The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-01-30
THE PUBLIC PULSE.
Communications under this head are published
on all proper subjects at the responsibility Of
the writer.
To the Editor OF TIE HERALD:

To the Editor Of TRE HERALD:
The attention of the physicians of Utah
should be called to a bill. H. F. No. 4, to
regulate the practice of medicine, that has
been introduced in the House. That this
bill is a stringent act is beyond doubt; that
II is proper one is questionable.
The main points of this act should be
carefully scrutinized before allowing it to
be rushed through the legislature, as in
tended by the board of public health.
Section l of this act provides that the
governor shall appoint a territorial board
of medical examiners, to consist of seven
mem bers, -four OF whom shall belong to
the regular (allopathic) school of medi-
cine" The duty of this board as provided
in section 2, shall be TO examine all physi-
clans entering into the practice of medicine
in Utah after the passage OF this act. Also,
according TO section 2, no one may be ex-
amined as to qualifications unless The pos
SCISSOR of a medical diploma.
Let US consider what this will mean to
the people of Utah. In the first place, the
regular (allopathicj school OF medicine is
given a majority On the board of examiners
and the act is so worded that if the gov
eruor so choose the whole board may be
appointed from the regular school. Hav-
ing this majority, with authority to make
their own rules, said school of medicine is
therefore constituted
PRIVILEGED CLASS
with power to formulate al examination
(as provided in section 2 of the ac) by
which they could shut out at will any
homeopathic electric, phys1o-medical or
| Tbompsonian physician. OF course, their
\ argument is that they would noC exercise
| such power, but there is nothing in this
proposed law to prevent such an assump-
| tion of the authority of a privil
eyed class. That it is the inten-
ton of the regular (elopathic)
school of medicine TO hold this majority
on the board, at all odds, is evidenced by
the fact that no amount of pleading before
the committee OF pubic health, of which
DR.. Pike, regular (allopathic) physician
is the influential member, on the part Of
a committee appointed by the Utah Homeo
pathic association for separate boards Of
examiners for each school of medicine
could bring about change in this part Of
the act.
Section provides that licenses shall be
refused Tor revoked) for unprofessiona
conduct, but does not define what consti
tutes such conduct. Here, again, the ma
iority vote of the board of examiners be
longing to the regular (allopathic) school
the profession at large, homeopathic, cleo
trio, physlo medical, etc., are lett at tht
mercy of privileged class with power tt
bring the most reputable physician int,
their august presence, charged with vic
lation of any set of arbitrary rules which
they may choose to formulate.
Section 10 OF this act will also be hard
ship 10 many of our Salt Lake physicians
as we'll as TO these in some outlying coun
ties, for the reason that it provides that al
persons not graduates Of medical college
land some of the older men are mott n
matter how well qualified, even if in prac
tice twenty years. are absolute y debarre
from practicing in communities aread
possessing regularly licensed practit
Toner.
AS whole this act appears to be an eli
fort on the part of its champions to freez
out future competition, to lower the pres
} ent proportion of physicians to the populs
tion to lrgislate for favored class, al o.
the usual plea of protecting (s) the dea
pu bic, but with the hope Of lining thei
own pockets.
The writer is not an interested party
, but he is heartily tired OF these attempt
to legislate for favored class, such as ar
hidden in these acts to regulrte the practic
of medicine. H. G. GRIFFIN, M. D.,
Associate editor of The Journal of Ophthdlm
ologg Ototogy and Ldryngology.