The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-02-26

and surgeons, which protest was pub
lished in The STATESMAN, impugnet
the motives OF, and actually accused
. the medical profession OF seeking t.
get control of the entire practice o
medicine, for the purpose OF destroy
ing competition" q will state tina
DR.. Pope is not a member of the state
association, and the associations bill
had not then been introduced.)
Doubtless the unfortunate title Sc
lected for the bill and every bill or
the subject heretofore introduced has
tended to create such belief in theil
minds. They construe it to in
dictate control of the prac-
tice of the state in the
interest of the "old school" and as
sumo that there would be established
q kind of protectorate, which would
deal unfairly by those differing with
them in theory and practice.
1t is in the hope of correcting this
erroneous impression, just at the
critical time when the association bill
is about to come up for action in the
senate that | intrude myself upon
your readers.
It's in no SEM bill to CIRCULATE the
practice" and disclaim on behalf OF
the regular profession and utterly re-
pudiate any thought of depressing or
doing injustice to homeopathic or any
one else, and | most emphatically re-
pudiate the unworthy motive attrib-
aLed to us in the premises. The bill
IS an honest and conscientious effort
to prevent the practice OF
medicine by incompetent persons; to
do what may be done to arrest the
practice OF quaokery in the State
The educated homeopaths deprecate
rs well as others the existence in the |
ranks, OF ignoramuses. and are as
much opposed to quackery. They |
see the evil arising from an indiscrim-
iuate exercise Of the privilege of prac-
Licng medicine, and but for their sus.
picious and jealousy of their sold
.chool brethren" would doubtless join
them in an effort to suppress it.
surely it needs no argument to con-
vince an Intelligent pereon that the
exercise of 80 dangerous a privilege
should be allowed only to those who
have been educated for the purpose,
jr that it is weapon in the hands OF
the kind hearted simpleton, or the
reckless adventuring, patent for evil
one with which lives may be, and are,
destroyed with perfect impunity. A
mistake in the dose of drug may cause
the death of the patient, and never a
suspicion will be attached to the doc
tor; the death will be laid to the Lord
or attributed to the disease itself.
AS to doing justice to all schools"
When they appeared before the house
on public health the no
and eclectics, in reply to an
inquiry, stated that there were "about
! hundred" of each class in Texas.
This is not generally known. The
regular profession, on the other hand, |
number between 1000 and 5000. The
State Medical association, a corporate
nody chartered by the state, numbers
something over 500 members. They
meet annually, and nearly every
county in the state is represented |
there by delegates, chosen on basis
OF one representative to every ten ply
,icians. Thus the entire regular pro-
fession is represented in these conven-
tons.
These gentlemen more fully than any
others realize the extent TO which the
practice of medicine is abused they
see to what extent health and life are
by the abused custom of
blowing any man who calls himself
"dUctOr" to attempt to practice medi-
cine The subject mas been often dis
cussed and the effort to correct the
evil originated in a sincere desire to
protect the people from this hidden
and deadly danger, as they would pro-
Lect them from any other danger.
Accordingly standing committee on
medical legislation was appointed, and
10 them was relegated the entire ques-
lou as to how the needed reform
could be effected. This committee is
of men of national reputa-
lion, and who are above suspicion.
The present bill, the Couples Bill" it
IS called, after the honorable gentle
man who is chairman of the commit.
tee, therefore represents the senti-
ment of the entire regular medical
profession of Texas, and its passage
IS asked in their name
md in the interest of
The public health-as any other SAM
,ary law would be, and it is accompa-
Ned by petition signed by fifteen
thousand of the best citizens of all
classes.
All the branches of medicine except
hat Of therapeutics and practice are
aught precisely alike in all colleges;
he schools differ only on that one
,oint; hence, in providing for ~ board