~> put the ca 4 *> we Imvo made. The public who aaffor injury have only fhe power of puuithiug the black sheep of the meJicj.l profession , by civil action,—/.^ , they must prove specific damage from want of skill, or from thc'skill that of course mast exist in evory man who holds a diploma being rendered useless by alcoholic imbibition ;' ui>les3 they mII somebody, and it' is possible tb' prbvo that they are gudty of ijulpable negligence, they aro free fro n the terrors of the criminal law. As we said above, they | Can be proceeded against for damages, but, where the j use of taking a civil action against a' man' worth less than a fartliing ; this is the normal state of drinking doctors. Independent of this, how can a man be compensated for' the loss of his dearest relation by a monetary av/ard. What sum of money, for instance, can" atoae for the loss ofadear wife, sister, mother, or brother ; they have a value that it is impossible that any jury can estimate. WeliaVe statdd tho position, let us consider how we are to improve it. ~sfe are of opinion that Parliament, at its very next sittiug, should pass an act by which it shall be possble to" clip the wings of evil birds who habitually bring disgrace upon evdry member of their 1 profession, and who have sunk beneath the level above which a man's self-respect to some extent iuSuences his actions. Power must be vested in somebody to suspend ihe certificates of ruedical men for 1 gross rm-eonJucfc Tlio master of a ship, if he drinks, or is culpably negligent, is quickly brought before a competent tribunal, and' in accordance wilh the gravity of his offence is removed from the position where to do evd is 1 possible, for a' greater or less period. As the law at present stands, a doctor, on whom the lives of many men may depend at any momeut, can drink, oir otherwise render himself unfit far his mission, and there are no means of punishing him A young man has only to scramble through his examination and gain his diploma and lib is entitled for the term of his natural existence to kill or cure. Thero arc few who do not feel that something more is required in a physicran t-hau the ability to administer drugs ; he is brought into intimate onnectioii wTth the family whose door he enters. The Cheerful srntit of an able practitioner often does more for the pa'tiSnt than 1 the drags he prescribesConfidence in £he administration of medicine is in many phases" of disease absolutely necessary. What reliance, for instance, is a delicately nurtured \Voman likely to feel in a man who hiiCups between each utterance ; his very presence in lu-r room is Sufficient to give her a severe nervous at',av:k ; and there are few mou of tho alighfcsE refinement who would not feel disgust at a drunken dissolute man visiting them when on a sick bed. Logklufrou is required, and that it is .so must be clear to any man gifted' v^ith theptfwer of observing and reasoning.

Mr Farrell, of Grcon Kill firm, ILinulton, lias forw.mlod to us a really ruaguifieent sample of hops grown on las farm Although well acquainted with the hop gardem of Kout and Siißbex, we havo never *eeri a liner lample, both for quantity and quality. We tru->t that Mr Farrull's aUcuoat will have Hho effect of tudticiug our settlors to bestow grcut attention ou tlio culture of hops The plants from which fcho sample !(r b§ seen in' our oflioe irss cuf or o three years old.

