Los Angeles herald., 1892-06-27

confederation by our servants, the Law
makers, than any ordinary lsboror tsrif
These are purely business questions
while ours 10 professional matter. on |
higher plane. It IL partly our own faul
that We are treated 90. II We, G9epro
fession, wish to accomplish reforms, VI
must get down of the imaginary hiehe
plane and 1pse all legitimate bqglnss
nssRGos; Tsis !: political year the pJ! /. b
| ginning to boil and now is the time u
bring this matter to public attention
and let me urge this whole audience Il
vote for no legislator, or other officer tt
be voted for hereafter, who will no.
pledge himself to work for and vote fol
9 revised medical law which can be en-
forced and will regulate the practice o.
| medicine.
Now is the time to make your own
| terms with candidates, when you have
them on the hip-before election.
This is not the place, nor have the
time to 60 into the proposed bill which,
| though defeated, will undoubtedly be
| brought forward at the next legislature,
as the Medical society of the state oil
| California is continually hammering
away ct this subject, and has done and
| is doing much to form public sentiment
in its favor.
Bnt suffice it to say that the way we
wish to protect the public from incom-
petent, ignorant and unqualified practi-
TONERS of all classes and schools is by
raising the standard so high that only
the best can pass the examining boards
and be licensed to practice.
To pass such law is public duty,
and can only be accomplished when Is
much attention and consideration is
given this subject by you, my audience,
and the general public, as to less inn
portant matters. Then we shall have q
law which can be enforced and prose-
cute all offenders, as any other criminal
class, to the ultimate limit-the full ex-
tent of the law.
What is more valuable than life and
health, and is there anything about
which the average person is 80 careless
az in the choice of physician?
Attainments, reputation, skill and
honesty are all passed over, if only the
impossible is guaranteed.
Nothing surprises the eastern visitor
more than the openness with which i'm
posters advertise, by glaring signs on
our principal streets, to outdo the day
of miracles, except the condition of
Alameda street 40 seen from the South
ern Pacific railroad car windows enter
ing or departing from the city. They
ask why such things are allowed. The
answer to the Sign and quack question
is that our medical law is not or cannot
be enforced. The other question is
answered by this. that landlords petit
ton to use certain streets for purposes
of prostitution. Such q condition of
things on q railroad thoroughfare is
foul blot on our city's fair name and
should be abated, even If the denizens
are only transferred to less conspicu-
GUS place.
The openness and vulgarity of these
chsrlatans in their signs and advertise
ments are not more fattering to the in
telligence of our citizens, and is an in
hult and menace to the purity of the
city's children, who learn by observa-
tion, when on the streets, more than
adults do.
There is sign on East First street, in
large gilt letters, which guarantees the
cure OF blood and nervous diseases,
cancer, etc., for $40, cash in advance, Of
course. Can you wonder that where
such ignorance of one's own self exists
% to believe such lies, that you
find the fraud to promise such impossi-
bilities
What is such : guarantee worth?
The press could do much In this mat
ter il it was made to understand it was
to its interest to do 80. know
number Of families where certain papers
are not allowed on account of the inde-
cent advertisements. If this ground
was taken generally the quack adver-
tisements would disappear or assume
another character. The papers should
not be permitted to print indecent and
seductive advertisements OF . lying
character, on the same gr0undssthat the
United States mail refuses to carry
obscene matter. If this reform cannot
succeed on the ground of protection to
the public, let us put it on more selfish
basis; band ourselves together as
guild or trade union, and protect our
selves, as they do. This would be q
come-down from our high professional
plane, but "self-preservation is the first
law Of nature" The way to accomplish
the greatest good and gain the greatest
power is by continually discussing the
duty Of the physician, which is little
understood obligation. Every one
thinks he knows the physicians' duty to
the public.
When the burden Of higher educa-
tional standard is prayed for by the
majority of the profession, it seems
hard that their wishes cannot be COM
piled with. This is not question of
schools" for the best and most ad-
vanced practitioners of all creeeds wish
to raise the standard emitting legal
right to practice. Happily the day ia
approaching when the distinctions of
s'echool' will cease to exist and all ply
sicians meet on the broad ground of
rational medicine and professional at
tainments.
The public will be the gamer thereby,
but until the lowest standard colleges
and graduates are made to equal the
best, and only the best allowed to prac-
t;ce, will the people be as well protected
ss we desire. We can congratulate our
selves that we belong to the oldest, and
at the same time most progressive and
aggressive, part Of the medical profess
sion.
The world moves now with lightning
speed, and happy is the physician who
can keep abreast the times. He can
only do this by constant and untirin9
application, self-denial and the burning
Of midnight oil. Success and reputation
come high.
On the other hand, what matters it
whether the public wishes to be better
protected or not?
We know their ignorance Of their own
A noor and THAR own hndi1v oonokpua.