Two Physicians Express Themselves on the Ethics of Medical Journalism
After the preceding article was in type, we received, in the same mail, two letters that are so apropos that we reproduce them. The first was from a town in Illinois, and was dated October 11. Here it is:
To the Editor:—About two weeks ago, a representative of the Surgery Publishing Company, New York, N. Y., came to —— Ill. soliciting subscriptions for the American Journal of Surgery. Together with numerous others I subscribed—chiefly on the strength of the contributors whose articles appeared in the sample numbers shown by the agent.
Since receiving the first number (October) one look at the advertising pages has shown me why the subscription price for a year and a quarter is one dollar. Anasarcin, Tongaline, Cactina Pillets, Hagee’s Cordial of Ext. Cod Liver, Burnham’s Soluble Iodin, Papine, Phenalgine, Anusol, etc., etc.
I have written to the Surgery Publishing Company, telling them in no uncertain language that there is no room on my reading desk for such. Have you ever exposed this journal, and the attitude of our big, brilliant, eminent men in permitting their articles—presumably original—to fill space in such a journal? [Yes! The Journal, Dec. 16, 1911, pp. 2,000 and 2,013.] This letter is not for publication—at least not with name of city. Keep up the good work....
The other, dated October 10, follows:
To the Editor:—That little story about medical journal advertising and methods of obtaining paid-up subscribers, in this week’s Journal makes me blush (p. [422], this book). I am guilty. Unlike Dr. Genella, I swallowed the bait—but the bait was even more tempting in my case; the flattering “editor” offered me twenty-five subscriptions to distribute among my friends, all for an “abstract.” Thank goodness, I only accepted five subscriptions, but worse luck, I sent them to young men by preference. So I am a deep-dyed offender indeed. Extenuating circumstances affected my susceptibility somewhat, however. I have noticed that prominent men like Beverly Robinson, A. Rose, Tom A. Williams, Wayne Babcock, and Morris—the latter, at least, a really able man and a brilliant writer—contribute to these peanut journals occasionally. If they do, why not I? There’s nothing like being in big company, you know.
So far as I know, my “abstract” has not yet been published. On looking over the sample copy of this monthly I found an advertisement printed right in the list of contents—in fact, it was the second “original article” in the issue, as brave and respectable as you please! Then, with characteristic Hibernian impetuosity I got out my machine and pounded that editor a strong protest with a dire command not to use my “abstract” in his miserable organ. But I have never received the manuscript, nor any reply to my stern rebuke. I wish I had been cautious like Dr. Genella.
Wm. Brady, M.D., Elmira, N. Y.
—(From The Journal A. M. A., Oct. 18, 1913.)