Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-03
In FIGHTING HUMOR.
Homeopaths Will Demand a Separate
State Board of Examiners.
NO CLOSE CORPORATION FOR THEM.
Allopaths Will Not be Permitted to Work a
Game of Gouge.
THE LEGISLATIVE BILL LAID BARE

An important meeting of homeopathic
physicians was held Friday evening. with
reference to the bill pending in the Legisla-
ture to have doctors examined by State
board before they are allowed to practice.
The bill is engineered by allopaths, and in
its present shape is not relished by the
homeopaths. The latter do not propose to
allow the former to steal q march on them
if they can prevent it.
After lengthy discussion committee,
consisting of Drs. McClelland, Willard,
Cooper and Seip. was appointed to confer
with similar committees from most of the
counties in the State and the Legislative
Committee of the State Homeopathic Soci-
ETY. at Harrisburg next Tuesday. The
Pittsburg committed is instructed to demand
a separate board of homeopaths to examine
their class of physicians, and they do not
propose to yield an inch from this position.
In any event, after conforming with the
allopaths in charge of the bill, if nothing
further can be done,
THEY WILL DEMAND
equal representation on the board, and
they will ask that the bill be modified to
make this provision. That is, the board
will consist of nine doctors, three from the
allopathic, homeopathic aud eclectic classes.
The homeopaths admit that the idea of a
State board is a good one, but they want
each class of physicians represented. They
would prefer to have a Board of Regents
appointed by the State to examine the
medical student when he is ready to
graduate rather than have it done by the
professors of the colleges, as at present.
A well-known homeopathic physician, In
explaining last night what was done at the
meeting, said: "We do not like the bill in
its present form, and we will not zee our
rights invaded without a murmur The
present bill provides for a close corporation
that would be nothing more than an inqulsi-
ton. They are accountable to no one, and
they could reject physicians as they pleased.
The Secretary and Treasurer will each give
bond of 81 900, to be deposited with the
President of the board. The officers of the
State Board of Health give bonds that are
deposited with the Secretary of the Common
wealth, and they are accountable to him.
A PERTINENT QUESTION.
"Why should not these doctors be held
responsible in a similar manner? We
want the bill modified to provide for such
an arrangement.
Another point in which the bill is de-
fective is that the physicians on the board
are to be taken from the different State
medical societies. Well, as anv number
are likely to spring up, great confusion and
fraud would result. The bill should be
changed so that the members be taken from
the existing State medical societies, which
are three, the homeopathic, allopathic and
eclectic. If the bill is modified in these re-
spects the homeopaths will be satisfied.
'The homeopathic colleges in the State are
chartered, and their graduates are lawful
practitioners. 1t is unconstitutional to pass
laws depriving these physicians of the right
to practice without annulling the charters.
Now our system OF therapeutics is entirely
different from the allopathic, and how could
board of allopaths examine me on this
subject? They would say my answers are
not correct, and on this ground ber me from
practice. But the homeopaths Will see that
their constitutional rights are not trampled
upon with impunity."