The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, SEPT. 26, 1906.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1869, 26 September 1906, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, SEPT. 26, 1906.

Quacks and quackery is a subject that has been exercising the minds oi legislators recently because of the introduction of a Bill by the member for Wairarapa. That Bill unani moualy passed its second reading in the Uouso of Representatives, and the favorable reception there accorded to it, as it deserved, gave ample hope that it would bo allowed to pass through ah its stages in both Houses. For that reason we refrained from commenting on it, for there was not much pleasure or manliness in kicking the quack when he wa3 down, and the Bill appeared to have him down with

a vongonuco. Thorn aro, howovor, indications that the Bill is not to bo allovvod to got through thn House ot Roprosontativos at all, and that the Guvornmont will bring down a similar but morn modiliod moasuro having tho same object. Why that should bo nccossary does not appear quite iq p i-. rent, oxcopt that tho Government is jealous of tho kudos that would attach to tho author of tho Bill woro it allovvod to got through. Still, it mattors not who gets tho credit so long as wo liuvo an oJl'octivo measure p issed into law that will for ovor suppross tho numbors of pooplo who grow fat

1 i O on tho crodulity and iguorauco of suffering humanity, who humbug alllictod pooplo until thoir disoasos dovolop boyond roach of medical or surgical skill, and who lio barofacodly to maintain thoir protenco of tho possession of knowlodgo which they have not tho faintest notion of. Among thoso pooplo wo havo tho pill-mixer, tho faith hoaler, tho eyo doctor, tho specialist, and tho confidence man who treats secret troubles and whoso practice is diabolical in tho extreme —moro dastardly than any of tho others could bo—all adopting different methods of insinuating themsolvos into tho con' fidonco of gullible pooplo, and all equally incapable of performing a thousandth part of what they boldly claim to bo ablo to accomplish. To all these men the medical profession is an object of ridiculo and attack, and some aro bold enough to say openly that they liavo cured and can cure cases that havo balfiad medical skill.

They speak lightly of such diseases as cancer, phthisis, and olhor equally baneful things, for they say they can euro tmm all. They hesitate not to allege that they can annihilate gouty nodules, transform microgyria or hypoplasia of the brain into a healthy condition, alter a necrotic condition of a tooth or a cell into one

of normal activity, reconstruct a thrombus'formation of the heart, con* trol hicmatOjgonous diseases, or bridle a colony of cocci and train them to danco before tho bewildered eyes of thoir dupes. In short, there is not a pathological difficulty that they do not claim to overcome ; but of course they, as a matter of fact, havo never hoard of these things, and could not distinguish tho difference between a dermoid cyst and a half-digested potato. But still they know all about these things, and you have only to believe what the know-all tells you, pay him the price which he places upon his services, and in time you will begin to know something about tho matter too. You will have learned a useful though expensive lesson, it may bo at the risk of your life, as a man

did not long ago who placed himself under quack treatment, and after paying some fifteen guineas during some seven months of agonising pain, he at last had to consult a qualified medical man. It was then found that a serious operation was necessary, and that it might have been avoided had the quack treatment not aggravated tho disease. Not long ago our eyes dropped upon a quack publication that affords some insight into the methods used by men who profess to think that they can cure all diseases, and from which wo cullod a few interesting extracts, the audacity of which is equalled only by their incorrectness. One of these, for instance, tells us that “ Notwithstanding the fact that the medical profession has in its ranks thousands of the brightest and wisest men of the day, it is a well known fact

that disease and suffering are on the increase. The death rate is out of proportion to the supposed means of euro, especially when we take into consideration tho assistance derived from tho microscope, X-rays, serums, antitoxins, etc. We are therefore led to conclude that the accepted theories of the medical profession regarding the cause and cure of diseases are not in accord with Nature’s laws. Where then is tho fault ?” Inferentially of courso the fault is with the medical profession ; but imagine tho audacity of tho suggestion that we should on such flimsy grounds dispense with the medical profession and employ the quack whoso ignorance of disease is as colossal as his audacity. But the advice given in this precious volume to other quacks is somewhat amusing were the matter not so serious and fraught with danger to human life. It runs: “On no account give a guarantee to cure anyone ”; and again, “ Tell your patient that sometimes the treatment is not effective at

the time it is given but takes effect afterwards.” How long afterwards is not stated; but we may fairly set it down at a date subsequent to the payment of the bill. Here is another gem: “ Always meet your patient with a smile. Do not allow yourself to become irritated in his presence. Try and make your patients like you amt long for your company.” If the quack can do the latter his income is fairly secure; but even then his happiness is not complete, apparently, for he finds it necessary to add that “ patients should not, as a rule, speak about the treatment to anybody, especially to sceptical friends. . . Even Christ impressed the necessity of silence upon his patients.” Obviously that precaution is necessary to a method of treatment that will not stand the light of day, and yet people

