Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-01-21
From the Wilmington Journal
THE MEDICAL BOARD, No. 4.

lie from the ignorance and impostures of medical
pretenders. Not that any one is to be aosoiutey
prohibited from practicng, IT others Will swailo"
his medicines no such prohibition is implied IN the
Medical Bill; every body can call himself Doctor
who chooses, and give physic to all VINO choose 10
take it: but the protection arises from an inability
to collect his fees unless he has license IRON the
Board and from the moral bearing and force OF the
law in favor of the Institution. Thus far the Legs
lature went, and no farther Nor is ii contended
that any medical legislation can entirely suppress
quackery. The history of the world, and the delu-
sions that have been and can be practised upon
mankind prove that vain would be the attempt to
extinguish empricism by statutes alone The
more effectually to overthrow errors and evils OF
this kind law should be united with more general
diffusion of intelligence in the community III regard
to the laws of health and to the structure and offices
of the human system. And such | am reJolced to
know is the tendency of public sentiment now
The more the truth of the doctrine is put TO test
the more will it be adopted as correct the less oil
quackery will there be- in and out OF the profession
and the more generally will prevail correct views
among the people.
But because lao cannot 9ohOlLy suppress quack-
ery is no argument that it does not aid in its sup
preston Admit this sort of reasoning and there
would be no use of any law-there would be no
need of laws against stealing, seduction, and muir
der, because laws do not wholly prevent these
crimes They can lesson them-thcy do stay the
violent passions of the murderer, the midnight
prowlngs of the thief and the brutal vainy of the
libertine What would check mans evil nature,
what would keep society together were 1t not Tor
the power and terror of the law -?
An additional reason in favor of the wisdom OF
the Medical Bill in question: exists in the fact that
no subject has had decisions connected with It,
than that of medicine Its history shows that
multtudes, in all ages have been easily deluded and
imposed upon by crafty medical practitioners. In
the great matter OF Religion, many decisions have
existed and still prevail. But, unlike medicine,
the infinite value of the soul has not been en-
trusted to the vain imagination of man. Ills rellg-
Ous pathway has been plainly marked out by
food of divine light that the Creator has concen-
trated upon it. Infinite goodness has condescended
to erect an uncrring standard-the Bible-by which
all religious theories to be tested Ii man Will
not profit thereby, and save himself from delusion,
it is because of his own pcrvcrSeneSs and guilt
Not in reference to man. physical system. knowl-
edge of its changing and periShabc nature is not
so easily obtained 1t is true the elements of
medical truth have been implanted in his physical
nature, those OF moral truth in the soul and
conscience In the latter we have Revelation as
guide but the former are left to mans own judg-
ment and reason, and to the hints and searches OF
nature. On this foundation, enlarged and beautl-
fed by each succeeding age, rests the noble fabric
of Medicine But because medical science is neces-
sarily limited in its powers, all science Is be-
cause physicians cannot raise the dead and confer
earthly immortality, multtudes turn from the mod
est practitioners of true medical worth and embrace
the arrogant assumptions of quackery. 1t has been
well said by Southey, well skilled in knowledge of
human nature that man is dupable ANIMAL
Quacks in medicine, Quacks in religion, and quacks
IN politics know this, and act upon that knowledge.
There is scarcely any who may not like trout,
be taken by tickling" The success of quackery is
a monument of the truth of this saying; and,
though the Medical Bill cannot suppress it entirely,
yet it will decrease the number of quackS, lesson
their danger materially, ward off their approaches,
and show to the people that in the opinion of the
State human health and human life are too valuable
to be tempered with by the ignorant and unprinci-
pied. The Legislature had as much rgnt To place
an estimate upon life and health upon any other
important interest of legislation, and to decide what
precautions are calculated to prevent horde of
quackS from bcing let loose upon society to swell
The throng that already fatten upon and nfest it. In
the exercise of this privilege and duty, the Legisa
turc made provisions for the establishment of this
Institution whose objects, despite the aSpersons of
adYerSarieS, to provide suitable medical men to
supply the wants of the community. The passage
of the act but an utterance by the State of the
important truth. that ignorance is the great enemy
of medicine. As a general thing the community are
ignorant OF the principles of medicine. This is why
empirciSm succeeds at all Multitudes regard medi-
cine as a mystery. They ready to believe any
thing that promises insight into the mysteries Of
medicines, of life, of disease, and of death. Hence
they are ready to accept the widest impoStureS and
most visionary schemes, that promise relief from
fatal disease and death. Designing medical men take
advantage of this weakness.
1t Is intelligence that furnishes the profession its
best security for its just influence with the public
The man Of intelligence who pcrcci"cS the cOnscient-
iOuS and lah0riOuS course of study pursued by the
sincere student and practitioner, cannot fail to per-
ceiye the solid basis of facts, of experience OF obser
yoti of fabric
Of the regular profession rcpoSeS lie sees the clc
waiting character of profession in which all the
energies of the mind and all the affections OF the
heart are directed to the pursuit of truth and the
good of men. lie observes the se!fdcnials the pro-
longcd mental and physical labor the constant risk
of health and life of the earnest student and practi
toner of medicine and If he speaks his honest con-
viCtionS he must acknowledge that the true medical
character is one of integrity and nobility. The ma
iOrity Of such men know how TO estimate at their
true value the spurious of cmpirciSm and the vain
dreams of ignorance AMI fraud.
1t becomes the province of the lawyer to contend
for the side, right wrong, on which he may be
employed it is the mission of the divine to deal
with truth only as it has been receGled and ascer-
taincd; but the physician, differing from both, Is
engaged not alone in the pursuit. but in the erptOra
ton of ruth-not only in the acquisition but in the
extension of knowledge. He is from the first in con-
slant pursuit after the revelations of Nature, which
are but manifestations of the Creator. There can
be no more noble study-nOne more elevating to the
understanding better fitted to refine and purify
the heart, than the investigation of the works of
Him who has stamped the whole creation with the
impress of His power, His wisdom, and His love-"
The legitimate practice of medicine is based on
fixed laws and is not the result of luck and chance
as many suppose. 1t is much the result of set
tied principles as any other result of physical
cause The Al-wise Being has not left out health
and disease from His general plan. Sickness is not
the lot of man to the extent often taught 1t is oener
than otherwise voluntary transgresson of the laws
of health, which are the laws Of God Certain
causes acting under certain circumstances will al
ways bring disease. Certain remedies, given IN
der certain conditions, will as invariably, with the
aid of Nature, throw off disease. This is no luck,
no chance, no haphazard, but the operation of es-