HE must not walk his rounds for fear his patients think him poor,
And dearly do they love to see a carriage at their door;
And if his horse is fat, “He must have little work to do.”
And If it’s lean the reason is, ” He starves the poor old screw.”
Should he call upon his patients every day when they are ill
His motive plainly is “to make a great big doctor’s bill,”
If he visits them less frequently — thus less’ning their expense —
The chances are he’ll be accused of willful negligence.
He must work all day and half the night, and never say he’s tired;
For the public look upon him simply as a servant hired;
And should he take a holiday, he’ll find when he comes back
Some patients have resented it by giving him “the sack.”
Concerning money he must seem indifferent to be,
And folks will think he practices from pure philanthrophy,
When we hear about him boasting of the guineas that he earns
We wonder if they all appear in his income-tax returns.
About his own afflictions he must never say a word;
The notion of a doctor being ill is so absurd!
And when, perhaps from overwork, he’s laid upon the shelf,
His sympathizing patients say, “Physician, heal thyself!”
By: Dr. J. Johnston
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