The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-01-02
OUR MEDICAL LAW.


80
tins Controversy.
To Tn INDEpENDYNT.-Th6rs In no better
illustration Of the expression, Everyone
knows your business better than yourself"
than In tho opinions md decisions lately
established against tho medical profession
OF Montana. A few years since the pulpit
saw TT TO tell the doctor how not TO dose
his patient; later tho law takes IL upon
itself to mako him swallow his own physic;
and finally the whole Held Of Journalistic
imagine him depraycd and suggest pukes Of
various sorts.
Our medical law was conceived by the
profession, but unfortunately it was form
ulated by the profession OF law. A commit
tee OF medical mon appeared before the leg.
iaturs with this argument: Every state il
regulating and eIevating It's medical prac-
tice; the guacks and the ignorant are
showed of and Montana will receive them
unless it bars them. Further, the world Is
overrun with doctors and Montana can be
stocked with the best talent an readily
as with the poorest. II We look out
for number one we will say to
you lot in the second rate physicians their
opposition and competition will be easy
for US to contend against-our own prac-
tice will not suffer; Of course the COM
munity will bear the slaughter! No, no, we
will not offer this. 1t il not the spirit Of
the medical mantle clever, respectable
one. They argued long and hard before
tho COMMITTEES, "Givs u the law that will
bring into Montana a thoroughly educated
Enthusiastically a respectable class"
Nov thu phUufOiov,m n,r,rs11. AI,.-u ia urk
presume that a diploma was u guarantee Of
education and responsibility; in fact, they
knew such was not the case. They said
nothing less than a three years course Of
Lectures was any assurance, and in addition
an examination by the medical board to
learn If tho applicants mind and morals
were in keeping with his diploma, Was nee
essary for q guarantee of proper standing.
do not let any lawyer or Judge step in here
to dispute me when ] say that was the
spirit of the law passed, absolutely, and
u other version of it ia incorrect. How
the law WAS muddled in its passage / do
not know.
Further, I know the spirit Of the law is
that travelling doctors should not be al
lowed to practice temo orarily in the state.
One OF these took q patient with opacity of
the eOrnea and promised to cure him for
x75, half down. 1t is incurable, but he took
the money. Should We protect ths COM
mrnity from such rogues; or do you call
that doctors protecting themselves? The
spirit Of the lawi is to prevent the aivertis-
ing of quaoks. Why? Because it is meant
to be a learned profession, and 1t is de-
grading. dishonest and damaging. What
II one preacher advertised his superiority to
another2 Or one lawyer? Then why one
doctorf l saw q number Of people who
had rushed off to Butte in response t. the
advertisements Of a qusck outfit, who
came home thoroughly bled In pocket, and
with a diseased mind added, through the
pernicious advice and scare received. l
will say as one Of the medical profession,
for the medical profession, an honest,
clever doctor cannot advertise his prac-
tice: he has not the conscience the deprav-
ity-he cannot be made to stoop to do il.
Now, Nj. Editor, speak right out; Is
there anything in a law which will only al
low educated, high minded doctors to come
to Montana, that you dare construe into a
law in the interest of the doctors now here?
Is the law to keep ont travelling quacks a
Jaw for or in the interest Of tue located doc
tors, or for the community? Is the law that
compels medical men to keep their mouths
shut. and show by deeds, not words, their
skill in the interest of US doctors or is it in
the interest of the community? Mr.. Editor,
the versions of the judges, the lawyers, the
journalists. to the contrary n~otwithstand-
ing, our medical law as agreed upon be-
tween the doctors committee and the leg
i%siators' committee was this in spirit: That
after its passage, every doctor coming into
should be armed with a diploma
and a guarantee of having attended three,
of lectures and should be examined
BY the board. Nothing was presumed. Of |
ten bright minds are deprayed. In the
field Of medicine the prospects of the char
latan are glorious; and if the charlatan
drops into Montana who suffers, we doctors
Dr. you poor miserable dyspeptics, sedantary
who know our business and oar
and our %seltishness better than we
Then should not they be ex-
amined and detected and excluded?
And yet while we yave not a jot OF inter-
personal, though every breath in the
fight is for suffering humanity. stop to think
now we have been treated-kicked, in
plain p%arlance. First, though the medical
says plainly, mo travelling quacks,'' the
one or several law interpreters here have
said, ''let them come" Second, though
the medical law says plainly. mo adyertis-
the decision of one or several judges
been; ''let them advertise" Third,
the medical law says, "a doctor
must be of good moral character" one or
several more wiseacres have decided. sit is
none of the medical boards business"
Fourth, though the medical law says two
one, 'a doctor having a diploma
practice another, "a doctor must have |
q diploma, 4 three years course of
study, and an examination the Judge
must pile upon the backs of the medical
and presume n diploma alone makes
4 doctor clever and respectable, ignoring
he presumption that the medical board
might be respectable and quite able to de-
tide the fitness of the candidate. Why did
aot the judge give the state the benefit
If section four-he had the choice of two sec
and chose to decide against higher
acknowledgements the spirit of the
bill.
Every legal opinion and every newspaper
omment has been n kick against the regu-
ar medical profession; and all construe the
law rs q piece of selfshness in the
interest of the same. On the contrary it is
he most charitable spirit that could be