are gulled into paying big fees for such stuff and a Legislative Councillor writes in his own paper: “If some people think that swallowing Quackem’s pills is going to mend a broken leg—well, it may be foolish on their part, but no very great harm is dono to Society.” That honorable gentleman, it should be stated, is an unconscious humorist, for by the “some people” he means the proprietors of his opposition journal. J hat makes his joke plain ; though it does not oxcuse the quack whom every legislator but those of the quack order will not hesitate to suppress by law.

Bishop Lcnihan arrives from Auckland to day. Charles Tuhitaro for assaulting another native at Wliatatutu, was yesterday fined j£2 and Os costs or seven days’ imprisonment, and for obscene language lie was fined jCO and 7s costs.

The following letters wero received last month from places beyond tho colony and lie unclaimed at the Gisborne Post Office : A. Baldwin, 0 Cross, W. A. Denning, A. Boss, G. C, Bobcrtson. The date for receiving exhibits for the Home industerics section at the New Zealand .Exhibition has been extended until Monday next. Advice to that effect lias been received by Mr Maude, Secret tary of tho Chamber of Commerce. A start has bcecn made with tho work of erecting tho Lowe street foot bridge, the need of which lias been much felt sinco it was carried away. The following have been selected to play against the junior football representatives to morrow afternoon, at 3 o’clock: Erelcana, Itobinson, Nolan, l’ullott, Witty, Cowan, Luttroll, Bright, P. 'JL’urei, Nicolas, ltoderick, Hansen, Dines, MeGonigal, Hamilton ; emergencies, G. Howe, Brown, Wcpiliu, J. Gibson, Third, Wright. Saunders, Seymour, Broughton, and Pini. A few evening! ago the premises of Mr W. J. Oox, grocer, wero onterod with in« tont to commit a robbery. The burglar was evidently aftor money and prized open a desk and made a good Bearch round, but without meeting with suooess. At the invitation of tho Poverty Bay

Tiotf Club a representative of the Timms vsitol tho Club’s racecourse yesterday. A report of tbo improvements will appear later.

At tho mooting of tbo Hospital Com mitteo the following loaders for supplies were aooopted :—Groceries, Messrs Budnott and Sberratt; bread, Mr J Erakirje ; moat, Mr E. T. Harries ; ooal, Mr R. Robb. Messrs Joyce and Tucker were appointed a visiiiog committee for the month.

A peculiar accident by which a horse was killed happened yesterday morning, near tbo Record Reign Hotel. Two horses were attached to the Kia Ora Faotory cart, oa whioh there was some pieoes of timber. One pieoe shifted, and oaught the neck of one horse. Tho animal strugglei and went down, while the other, taking fright, reared up and then praotioally trampled tho prostrate horse to death. At the meeting of the Borough Council last evening tho Mayor referred to the Hospital Social, to be held on Thursday and Friday next. " Tho Council are aware that the 6Ooial is to be held on Thursday and Friday next," remarked his Worship, " and I hope to see you all present. This is the only opportunity that yon will have of assisting the hospital by your presence. From what I can see the gathering pro* mises to be a great success." The Gisborne Borough Council has been proved to be the proud possessor of a factory, and the puhlio can gain an idea of how our industries inorease on paper when the statistics of the future will show Gisborne to possess still another faotory. The Borough Counoil had oertainly possessed it long since, but the Counoil failed to have the distriot credited therewith. The "faotory” is the borough stoneorusher, whiob, when it is being used, requires a man to feed it with boulders. The case was fought oat at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, Mr Nolan representing tho Inspector of Factories, and Mr T. Alston Coleman the Council. The local Inspector (Mr J. Georgeson) had been instructed by the Chief Inspector to proeeoute, and oertainly the best case was made for the Department. On tho law and the foots Mr Barton held that the Counoil must accept the dignity of running a "factory,” and for the Council not having proclaimed the stone-orusher under the high-30unding title the ratepayers are called upon to pay a fine of 10s, with £1 18a cost 3, The man who has oharge of the borough faotory should be entitled to more wages than the man who merely piled boulders into the maw of the stoue-orusher. In the oonrse of his argument, Mr Coleman humorously said that "if the stone-orusher was a faoiory every person who employed a typewriter or broke stones on the road would have to register."