Morning journal and courier., 1889-07-16

Case which Was Reported to tho
Authorities Last Night-Buried in
wessville-che Need OF a Medical
Practice Act.
There was returned to the Office of the reg
istrar of vital statistics about o'clock last
evening death certificate which is worthy of
more than passing notice. The certificate
was returned by DR.. C.V.R. Greed and stated
that Rosina B. Butts, little colored girl OF
20 Hudson street, had died of diphtheretic
GROUP; that the duration of the disease had
been since July and furthermore that the
| child had been attended by ga hog butcher,
Henry Ball." DR.. Greed was called when the
| child was dying. The disease is contagious,
and according to law the body of person 80
dying must be buried Immediately. Lewis
& Maycock took charge of the funeral and
the child was buried last night at Westville.
This case recalls efforts made in favor of
some legislative action regarding the prac-
| tice of medicine and restricting the persons
who can practice 1t. 1t is not safe, to say
| the least, to have contagious diseases ham
died by anyone but those who are specially
| skilled in the treatment of such diseases
DIR. G. A. Lindsey has long contended for
| some such law, but without avail The case
| the doctor by COURIER reporter last even-
| ing and his opinion in the matter requested.
The doctor said that there is no law pre-
| venting hog butcher or anybody else from
attending such cases and trying to treat
| them. Such is the condition of the profes-
sion in this State. But suppose one so doc
| toring could be punished for malpractice if
he did aught that was prejudicial to the well
| fare of the patient or injured the latter in
any way. My idea is that the matter should
be regulated somewhat as it Is in some of the
other States. There should be some evidence
of fitness to practice medicine, some qualih-
| cations for the profession required of any
one who seeks to enter it. 1t is 30 easy at
| the present day to acquire bogus diploma
| from some institution that the mere produce
| ton of diploma is not satisfactory evidence
of fitness for the profession. There should
be some tribunal, usually the State board of
health, although not necessarily that body,
but some impartial and competent tribunal,
which should judge, either by the character
| of the college from which the applicant has
graduated, or by personal examination of
him of his fitness to practice in profession,
] which deals with matters 30 important as
those of life and death.
believe, said the doctor, that there is a
great deal Of suffering, and perhaps loss Of
life due to the ignorance of those who prac-
tice medicine without proper fitting for
| that any special school of medicine should
| be excluded from practice, but it should be
| required that the doctor should have such
knowledge of the human system, of diseases,
| their effects and cures, and other such in
| formation, that he can treat the complaint
| intelligently and with safety to the patient.
The name of every practicing physician
should be recorded in the town in which he
| resides. The source from which he got his
| authority to practice, the college or the ex-
| amining board, the time he began to prao-
| tice and, perhaps, his age and nativity should
be recorded.
1t might be we'll to record what school he
belongs to, although among the educated
and best portion of the profession there is
| now but little difference in the various
| schools.
In reply to question whether he had not
tried to have the matter remedied, the doc
| tor said: have tried to get medical prac-
tice act through the legislature, but have
| failed thus far. am now on a committee
of one of the mediaal societies to prepare
such an act for the next legisla-
| ture. But I have little hope of
success until the western states
have passed such acts, thereby driving their
| quacks over the borders, into Connecticut,
| and SO overwhelming us that WIS will be
| forced to act. When went before the COM
mittee of the legislature, found that the
committee had met and adjourned in fifteen
minutes. All the bills were withdrawn mas
much as there was no harmony among them.
| was surprised to find an army of irregular
practitioners ready to oppose such an act,
very largely composed of women. think
the opposition to the act will be urged with
all the power the irregulars can bring to
L hear upon it.