Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1894-12-20
MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.
AN ADDRESS TaAT is OF GEN.
ERAL INTEREST.
The Status Of Medical Legislation An
Important Subject Sadly Neglected =
The Recent Meeting at Wagner.


The Indian Territory Medical
Association held its regular semi
annual meeting at Wagner, on the
11th and 18th insts. Many valua-
BILE papers were presented on the
different branches of medicine and
surgery. The attendance was fair
and the meeting altogether a very
satisfactory one. This is an inval.
liable institution to the members
of the profession who have the en-
terprise to avail themselves Of IL.
The following address upon the
subject of medical legislation is
given to the public by the associa.
ton and the newspapers of the
territory are respectfully requested
to give it place in their columns
The Cherokee, Choctaw, Greek
and Chickasaw nations have al
ready passed laws for the regula-
ton of the practice of medicine and
surgery possessed of more or less
merit. The Cherokee law passed
at the request of a commission of
this association is a better law than
that of most of the states, having
omitted many of their errors. 1t
provides for a board of three in
each district and a central board of
appeals which latter is constituted
an advisory board of health. The
law specifies the number of ques-
tions which shall be propounded
on each branch of medicine and
surgery, and requires the same to
be conducted in writing and kept
on file. 1t requires the examina.
ton of graduates and prohibits all
others absolutely from practice.
The applicant may present himself
to the district board as often as he
may choose for six months, after
which he has recourse to the board
of appeals. The fee for examinas
tion is $40. This law has not b, en-
enforced by the national attorneys,
either from ignorance or indifi'
ence, or for political reasons. The
executive machinery of the Chero-
kee nation has not been adequate
to the protection Of the people.
The Creek law provides a board
of medical examiners. Any per-
son calling himself a physician
may apply. If he has a diploma
he pays S. for registration without
examination, otherwise he must
pay fee of s25 for examination.
In addition an annual tax of S25 is
levied upon all practicing physi-
clans. This law is not well exc
cuted, by reason of apathy OF the
civil officers, who look well to the
collection of the tax, but pay no
attention to the matter of bringing
the physicians before the board.
The board is active, doing what it
can to effect the purposes OF the
law.
The Chickasaw council has re-
Gently passed an act, copy Of
which we have not been able to Sc
cure. We infer from a newspaper
extract that it creates an examin.
ing board and authorizes it to
charge $50 for each examination
In the absence of a copy of the act
we are not prepared to discuss it
fully, but make the general obser-
yation that the fee is excessive un-
less it embraces a government tax
on the privilege of practicing med
icine. In no case should the fee
for examination alone exceed ac-
tual expenses Of the board and
reasonable compensation for time
Any tax by the nation upon the
practice Of medicine, certainly a
very unusual thing, should be lev
led direct, and not associated in
any way with the duties or service
of the board, lest the whole matter
SAVIOR of extortion or prohibition.
The better men in the profession
seeking a field Of practice would
hardly be willing to pay a bonus
for the privilege of serving human
ity. So that such legal enactments
might have the effect to prevent the
accession to our territorial ranks OF
a desirable class Of physicians.
The Choctaw law provides for a
board of three, whose duty it is to
examine all applicants for practice
for which they are entitled 10 col
lect s25. In each Of the foregoing
cases the penalty for noncompli-
ance is removal from the territory
by the Indian agent, after having
been reported to him by the chief.
The agent has not felt authorized
to lorcibly remove such persons,
consequently the law is practically
without a penalty and inoperation
The information comes to this
committee that in every instance
the law is very imperfeclly exc
cuted, the reason being apathy up
on the part OF sEerifis, prosecuting
attorneys and courts, which in
part grows out Of a misapprehen-
sion Of the real intent of the law
These officers, the people at large,
and strangely enough many repu-
table members OF the profession
think medical legislation is for the
protection Of the profession pri.
marlly.
The public, enormously think
ing us a party at interest, judge
that it is only a question Of the ins
and the outs, and feel little in
clined to take part in a doctors
quarrel. Is it possible to cause
the public to see that we are work
ing disinterestedly for their pro-
lection against dangerous profess
sional incomneiencY2 We belieYe