The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-01-26
The Bin 20 . Regulate the Pracsacs
or Medicine and surgery
RICHMOND, Va, January 70, 1851


To the Editor of The Dispatch
Task the use Of your columns 10 bring 20
the attention OF the people piece OF has's
LEGISLATION In which both their rights anu
interests are involved. A bill mas !us'
passed both branches Of the General As
sembly entitled ga bin to regulate Tue
practice OF medicine and surgery" ms
bin provides that Board OF Medical IN
aminers nominated by the Medical society
OF Virginia and approved by the Governor
shall have plenary authority TO examine
every candidate who desires to pract'ce
medicine in this State after the LIST o. Janu-
ary. 1885, and that without their license
no one shall be permitted 10 pursue tne
medical profession i'm this Commonwealth
Reduced to first principles, the bill bcstows
upon the Medical Society OF virginia
proscriptive right to the future meoiea'
practice OF the State. IL invests that or
rnniZation, which represents only one
school Of medicine, with autocratic power
To nullify the diplomas Of all the medical
schools OF the world. II Is true that II pro.
yides that no candidate shall be rejected
On account OF his adherence TO
any particular school OF medicine {;
but what protection would this vague
and glittering generality be against
The nreiudices OF an irresponsible board
II Is fact well known to every physician
that no man can pass an examination ar-
ranged for his rejection.
n our legislators really design by this
bill TO protect both schools OF medicine, let
them have the manliness to change the
title. in order that the people, and espe'
cially the large and respectable element III
the state who employ homeopathic physi-
clans, nav understand the discrimination
that can be practiced under it. AS II Is;
the title Is calculated to mislcad and llill
into fancied security many who otherwise
wouId have protested against its passage in
no uncertain words. II not only ignores the
recognition accorded homeopathy in the
most prominent seats Of medical learning IN
the world. but places one school at the mer-
CIV OF another diamctrically opposed 10 IL on
many essential points. II renders IL pos
sible for the representatives OF one school
IN arro0ate TO themselves the right to de-
eide upon candidates proficiency in 4
b, anch OF knowledge about which they
know absolutely nothing, and in
pripciple Is rs obnoxious as would
he bill TO appoint board from one reli-
pio,Is denomination to regulate the pastoral
relations Of all the others. l do not think
that use too strong language in charac-
tcrizing this bill as class legislation OF the
most offensive and unjust kind. But aside
from this and all other considerations, let
me ask, Would the bill "protect," even
were it impossible to reject candidate on
account OF his adherence TO any particular
school OF medicine? In the nature OF
things it would seem to follow that board
not competent TO examine man on the
essential differences between their school
and another could af9rd The public no
gu ,ranfce that the candidate was not in the
matters involved in these differences to-
tally incompetent. and perhaps quack
and charIatan. The endorsement OF the
board would therefore be worthless eX-
cept as to the candidates Of their own school.
In conclusion, respectfully submit that
the only way to regulate the practice OF
medicine and surgery is to. rely upon the
diplomas OF responsible medical schools or
provide for two boards-one composed OF
homGopaths and the other composed OF
allopaths. AU REv0IR.