The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1880-05-20
MEETING OF THE KANSAS STATE
MEDICAL SOCIETY.

met at the Academy of Science rooms
in the Missouri Valley building, yester-
day afternoon at 2:3O, President Furlcy
in the chair. DIR. Freyer, Of Fort Leav-
enworth, delivered the address welcem-
ing the physicians to Leavenworth in
wen chosen words. He trusted the
convention would have pleasant and
profitable meeting.
DR.. Furley delivered the following
address to the Society:
Coming together at this twenty-first
annual convention of the Kansas Medi-
cal Society, wish to congratulate you
upon the long continued success Of the
associations. Wcco again to compare
notes, with scientific discussion, and to
enjoy the friendships and renew profit
able and pleasant acquaintance which
probably would not have arisen but for
these annual meetings. Our society,
composed as it is entirely Of active prac-
titioners of our art, must by our inter-
change Of views, alike benefit the peo-
pie and the profession, and at the same
time renew the fraternal feeling and CO.
hesion of purpose that must be of serv-
ice in giving US moral force and infiu-
ence in all the departments of science
and usefulness that properly belong to
our profession. trust that all cur de-
alterations may be conducted in such
way as will conduce to these results.
The advancement of the science of
medicine and surgery. to the end that
the profession NAV maintain its prestige
of standing in the front rank as the pro-
motors Of useful progress. and that the
greatest rood NAV he attained for the
Deople Of all the earth. is one of the
most important objects of this and all
kindred associations. Intimately and
inseparablv connected with it is the du-
ty Of throwing around the profession
of medicine such safeguards as will pro-
tect the pcople from the evils Of auack-
cry. and leave the legitimate field of
practice to those who possess profess
sional and moral qualifications. To the
latter. the attention of the public. lecis-
latures and courts. has. of late wears.
been called. and legislation has been had
in this State. A short time before our
last meeting q law was passed by the
Legislature of this State governing the
practice of medicine. which met with
strong Ouposition. coming chiefly from
influences brought to bear bv irregular
practitioners of medicine, resulting in
forcing into the law some matters that
could be improved. and of cutting out
some that it would have served q bet
ter purpose to have kept it.
We have been operating under this
law for nearly one wear. and while we
find in the main il serves the purpose.
as a member of this society desire to
offer INV protest against any law Great
inc more than one board. and which in
this State has well nigh had its object
defeated by the cupidity and yileness of
one of the boards created by the law.
If this law was properly enforced there
ought not. prior to the first of April
last. to be found. any person practicinc
medicine. unless duly licensed by one Of
these boards. MS subsequent TO that date
the law oniy recognizes as proper to re-
ceiye such license. those who have by
proper means become possessed of A d.
nloma from n recognized medical cnl.
ieoe which is the nresumahle evidence
of the education and scientific training
of the holder. The law of the land SO
projects the financial and nronerty In
terests of the neople. that n win not
hermit persons TO en- in the practice
of the law until thew shall have passed
n comnctcut Examination and shown
themselves to be of o ,od moral charac-
ter. It seems more important that the
people should be protected from char
iatanism in medicine than in law let
ms ace that the law we have is properlv
enforced and our standing will be adj
yanccd.
In the last few weeks nm effort has
been made to cast A donbt ,,non tho To-
0al existence of the corrorote MOWERS
of this society. and an opinion has bern
from law firm to the effect
that the Kansas Medical Society has mo
LEGAL cornorate existence and had no
authority to appoint n BOARD Of Fxam-
liners under the law of 1879 and that
certificates issued by such n BOARD will
not protect the holders of the Same f..om
the penalties of the act. This opinion
was nrocuretl at the instance IF 4bo
Board. previously mentioned as nerce.
nary and published at ADVERTISING rates
in different papers of the State. az we'll
ms in circular form attached TO an ad.
vertiscment of the ..Fclect;c Board -
callino the attention of tho nrofsss;on
i'm the State to the fact that the "Ec,ec-
tic Board, considered The certificates
issucd bv the Board of Examiners of
This society "inyalid in law" and that
its BOARD of Examiners would ;ssne
certificates to all who hold certificates
issued bv the BOARD appointed Inv tLe
Kansas Medical Society," on the nav
ment of five dollars. and. as under.
stand in the direct violation Of the ex.
press limitations of the law. which nro.
v;ded that no examination shall he held
after The first day of April. 1880
The written opinion of eminent law.
vers has hecn obtained NV the Pres;don,
IF the BOARD of Examiners Of tha Kon.
sas Medical Society. m which II ia nv
nualifiedlv held that II has a ieva, co.,
porate existence. and that the cirt;6.
cafes issued by its Board of Fxam;uers
are legal and will fully nrotect tbe
holder
The whole matter has the look of an
,,uprofessionablc and unwarrantahie. t-
telnnt to levy backmail AGAINST the man.
hers of the regular profession II il
sincerely To he hoped that name viii
be. and / believe that none of the nro.
fession have been pulled bv the tr;ct
,ud INV advice is that no further not;re
be taken of the matter.
The sanitary condition of tho Sto,o
Is of the greatest importance and ~ M.
this meeting mIol,t with nro-
oriety. take some stems LOOKING to the
promotion of this object A law shonld
ba nassed nv the ieoislsturo of tha
Stotn craot;rg Roor9 81 Ua.,.L 81