NO, YOU DON'T KNOW ME!

John Morton is a little known signer of the Declaration of Independence.  A man who did much for his country during the time of it's struggle against the King.  A man of learning with good judgement and one who was willing to work hard for what he believed in.
John Morton of Swedish descent was born in 1724, the only child of his father who died before he was born.  His mother remarried to an educated man who grew to love the child and as a result John learned many skills including surveying.
John was appointed justice of the peace in his home province of Pennsylvania and then soon after a member of the General Assembly and for several years Speaker of the House.
He was a delegate to the "Stamp Act Congress" in 1765 and then in 1767 made high sheriff of his county.
In 1774 Pennsylvania  appointed Morton to the General assembly.  He was reelected the next year although his election did not take place until after the Declaration of Independence had been adopted, but he had the satisfaction of signing the document in August.
John Morton did not live to see the fruits of his labor, the winning of Indendence, for he died in 1777 at the age of fifty-four.  Now you know John Morton, Patriot!..Medicineman!

HEALTHCARE; FREE OR NOT?

These days are filled with talk of the 2020 elections.  Too early you say?  Yes, it is early, but campaigning seems to be the order of the day anymore.  The "Pols" constantly hammer away at the voter with a basket full of promises, none of which he/she expects to keep. This year the "Hot-Button" issue is becoming that of health care.  It seems the "newbies" in congress are rooting for Free health care for all.  Of course they are not talking about the cost of such a venture---they will pick the "money tree", your pocket!
Some fifty plus years ago we began this slide downhill to where we are today.  Until the 1960's seeing your doctor was your business, and the Docs, as well.  When you left the office you recieved a bill at the time or in the mail a few days later.  You, as the patient, paid the bill and filled out the form, sent it to your insurance carrier and got reimbursed.  Everyone involved is happy and life goes on.
We the people, being easy marks for the "snake oil" marketers bought into the idea that someone else would take over the burden of "paying the bill" so one thing lead to another until finally we arrive to this point now; FREE HEALTHCARE FOR ALL!  EGADS!  The "inmates" are loose in THE SWAMP!....Medicineman!

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

How does one begin to write about such a man?  Franklin is such an important part of the formation of this Republic, although he was not at the Concord bridge.  He was not at Bunker Hill.  Nor was he at Valley Forge that winter of 1776.  Franklin never carried a musket into battle, so why does he stand out from the crowd?
Let us start at the beginning.  Franklin was born in Boston in 1706 to a Puritan father who emigrated from England in 1682, married and began a life in his new Country.  Not well schooled and not a farmer he became a soap-boiler and tallow-chandler.
Franklin's parents wanted him to become a minister but with no funds for school so he became an apprentice to a printer and got quite good at the job.
After a falling out with his brother Franklin boarded a ship bound for New York hoping to find work.  That proved fruitless so he walked to Philadelphia where he arrived without a dollar in his pocket.  But there he was able to land a job with one of the two newspapers there.  In his spare time Franklin read everything he could get his hands on and, at the age of 26, he began publishing "Poor Richards Almanac".  It was widely read in the Colonies as well as England and even translated in several European countries.
Franklin became official printer for Pennsylvania and then, in 1736, appointed Clerk of the General Assembly.  He treated with the Indians to oppose the French and aided General Braddock in that effort.
Franklin spent much time and effort on the Colonies behalf and was well thought of in England and on the Continent.  He was received into the courts of kings; everyone knew Franklin and loved him.
It can be said that, next to Washington himself, Benjamin Franklin did more to bring independence from the King's rule and to form this Republic than anyone else, even though he never fired a shot nor marched in formation....Medicineman!

THE HEMP PLANT-GOOD AND BAD

In the years leading up to our involvement in the Second World (often called the second HALF of the World War) the hemp plant was grown and harvested in the mid-west for use in making rope for the Navy.  Items like, hawsers, halyards, lines, etc.all very useful on every Naval vessel at that time.  Every sailor was taught how to tie the various knots used for everyday tasks aboard ship in "Boot" Camp.
Today there is a wave of desire or need for cannabis, the active ingredient of marijuana, to relieve the pain from various diagnosed maladies.  As a retired pharmacist I have no trouble with that purpose.  I do have problem with the promotion of "Pot" smoking to anyone for recreational use.  The effects from weekend use spill over into the work week, which is bad enough, but also creates the "habit" much like the use of tobacco which has become the "whipping boy" for society today.
My greatest fear for my country is that we have lost our way, forgotten the basics of the formation of our Republic.  We took God out of our schools and stopped teaching so much important history of how we became the greatest, most prosperous country in the world and how important it is that every generation be ready and able to carry that history forward.....shame on us!
I know that pain relief is, perhaps, the most essential duty of those who treat patients; you fail the patient if he is in agony.  If cannabis relieves his/her pain by all means use it, but treat it like the drug it is!....Medicineman! 

ARE WE STILL THAT REPUBLIC?

This great country called the United States of America, founded by smart,brave and dedicated men who were dependent upon ordinary men, farmers, shopkeepers, fishermen, preachers, lawyers, all different and yet with the same goal; get out from under the oppressive rule of a king!
The 55 men who signed that Historical document The Declaration of Independence in 1776.  They had finally had enough of the king and pledged their "Lives, their Fortunes and their Sacred Honor".
The Republic formed was government from the people to the representatives.  What a shame we don't teach THAT fact in schools anymore.
Instead of doing the "people's work" Congress has devoted the last two years to destroying a sitting president elected by the voting process of THE PEOPLE!  Special prosecutor Mueller has been at work for two years trying to find something, anything, he can get on a sitting president, Trump. Few people in Washington even care what we the people think!
The mission of Mueller at the start was to look for "collusion with Russia" to influence the election; found NONE.  End of his mission?  Oh no.  Ask the FBI....none found.  Mission accomplished?  Not by a long shot.  Keep digging.  Tie up THE PEOPLE'S GOVERNMENT'.  Don't do anything Trump wants to do; like Close the borders.  Stand up for the interests of the U.S. around the world.  Stop the utterly foolish trade deals and stop giving our money to enemies.
I have lived long enough to see fourteen presidents of this great country, some good, some not so good.  But I have never witnessed such ugly hate toward an elected president in all those years.  For shame, for shame!....Medicineman!

