Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-06-21
MEDICAL LAWS.


that oil who had not been through Il regular
course in medical college, and secured
license, was quack
NOW, venture to say, there are moro
qu0cks IN the city of Topeka, and presume
1t would hold good throughout the state,
who have received diplomas from medical
colleges than there are of those who are
practlcing medicine without license. Ev-
cry sensible man will agree that this is true
and inevitable.
Medical colleges are grinding out doctors
IN the United States by the thousands each
year, Topeka alone supplying forty-three,
pelleVe' All physicians OF good standing, of
Whatever school of medicine, will concede
mat the chief practical knowledge they pos
sess has come TO them outside OF the medical
school. They have obtained it by experience
IN actual life, They began really to learn
after passing their examination, and became
settled IN lie. They only learned at college
hol0 10 study medicine.
NOW, u without these preliminary studies
IN a college there is n person who has the
Blit OF healing, who knows how to study
BOOK and how TO inform himself about med
zeal matters, why should he be compelled to
60 through some medical college and spend
three or four years of his life, aud n largo
amount OF money, IN such useless prepare
tionY
AS an eminent physician has said II 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 sun.
Light.
A physician gains practice and experience
OF the business in proportion as he shows
that he can do something. Sick people do
not care for certificates or to be told wheth-
er he has graduated from one medical school
or another, or none ut all. What they want
ls 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 10 years
can one OF these graduates of the medical
college establish himself in q lucrative prac-
tlce If this is the case, Us 1t surely is, 1t is
absurd to them that the persons of the So
called irregular can or will bring harm to
the public, 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 public intorfer-
ence. 1t is one Of the fundamental prnci-
pies OF American citizenship that people
should be treated as responsible beings, and
capable of looking out for themselves in this
matter as well as in Others Until the contrary
IS proven, it is fundamental principle of
American citizenship that the right of talk.
ing care of ones self shall not be interfered
with, unless the public or general good ia
threatened. Even If the state cQlRld save an
individuals life by interferingT,'it has nc
business to do so unless the health of some
body else il endangered beyond that ndi
ViduaPs personality. Everyone has The right
| to do as he pleases in every department oil
| thought, and conduct, until the timo comes
| when the existence of this right encroachet
on the equal right of some other person
| This is the fundamental principle on which
our institutions rest.
If certain principles as to the diagnosis
| or treatment care of disease we're laid dowr
| by the regulars, and scientifically estab
lished, 80 that they would work every time
then the proposed medical law might, will
some show of reason, be endorsed. But sucl
| is not the case.
Every doctor knows and 80 does every
educated citizen, that the old theory OF "cur
ing" disease by the administration of medi
cine is, nine times out of ten, the veries
nonsense in the world. Indeed, it was Dr
0. W. Holmes who said if all the medicin
in the world to-day we're thrown into the sci
il would be so much the better for men, an,
70 much the worse for the fishes. He meant
of course, that the doses OF medicine tina
are given are the very smallest part of tn
matter Of healing the person who is i'll.
If the regulars admit that they do not pos
gess any such settled system, then wha
wight have they to ask that this form of
rystem be established and that nothing els
be allowed in the way of medical practice
throughout the state
nr n L. Rpwknr IA paloItrnfo1 ohon,iqi In
Boston, says that any permission or prohi
bition of practiclng medicine isahko uncon
Btitutional. 1t was so decided by the su
preme court of New Hampshire If Il per
son is injured by any one practicing medi
cine, he has redress in the law. No law cal
prohibit any one from choosing his trade o
profession, and to do SO is class legislation
pure and simple.
The state board Of health claim that tn
act which they have prepared to be present
cd at the next Legislature for ITS adoption
was considered and agreed upon by ever
school of medicine in existence, This is no
true.
There are in the city of Topeka, II is said
| 10 doctors: that is, persons holding certii
Gates from medical colleges. presume tina
I'LL of these 100 were represented through thei
committee in preparing the law, which
to DO presented to the Legislature, but be
sides these there were at least twenty othe
physicians who were not represented. Thes
are composed Of scientists of differen
schools, magnetic healers electro.homC
opathic healers and others. | venture tn
assertion that these twenty of whom
speak have as large q practice as the aver
age of the 120 who hold licenses, and cur
rs many people. In point of fact, it is wei
known that this class of physicians. to
great extent, are called upon by persons VIII
have been given up by regular physician
and very often succeed where the regular
have failed. | could state numerous in
stances in this city TO show this, but wi
only state one:
Two prominent physicians Of this city o
consultation decided that certain lady ha
an ovarian cyst, and that nothing woul
save her life but an operation with the knife
She concluded to try another healer who ha
not license, and when she told her phys
clans this they said to her, tive will give 20
the treatment free" and made this remark
''If the healer to whom you propose to g
saves your life, wo regulars may as well pu
in our shingles" The healer did cure he
without any operation. This is only one G
many cases in this city, cured by magneti
healers, scientists, and that class OF phys
clans.
make inc HSbeTJioHS ulI uoly buCcesoiI
contradiction, that at least twenty-five pc
cent. OF those who are treated for ailmeni
in Topeka, OF any kind, IRE to greater {
, less extent under the charge, at certai
times, of physicians who have not receive
Diplomas from colleges, and that at least te
per cent. treated, under no circumstance
Twill have a physician holding license, an
yet section ten of the act which the stat
board of health proposes to get into la
says, "Any person shall be regarded as praC
| Iinirr, t,nndicina within the meaning enf th