Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-03-26


We regret to see an effort made in the
Legislature to strike down this excellent
institution, and thus to oppose measures
protective of the lives and health OF the
people. 1t is the duty of the Legislature
to foster medical science, and to favor, not
oppose, the health and lives of our fellow
citizeus Mr. Welker has introduced IN
the Senate bill to demolish the State
Medical Board as useless thing. He is
greatly in error, and this step will rebound,
if successful, to the injury of the State and
works every way wrong and evil to the
people.
The State Medical Board is part and
parcel of that most praiseworthy object OF
the medical profession of the State, to ad-
vance medical science, and protect the
health and lives of the people. What
avails all efforts at human improvement
and material prosperity, if sickness is not
attended to and health is not preserved as
far as possible ? What can man do if
sickIy and enfeebled by disease? Now
the object of this Medical Board is to give
health, life, energy, ability to labor to our
fellow-citizens of all classes and conditions
in eur impoverished and depressed con-
dition. It is the offspring of the labor,
patient, persevering, devoted labors, for
number of years, of leading members Of
the medical profession in our State. 1t
works wrong to no one. It is part of that
great movement in this State for many
years past of medical men, who are liberal,
scientific, humane professors, and deter
mined to do all in their day and genera
ton for the promotion of medical science,
the usefulness of the medical profession,
and the good of the public at large. It is
part of the State Medical Society, that
has been pioneer in North Carolina in all
those measures promotive of medical
science and skill, and in all those plans for
improving the health of the people, which
are approved by all recognized doctrines
of political economy and sustained by all
the leading men of the State, of all occupa-
tons and professions, who are devoted to
North Carolina, and who have worked and
are working for her best good
What are the provisions of the law es-
tablishing this Medical Board ? It says to
no one, "you shall not give medicine, nor
practice medicine - no arbitrary measures
of this sort does it inculcate or Justify
Nothing of the kind. It opens the door to
any and all, white OF black, native or for
eign, to come in and administer medicines
to whoever will take them-to give what
you please and do what you please in the
sick room so long as the sick Will take your
medicines. The law establishing the Board
is not arbitrary, not oppressive, not unjust
in any manner, shape or form. Any one
can, under its operations, practice medi
cine and surgery in the State. The only
clause or feature of the law to which OBJ
lection is made, is that no one can, since
the organization of the Board, collect by
lao, fees for medical services who has,
without license from tho Board, common
ced practice after the Board was establish
ed. He must produce certificates di-
ploma-from this Board that he is possess
ed of good moral character, and possesses
the proper knowledge and professional
qualifications before he can collect his bills
by lac. All this is conservative, wise,
necessary, practical, and patriotic. The
Board was founded on that necessity of
protection to health which arises from the
miserable scramble for students. and that
reckless competition for patronage and
power, which exists among the Medical
Colleges of the country. So long has this
existed, SO great is the degrading and abom-
Unable struggle for numbers, money, iyau-
ence among the Medical Colleges of the
country that the standard of the Professor
has been lowered, and swarms of Doctors
have been sent out upon the community
from these Medical hives, with diplomas
in hand. many of whom are incompetent,
morally and every other way, to engage in
the solemn and responsible duties of med
ical and surgical practice. North Carolina
has no Medical Colleges, and it is rather to
her credit than discredlt that she has not,
owing to this prevailing disposition of the
Medical Colleges to graduate men who are
able to pay their way, without regard to
qualification. As a means of protection,
to some extent, to the people against in
competent practitioners, this Board was
instituted years ago, and it has worked we'll
every way-is no expense to the State, is
self-sustaining, is composed of leading and
progressive medical men, chosen by the
voice of the profession, through the State
Medical Society, and sustained everywhere
when understood by an enlightened public
sentiment. This Board, together, with the
State Medical Society, has done more to
advance medical science, protect public
health, and promote the dignity and USE
fulness OF the medical profession than all
other means combined. It has given the
profession of the State name and char
acter, at home and abroad, of which the