IS THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE UP TO THE TASK?

Nancy Pelosi is back in her usual "charming" self and the fight is already in full swing.  The look in the Halls of Congress is Made even worse by a new comer female from, yes you guessed it, California, that wonderful state of Hollywood and Disney Land and fires and mud-slides.  Now this sanctuary state, the "safe haven" of thousands of illegals (who vote) has planted in Washington a new "clone" of Nancy.  Her name is Ocasio-Cortez and she is already enjoying a lot of TV camera time.  She apparently has not learned yet how the newcomers to the "People's House"  are to sit "in the back of the bus".  Not to worry though; I'm sure Nancy (and her crew) will find a way to handle the situation.
But Congressman Ocasio-Cortez is only the tip of the ice-burg; More newbies just like her have entered the sacred halls and the party of Roosevelt is being Bulldozed to the Left.  So far to the left that many vocal Demos are preaching of all things, Socialism- free health care, free college, free this, free that.
We from generations gone by must bare much of the blame.  Why you say?  Look at what "we" have allowed to happen on our watch; adults kept a child; men who are not manly; women who are not female; those who don't know "what" they are; schools that do not teach the basics of Government or even the history of our country; even evicting God from schools while at the same time accepting allah;  we remove memorials because of a few protestors; we shoot up schools because "we can"; we refuse to be responsible for our own actions, somebody else's fault! Do I need to go on?
Perhaps the most disgraceful thing of all is the lack of respect for our National Anthem and the American Flag that goes with it.  Millions of Americans have no idea how this country came to be and that just may be the crux of the matter!...Medicineman!

ANZIO!

The battle for Italy had been going on for months against stout resistance by the Germans.  On January 22, 1944 Maj. General John Lucas led his forces in the invasion at Anzio.  The landing was a success and scattered the German forces quickly and victory was in his grasp.  But, for reasons his own, Lucas halted the advance in favor of securing the beachhead.  By the time his troops were ready to move again the German forces had recovered and were heavily reinforced; the U.S. was trapped on the beach and in danger of being forced to retreat.  American troops were taking a beating from the hills facing the beachhead and for four months it was a constant attack from air and artillery.
General Mark Clark was finally able to break out of that trap and win the day in May.
The cost was some 59,000, 43,000 killed, wounded or captured.  The rest from disease...Medicineman!

DR. BENJAMIN RUSH--1745-1813--PATRIOT

Benjamin Rush was born in Berberry near Philadelphia in 1745.  His grandfather was an officer in Cromwell's army who emigrated to America after Cromwell's death.
Benjamin and his brother were left in the care of his mother when just 6 years old.  As she was unable to make the small farm pay she sold out and moved to town and set up a small business.  She was successful at that and was able to send her eldest to Nottingham academy in Maryland.  After completing his prep studies he entered Princeton and finished there at age 16.
Benjamin selected the study of medicine under Dr. Redman of Philadelphia.  Then in 1766 he went to England and France to study, returning three years later as Dr. Benjamin Rush.
He took up the patriot cause immediately after his return and was effective in rousing support by his writings while still leaving time for seeing his ever-growing list of patients.  He was careful to leave time for seeing the poor which made him very popular.  Dr. Rush was raised a Christian and fervent in his desire to help where and when he could.
Dr. Rush became so well known around Philadelphia that he was asked to take a seat in the General Congress in 1775, but declined; but when members from Pennsylvania refused to vote for independence he accepted a seat, and though he was not there when it was adopted he was there in August to sign his name to the document.
In 1777 Congress appointed him physician-general of the military hospitals, and though he did not serve in Congress again he was appointed president of the mint in 1788 and remained in that post for fourteen years.
Although his services in Government were significant Dr. Rush was most distinguished and intimately known for his medical knowledge.  His qualities as a practitioner, a philanthropist and a Christian came to the forefront when a yellow fever outbreak in Philadelphia in 1793 caused an exodus from the city, including much of the medical people.  Dr. Rush rallied his pupils and friends to aid the sick and the dying.  They worked day and night and some of his pupils fell victim, as he himself did, to the fever.
Dr. Benjamin Rush survived and went on to serve in any way he could until his death at age sixty-eight, a Christian man who served his fellow man in so many ways...Medicineman!

THERE'S A NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN!

The congress of the United States has changed hands and great things are anticipated (in some quarters, that is) and progress will finally be made in those areas that really matter to Democrats.  Well, don't hold your breath.
The new House of Representatives (called that because these elected are charged with representing the "People's Business) with the new leadership of Nancy has only two items they want to get done.  Item number one is; Get Trump!  There is so much hate for this president (mostly in Washington) that no stone will be left unturned to find a reason to impeach him and get rid of him.  It is worth noting that no President has ever been removed from office by impeachment, though three have been tried.
The other Hot Button issue is the wall, Trump,s Wall.  President Trump made that promise while running and is determined to fulfill that promise.  The Democrats, on the other hand, are just as determined to prevent it.  I heard someone on one of the "news shows" ask this question; "If walls don't work, why do you have a fence around your yard and lock your door?"
Our last House of Representatives passed some 300 pieces of legislation and sent them to the Senate where very few were ever acted on.  You can bet the farm that this House will not get near that much work done this next two years....Medicineman!