Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 May 1888 — METHODS OF QUACKS. [ARTICLE]

METHODS OF QUACKS.

Bow They Victfantae Ignorant and Credulous Individuals. St, Louis G lot* Demosrat. « The newest form of imposition upon the public on the part of quacks has take* the form of circular letters or pamphlets asking for a statement of physical trouble Lem the person addressed. The quack (who is often a skillful physical fan) obtains a number es people of the desired class and sends them a number of questions, intended to teach any disease or symptoms which they may have. He pictures diseases in a distressing manner, and if hearkened to, especially by women, would lead the reader to suppoie ho or she had some dreadful physical trouble. He promises to and give a free treatment. Some are taken in by his promise, who have never been sick, and they get an answer which makes them thick they have incipient consumption, bronchitis, heart trouble or some other 1 serious complaint. It is wonderfully odd how the most sensible people are led astray by alight symptoms and easily become convinced that they gave terrible diseases. It is the easiest thing in the- world to make a man or woman a hypochrondiac, and a physician wl o tries to persuade one to believe himself or berselfsick ean accomplish the object without difficulty. This is one cf the reaeons a good physician tries to persuade a patient that he is not very ill, even when he is. I have lately bad my attention called to this method of quacks to make money by patients coming to me for examina*tion after having answered 'ireulam sent to them. One of them was firmly persuaded she had asthma, muon to my disgust. Where does the profit come in? Let me relate the ease of a young man who came to me for treatment. He had a complaint he did not wish known and answered a ciocular, giving symptoms. There came to him in reply a package of medioine by exprets, C. O. D. r with s7o charges. He refused to except the package, declaring he bad ordered no medicine, but had simply asked advice. A lawyer camo to him a few days later to threaten a lawsuit. Rather than have the publicity the foolish follow was frightened into paying the money. Ordinarily, however, the quack sends an answer and advises the treatment, and that way makes his money. The advise of every honest physician is to leave circulars offering free treatment alone. The experiment has cost more in the end than the treatment of an honorable practitioner does.