The Story of our Health Message

Recognition by Medical Men

The sanitarium and the principles for which it stood had now gained favor in the eyes of the medical profession generally. “Entirely rational and ‘regular’”—so agreed the physicians attending the Michigan State Medical Association who were guests of the institution in May, 1877. After a thorough examination of the institution and its methods of operation, all were agreed, we are told, in giving it “their entire endorsement.” Ibid., June, 1877. SHM 215.4

This gratifying recognition on the part of such an influential organization afforded opportunity for the medical superintendent of the sanitarium to comment upon the antagonism against the medical profession in general that had sometimes found expression in the utterances and writings of the advocates of reform, and which was not always justifiable. SHM 216.1

“We have no quarrel with the regular profession,” he said, “and there is no reason why we should be upon any other than the most friendly terms with those who are doing nearly all that is being done to conserve the public health, to investigate the causes of disease and the means by which they may be eradicated. It is the grossest injustice to charge the medical profession in general with such grievous crimes as total apathy to human suffering, and reckless, culpable tampering with human life. The regular profession embodies all there is of real science in the healing art. There may be patent errors prevalent among the rank and file of the profession, but most of these are recognized by the more scientific and progressive teachers of medicine of the modern stamp. Instead of constantly stirring up strife, and belaboring the profession in an antagonistic manner, let us take a conciliatory course. By this means we shall be enabled to disarm the prejudice of our medical friends, and thus to secure their influence in our favor rather than against us. By this conservative course we may be able to bring to the attention of our fellow workers for the relief of suffering humanity some germs of truth which they would otherwise reject through prejudice and personal bias.”—Ibid., June, 1877. SHM 216.2

The following spring the Calhoun County Medical Association held its annual meeting in Battle Creek. Opportunity was given to Dr. Kellogg to present before the large delegation of physicians in attendance the nature and objectives of the sanitarium. Many of the visiting physicians accepted his invitation to visit the institution and to see the large new building which was now rapidly nearing its completion. SHM 216.3

The general expression of hearty approval of the sanitarium and its principles led Dr. Kellogg to say further: “We are afraid that many of our hygienic friends have failed to give the regular profession due credit for the liberality of feeling and real good sense which many of its members really possess.”—Ibid., March, 1878. SHM 217.1