The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-06-14
STATE JOURNAL THURSDAY EVENING. JUNE Il. 1894.
MEDICAL LAWS.
ToPHKA, KAN, June A, 1884.

\ license, was a quack.
Now, 1 venture to say, there are more
/ IT. would hold good throughout the state,
l who have received diplomas from medical
practicing medicine without 4 Incense. i 1v-
! and inevitable.
Medical colleges are grinding out doctors
IN the United States by the thousands each
year. topeka alone supplying forty three, /
D9heve. All physicians of good standing, Of
Whatever school of medicine. will cOncede
that the chief practical knowledge they pos
sess nes come to them outside of the medical
scnool They have obtained it by experience
IN actual life They began really to learn
AFTER passing their examination, and became
settled IN life. They only learned at college
ho1g 70 study medicine.
NOW, II without these preliminary studies
IN college there is a person who has the
grit OF healing, who knows how to study
ical matters, why should he be compelled to
60 through some medical college and spend
three or four years of his life, and a large
tionr
As an eminent physician has said, it is by
no means always the man of science who
makes the discovery. on the contrary the
most important discoveries have been made
by laymen. Cures have been effected
through water and by the power of SUM-
light,
physician gains practice and experience
OF the business in proportion as he shows
that ne can DO something. Sick people do
not care for certificates or to be told whetI-
er he has graduated from one medical school
or another, or none at all. What they want
IS to be cured, and if he can cure them he
has their confidence. and they will have him
and no other, and will recommend him to
all persons of their acquaintance In that
way only and usually not before Is years
can one of these graduates of the medical
college esta blish himself in lucrative prac-
tee. II this Is the case, as it surely is. it is
absurd to them that the persons of the So
called irregular can will bring harm to
the puoIlc, or that the public will give them
preference.
Another eminent physician says there is
no real danger from so-called irregular
practitioners that calls for pablo interfer-
ence- 1t is one of the fundamental princi-
pies OF American citizenship that people
should be treated as responsible beings, and
capable Of looking out for themselves IN this
matter as we'll as in others. Until the contrary
Is proven, it is a fundamental principle of
American citizenship that the right of TAX
ing care of ones self shall not be interfered
with. unless the public or general good is
threatened. Even if the state could save an
business to do SO unless the health of some
body else IS endangered beyond that indi-
viduaFs personality. Everyone has he right
to do as he pleases in every department of
thought, and conduct, until the time comes
when the existence of this right encroaches
on the equal right of some other person.
This Is the fundamental principle on which
our institutions rest.
If certain principles to the diagnosis
or treatment care of disease were laid down
by the regulars, and scientifically estab-
lished, SO that they would work every time
some show of reason, be endorsed. But such
Is not the case.
Every doctor knows, and so does every
| educated citizen. that the old theory OF ''cur-
| ing disease by the administration of med-
cine is, nine times out Of ten, the veriest
| o. w. Holmes who said if all the medicine
in the world to-day we're thrown into the sea
1t would be SO much the better for men, and
so much the worse for the fishes. He meant.
of course, that the doses of medicine that
are given are the very smallest part of the
matter Of healing the person who is ill.
If the regulars admit that they do not pos
sess any such settled system, then what
right have they to ask that this form Of
system be established, and that nothing else
be allowed in the way of medical practice
throughout the state.
DIR. Fl. /. Bowker, celebrated chemist in
Boston, says that any permission proh-
bition of practiclng medicine is alike uncon-
| stitutional. 1t so decided by the SUI
preme court of New Hampshire. If per-
son Is injured by any one practlclng medi-
| cine, he has redress in the law. No law can
| prohibit any one from choosing his trade or
profession, and to do SO is class legislation,
| pure and simple.
The state board Of health claim that the
act which they have prepared to be present
/ ed at the next legislature for It's adoption,
was considered and agreed upon by every
school of medicine in existence. This is not
\ true.
| There are in the city of Topeka, it is said,
| 12O doctors that is persons holding certif-
/ Gates from medical colleges. l presume that
| all of these 100 were represented through their
Z
| to be presented to the legislature, but be-
| sides these there were at least twenty other
| physicians who were not represented. These
are composed of scientists of different
schools, magnetic healers, electro-home-
/ opathic healers and others. l venture the
/ assertion that these twenty of whom
| / speak have as large practice the aver
age of the 12O who hold licenses. and cure
/ as many people. In point of fact, it Is well
| known that this class of physicians. to
! great extent, are called upon by persons who
/ have been given up by regular physician,
/ and very often succeed where the regulars
| stances in this city to show this, but will
only state one:
] Two prominent physicians of this city on
consultation decided that certain lady had
| an ovarian cyst, and that nothing would
| save her life but operation with the knife
| She concluded to try another healer who has
4 not a license, and when she told her physl-
4 clans this they said to her, s'we will give you
/ t'If the healer to whom you prOpOs9 to go
| saves your life, we regulars may well pull
1 in our shingles.'' The healer did cure her
/ without any operation. This Is only one of
many in this city, cured by magnetic
| healers, scientists, and that class of physi-
/ clans.
I make the assertion, and defy successful
/ contradiction, that at least twenty-five per
| cent. of those who are treated for ailments
! in Topeka, OF any kind, to a greater or
| less extent under the charge, at certain
| times, of physicians who have not received
i diplomas from colleges, and that at least ten
| per cent. treated. under circumstances
| will have physician holding a license, and
| yet section ten of the act which the state
/ board of health proposes to get into law
4 says, ssAny person shall be regarded as prac-
| ticinR medicine within the meaning of this
act, who shall treat, operate on or prescribe
/ for any physical ailment of another, Sec
| ton IL prescribes the penalty for violating
the above clause as follows: ANY person
i Is.-~