Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-04-13
HI IIMpnIS APPEAL
FRIDAY, :: APRIL IL. 1853.

6EGIAI gAIION ASB TIE DOCTORS.
The Tennessee State Medical Society he'd
it. hitie'h annual NEE log at Nashviils on
Tuesday last, On which occasion tbe secretary,
DIR. c. C. Fife, read his annual report. TIE
doc1ment was not Of the usual milk-an3-
water, praisc-eyery body, soft soap-snd-so'der
composition; thsre was grit and character in
it. The report bears with special emphasis
upon the repeal Of tie Tennessee registry
act, taing that is the basis Of all intelli-
gent preventive medicine. To think OF leav-
ing enc Of the United States bare Of medical
registration in the las, quarter of the niue.
teenih century, is as strange as it is discred-
liable. The sscretsry, however, csudidly
puts the blame where it belongs. He sSys:
"The profession 10 the great State Of Tennes-
see has seen q wise law put upon her statute
books by the efforts Of public-spirited philsn-
thropists, and in two years wiped out of s1-
isteuce. By whom? By enemies of our pro-
fes.isn? by the rsbble? by the unthinking
masses? No, gentlemen; by the doctcrs Of Ten
nessee. We, and We alone, are 10 blame for this
painful retrogression." No clearer proof than
this could be given that there are doctors in
Tennessee unfit for their profession. An in
telligent physician, respecting himself ard
his profession, TO oppose the registration
necessary for his own enlightenment and
guidance! 1t looks like the iufatu alton Of
folly or he stupidity of inbecility. II there
were defects, to seek to amend them would
have been wise aud just, but TO bot out reg
istration altogether is to join the crew Of
Vandals and iconoclSsts, to share the spirit
that destroyed the Alex andrian library.
The secretary proceeds: "The necessity OF
registration laws being admitted, we arrive
al the point TO ask, what are we going 10
do about il" I beg leave to say nothing,
absolutely nothing can be done until the pro-
fession in the State is united, and confidently
believe that when we do unite law REGULATE
log the practice OF medicine can be passed
aud enforced, and then it is clear what to
do. Nearly all the States have such humane
laws and execute them, and this State is
therefore overrun with the bIoodhounds
from other folds where the ignorant and the
y
There is the explain alton of the existence of
doctors in Tennessee capable of opposing a
registration law. The secretary continues:
"Why cannot we do it? II is because we
stand in ave Of the fossil ways of the past.
We still rest with the lotus-like sleep OF ante
bslfurn timea, when our fathers dreamed in
the shade aud the negro melody driftsd in
through the vineclad doorway. The bust
mesa world is aroused; the farmer is think
log Of the new methods Of increase; the
clergy i a-siaHiGg 10 read anu sAinK o. tuis
age we live in, and 10 wake up to-the fact
that the nineteenth century il not the ak
teentb, and in many States in this country
our profession is also finding this
out, ard allow me here TO pus it
on record that We will also" There ia
good, plain, honest, common-seDss expression,
worth hecatombs OF sugared, rose.wa!er
PHRASES. Let Dr.;Fite's professional breth.
rem support him, and such direct treatment
will certainly overcome the poison that is
ravsging the body Of the patient We regret
to see by his concluding paragraph that DR..
Fife retires from his secretary ship, for il is
evident he was the right man in the right
place" To have a good cause, and to de-
fend il frankly and bravely, is TO comm and
respect and win commentator.