Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-02-06
An OBJECTIONABLE MEDICAL
MEASURE.

MEASURE.
ATTENTION IL directed 10 com.
municalion from medical gentleman
In relation TO the bill nov pending IN
the Legislature to regulate the practice
OF medicine. II voices the views Of a
great many thinking people. Efforts
have been made at nearly every
session Of the Legislature to procure
the passage Of such bill, which would
virtually place the whole practice Of
medicine In this Territory in control
Of the allopathic doctors.
We do not believe this would he a
good thing. There are many hundreds,
II not thousands Of people In Utah, who
prefer being treated with herbs
In cases Of sickness than
by mineral remedies OF any Of the old
school methods. There are also n
large number who believe In the sys.
tenn called homeopathy. II this bill
should pase, power would he given to
allopathio members OF the board to
shut out such practitioners ps dissent
from their Ideas OF remedial medicine,
and people would be compelled TO EN-.
plOy doctors whose system they fepu-
diaie or so without skilled assistance.
We believe that N the matter was put
to a vote, tho people Of this Territory
would prefer to be left free to choose
their own physiclans, and not bind
themselves up to the choice Of any
Board that the Legislature could
create.
On the 25th Of February, 1890, Gov.
crnor Il. w. Ferry, Of the State Of
Washington, vetoed n similar till, and
In his message he sail;
~ herewith return House bill No y,
entitled; An act to regulate tho practice
Of medicine and surgery In the State Of
Washington, and to license physicians
aud surgeons, to punish all persons vio-
lailng the provisions of this act, aud to
repeal all laws In conflict herewith
with my ohioc ions thereto. ri
Tho law To be- enacted however, should
not coniravonc the plain provisions Of tho
Consultation. they should not confer upon
n small body Of persons underlined. I'M
limited and au,ocraiic powers, under
which certain classes Of our follow.
citizons might he made to suffer irrepara.
bic injury, and u still larger class DO do
prlvod Of the right TO employ such meii-
cal advice and assistance ~ may to thom
seom proper aud advisable, a right which
they have always regarded as sacred aud
constitutional"
Quoting section three, which &. elm.
liar TO the provision In the bill now
pending here, he said:
"Under this section Il majority Of the
State board Of medical examiners may
refuse to grant license to any applicant
merely by saying, We are not satisfied
with your examination
"lf the board can thus decide In emo
case 1t can In all, and therefore II would
he within the power OF the board To
reuse q heense 10 crcry phyacian irhosc
rie'r' q, rcgani 10 he Praciicc of mo'ii-
cine ro'e not IN c0HsoHaHcc withd majority
Of ne bound.
at may be said that 1t Is not probable
that this course will ever be pursued by
any board which may be- appointed.
This is more matter of opinion, aud
cannot DO demonstrated. No law
should ever be enacted undor which It |
would be possible that the citizen. could
suffer injustice and wrong. History |
teaches that autocratlo and unlimited |
powers have almost universally been
abused. Human nature has been tho
sans In all ages. Soldshness and self |
Interest are ~ prcdomlnating traits of |
today ~ they hayo over boon
In tho past"
Governor Ferry cited copiously fiom
authorities In support Of his legal OBJ.
|ectlons TO tho measure. We trust our |
Legislators will not DO persuaded to |
make the great mistake Of passing this
Objectionable bill but will shelve It In