This finding established in a forceful, indisputable manner the legal right of a physician to advertise his skill as a healer of mankind without affecting his ability. It was not to the liking of the sticklers for ethics who control the medical organizations. They would have the young medics believe—and up to the time the McCoy 65case was decided they had succeeded—that they were all powerful; that their word was law, not only as regards membership in the societies, but also as to who might, or might not, practice medicine. They succeeded because they controlled the State Board of Health. But the ruling of the court put an end to this impudent assumption of authority. It laid down and made clear the important fact that, in passing upon the competency of applicants for licenses, medical ability and good moral character were the sole and only points to be considered. There is advertising and advertising, one kind respectable and dignified; the other outrageously bad. The author would not for a moment countenance the use of flamboyant “ads” like those with which the “weak men” and other quacks bombard the public through the daily press. Such advertising as a general thing is positively indecent and dishonest. The men who place it and the newspaper publishers who print it should be prosecuted into the penitentiary. It is a queer thing that so-called high-class newspapers which decline to accept lottery and get-rich-quick “ads” on the ground of morality (we’ll say nothing of their illegality) will openly solicit and publish the disgusting business advertisements of medical charlatans and fakirs. No man who respects himself or his profession will “guarantee a cure or money refunded,” no matter how apparently simple or mild the ailment he undertakes to treat may be. Neither will he offer to take cases on the “no money until you are cured” plan. These are methods which belong exclusively in the realm of quackdom. 66They deceive only the ignorant, and are used with success only among that class of people. But baits of this kind stare one in the face from nearly every Sunday newspaper, and from many fences. Then there is the fakir who calls upon you in loud type to “See Old Doctor Squeeze-em. He’ll do you good!” It’s a safe bet he will “do” you good if he ever gets you into his clutches; “do” you so good that you will be lucky to have carfare left to get home with. These are not the methods employed by smart men who, through publicity, obtain a good practice, and put themselves in position to command large fees; men to whom patients will pay $100 for an hour’s consultation and advice without hesitation, while they would begrudge $5 to a physician of equally as much or more medical skill, but not so well versed in the art of self publicity.