On Wednesday last uwun o ' nniu named ltogm.ild FiUpatriek hnd three of his fingers crushed It appears that lie was "feeding" Mr KirL wood's thrashing machine, and hu fingers got drawn into the machinery with the sheaf Wo j learn that lie is doing very well. We understand that K>m£ oi'iurrcnces took platic t.'ith regard to this case which reflect little credit on sOmcof'our medical practiliouCYs. The lease of tho pinft at Ngaruawahin for the ensuing fc.velve months was sold' on Saturday to 3ftr Henry Thomas 1 fJr £63. Mr Kno* acted as auctioneer. We must call the attention of tho authorities to the disgraceful state of the platforms. On Sunday a mob of cattle was crossed, they went very quietly on to the punt 1 , but tho chains supporting the platforms arc so w eak that thoy both gave way and precipitatfcd some of the beasts into the river. There Is also something 'radically, wrong witn the punt .itself as when it was loaded with cuttle great exertion on the part of three men wai required to turn the boats heads to the currentThe wharves are in addition much too high, so that for twothirds of the •$ ear it will be impossible to drive a vehicle on to tho punt. It w ill of course be an expensive job to alter them now, but it is a pity novrtbat so much money has been expended that' the •pur* and approaches siiould be left in an almost useless stat«. The usual* monthly inspection parade of the Waikato Rifle Volunteer*, under the command of Lieutenant McDonald, vssisheldon Saturday evening, 22nd instant, at the Volunteer JIaH, Hamilton?" Although tho weather was very inclement, theffirwiw a very good muster, ant* they wero put through several evolutions, which wcVo done in a \ery creditable manner. The band, under Bandmaster Shanaghan, also 'played several pieces of music in first'ciasa style. Lieutenant McDonald" informed ■ihe members of thb corps that it had Icon proposed lo present M"r* Shanaghan, with a row ccrtiopean as a recognition of his services, towards which tho cv.m of £5' had already been promised, jinn ided lLa* thfc same sum could bo raised here, of which be hal not a 1 doubt, and called upon any one who felt inclined to contribute te" pay the -same to 'him, <» ho would Be most happy to receive the smallest donation. Tae sum 1 of £1 was promised immediately after parade. A fatal accident happened to a man named George L Low on Thursday last between the Harp <of Erin Hotel and Panmure. The dcccasexl was in the employ of Messrs Ireland Brothers, and was driving a trolly drawn by three horses, laden Svifch casks of oil. Low had pioceedeA ou his journey in safety as far as Connor's hill, when it is presumed from the roughness of tlie" roid lhalt the fastenings | which held the casks on which he was sitting gave way, and he was precipitated v* ith violence on to some lumps of scoria, the injiuiesfrom which must have caused instantaneous death, as a wound of nearly two inches in depth was discovered in his skull, besides other severe abrasions. The deceased was a sober mau,aiul had ouly been married t\\ clve months. At an inquest subsequently held a verdict of " accidental' death " was recorded. The Auckland Society of [Artists intend shortly to hold an exhibition, for the display of works of art.- Pictures will bo received at the City IfiUl between ■ther'hdfurs' of ten and four o'clock from Monday until Thursday. It is expected that this exhibition w ill far excel that of 1871, both in tho number of pictures exhibited cftd as woiks of art. Very propcily, we consider the Canterbury Government oi'derccf the destruction of th<i rams- imported into that province suffering from the foot and mouth disease. At tho 1 name time we canriot but think that the government has set a very bad precedent in paying their cost, anil one which is likely to give rise to much dissatisfaction and possible litigation on the part of stockowncrs irrtho event of a murrain breaking out ninmg the stock of tho province. AVc notice by advertisement in another column' that Mr Spargo undertakes to supply families with accommodation at the Waikato llec, Is. It is surprising to us that tuis beautiful sea-smc watering pla»e ii not more pcSWrfsed. Sea-bathing can- bo indulged in without risk, and the scenery in tho neighbourhood is very beautiful. Every constitution requires change of air at lcait once a year. We trust before the summer has expired to see numbers of families on the 1 road ti and from the Heads. We understand that Mr Spargo's i cslublishmont is replete with all tho uecCssafies and- some of 1 i the luxuries of hPo. Mr Patrick Morgan has started in business as a blocksmith and farrier at Point Russell. He has supplied a want that lias been long folt, and we trust ho will moot with liberal support from the settlers aiiA travellers on tho road. — Advt. In another columu will bo found au adve'r£isem'6nt announcing that Mr Busby is prepared to supply tho pnblic with first-cios's venetirfu -Winds at very! low* prices. It is astonishing to us that blinds of this description aro not more generally used. For this scnii-tropicat climate tL'cy are infinitely superior to tho*e m i 1c of linen. — ±u\ r.