The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-09-23
A HUGE DOCTORS BILL.

House Bill No. II, introduced in the Legislature
by Mr.. Beebe of Multnomah, and discussed on
Tuesday evening of this week in Committee of the
Whole, provides for the suppression of every an
d" who is not a member of one or the other of
the State medical societies, orwho is not possessed
of diploma from some legally-chartered medical
institution i'm good standing before the said soci-
eties.
Were the medical profession as it now exists in
fallible-dd it never lose patient from any other
cause than the natural one of old age-there
might be a little shadow of excuse for restrictive
legislation to protect doctors interests But with
all due Difference to the learned NJ. DIS whose in
fluence is clearly at the bottom of this movement
the NEW NORTHWEST begs leave to demonstrate
against the class legislation that will give them
monopoly of the killing business unless they will
also demand that undertakers possess like diplo-
mas and be protected in like manner from compe-
tition in plying their profession The inalienabIe
right of every individual to prescribe for the sick
if a person desires him to do so or has sufficient
confidence in his judgment to employ him. and to
legally collect reasonable dues for services rem
dered, is part of the fundamental law of the land
The NEW NORTHWEST is not an advocate of
quackery in any form, but itrespectfully suggests
for the benefit of those learned Doctors of Medicine
who will not advertise their legitimate business.
that if they would display disposition to keep
up with the spirit of the times by judicious use
of printers ink i'm the legitimate channels where
all respectable business should be regularly an
nOunced, their practice would not slip away from
them, and they would save themselves the pitifuI
humiliation of begging Legislatures for "A monop-
oily Of the business i'm which they seem to feel
themselves unable to hold their own in an open
field of competition. The natural survival Of the
tittest applies TO doctors as well rs TO editors and
authors No amount of special monopoly will
bring patients to a physician who cannot get them
by honorable advertising. The few sensible reg
ulars' who have the independence TO advertise in
this journal all have lucrative practice; but they
transgress the rules of the Medical Association
which has the sublime impudence to send out
catalogues with 'please notice" attached, while
its constitution forbids it to advertise even the
names of its Faculty in the newspapers which
it thus asks for favors.
No, no, Mr.. Doctors don't ask the Legislature
to protect you when you sufficiently enter
prising To protect yourselves. Whenever one of
you cuts off the leg of a mangled being, removes
tumor cures cancer, or does anything the publ-
cation of an account Of which will bring YOU be-
fore the public and advertise your skill YOU read
lily seek the papers and ask them to write you flat
tering notices; but you never offer TO pay for the
notices-they must be gircH to you. Those Of you
who have spent few months only i'm a medical
school are the worst of quacks, and II is not sur
prsing that you need legislation to protect you
and place you on Il footing with those who have
studied for years in colleges and hospitals.