Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-05-05
THE MEDICAL ACT

4 OsSFB She ScAAko AASCA u AAOAA"
Senators Holden and Cleveland AIR
Their Differences - The Norman
School Bill Passes the HOuse-Other
Matters of Interest.
HARTFORD, May 4-[Special 1.-The SEN
ate spent the greater part of the day In
discussing the medical practice act, which
was finally passed by vote of IL to
4. Senator Fox opened the debate, and as
chairman of the judiciary committee, ably
and in detail set forth the sections OF the
bill, and in his usual clear and concise
manner argued in favor of its passage.
In brief, he thought that people not under
standing medicines should not be allowed
to prescribe them, and that 1t wac time the
public were protected by the passage OF
some such bill.
Senator Jones, who is one of the leading
physicians in the western portion of the
state, and the efficient chairman Of the
spe clal state prison committee, next spoke
in favor of the bill. He said: I desire first
to thank the chairman of the judiciary
for his able statement of the bill.
Every child born without hereditary faint
and perfectly healthy, should live, and II
it dies it is killed through the neglsct and
carelessness of somebody. All diseases OF
contagious nature are preventable, and
ssy this without fear of contradiction. We
can stamp out every disease from the face
of the earth if you give us an opportunity,
and this bill Ia step In the right direc-
ton. If you desire this practice to go on,
why the physicians profit by 1t, but it
should not 90 on for the benefit of the
public health and welfare.
A great many of these quacks have en-
ployed able and witty attorneys to defeat
this bill. They have had their hearings in
the hall of the house, and have
got their advertising in this manner. Much
ridicule had been made of this bill by
quacks and crazy women, and the judioi-
arguments against some of our most prom
inent physicians by these quacks. AS to
clairvoyants, when I was at college we
used to take up collection, cut lock of
hair from some body in the dead house and
send 1t to a clairvoyant. She would always
send 1t back with the remark that the per-
son was suffering from some trouble and
should take several bottles of such and
such medicine, while in reality the man
from whose head the hair was cut had been
dead some six weeks.
Another case know of was where a
woman who had been q clairvoyant came
to me and desired to be employed as a
nurse.
I had at the time case of child suffer-
ing from ophthalmia, and sent her to nurse
It, The next day one of my assistants,
who was attending the case, came to me
and said the child was worse. proceeded
to investigate and found that the medicine
had not been given by the nurse 1 asked
her why, and she replied: IT treat people
by the laying on of hands, and not by
putting this vile medicine on the eyes" I
wish to say here that there are hundreds
of blind people to-day whose infirmity can
be traced to such causes. This clairvoyant
reeeived the toe of my boot and went out
the front door, The child recovered, but
if that woman hsd been allowed to con-
tinue another day that child would have
been blind; permanently blind.
All these people should be compelled to
stop sh. practice Of medicine for the bene-
fit of the state.
Senator Pierce offered an amendment
which struck out of sections 10 and 20, that
pare which prevented the quscks from
prescribing drugs, poisons, etc. to patients,
which in effect would kill the object of the
bill, which is to prevent these peopis from
prescribing medicines.
Senator Cleveland also favored the
amendment in one of his usual parliamen-
tary speeches.
Senator Holden favored the bill as II
was, and said that large part of the doc
tors in the state are correcting the mis-
takes of clairvoyants, faith curists and 9th
er quacks practicing medicine here
Senator Cleveland arose and said that
the senator from the Seventies statements
were false.
Senator Holden arose to point of order
| and objected to the language of the senator
| from the First The latter Immediately
| retracted his words. Senat II Holden then
| said: 1 desire to repeat my statement
| about the doctors correcting mistakes OF
| quacks and TO cay right here that I DOM
think it right for one senator In this body
to get up On the floor and state that which
his own judgment tells him is wrong snd
which he withdraws Immediately, ano
which he does to avoid the censure of the
senate. I respect the senator from the
First, but for him to get up and say thai
| the statement of another senator ia false is
| going too far and it should stop right here
| and I resent it.
At this point Senator Pierce interfersd
and tho discussion, which was getting
rather warm between Holden and Cleve.
land, was stopped for short time. Sen
| atcr Cleveland later arose and said: The
senator from the Seventh made bold as
settion that the majority of the regulars
| were engaged in correcting mistakes of IT.
| regulars. He did not say in;his opinion
this was SO, but made the bold statement
| and I said what I did because have 6
right to do so, in a parliamentary sense
and do not retract it in any way, and
| never shall This closed the debate.
The bill was favored as it is by Senators
Fox, Jones, Crandall, Holden, Holcomb
and opposed by Senators Pierce, Cleveland
who favored an amendment giving auacki
power to administer drugs. Senator Roo
opposed both the bill and the amendment
The bill was passed by vote of IS to
with an amendment allowing licensed
pharmacists to prescribe. Those voting II
favor of the bill were Senators Holcomb
Coffee, Holden, Fox, Crandall, Jones, Fer
4is, Morgan, Houlihan, BROKER, Ensign
Perkins, Phelps; against, Cleveland, Root
| Hall, Gross. The bill now goes to the
| house where it will meet with considerable
| opposition. At 2:45 the senate adjourned
until tomorrow at 1890.
The house this morning concurred with
the senate in recommittipg the currupt
practice act. George D. Stanton, jr., waE
/ appointed judge and Simeon Challup dep
| uty judge of the town court of Stonington
The normal school bill passed. Itprovidel
| that two new normal schools be established
one at New Haven and ons at Bridgeport
They are to cost 100000 Zach, and The
amount is to be appropriated $50, 900 pc,
year for four years. The cities are author
lied to borrow money to complete the
schools Immediately if they desire.