The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-01-27
MAKES DOCTORS HOT
PROPOSED MEDICAL LAW DBN0UNC-
EDBY A WICHITA PHYSICIAN.

Ed BY a WICHITA PHYSlOlAN.
1t is Ostensibly for the Regulation of Medi-
cal Practice, But DIR. Bennett Declares
That Its Sole Aim is to Drive Physicians
Who are SO "Unprofessionar' as to Adj
yertise. Out of the Profession-He De-
cIares Himself Forcibly on the Law, and
Points Gut Where the Weak Points Are
Rights of Health Board Defined.
Those doctors who advertise are con-
siderably worked up over bill which
is now UP before the legislature. The
bill was introduced by Representative
Smith Thursday last and is entitled an
act ito regulate the practice Of medi-
cine within the state and prevent the
sale OF medicines and drugs by timer
ant vendors"
DR.. j. E. Bennett is one doctor in
Wichita who does not like the bill and
he goes for it with lance lowered. and
blood in his eye. To a reporter for the
Eagle he said yesterday:
This bill provides that no person
moral character and a graduate of a
legally chartered medical institution
Of good reputation.
This all sounds well enough and TO
the unthinking, or the man uniform
ed in reference to the workings of
such things, appears entirely fair. But
to the initiated; the man who has been
forced 10 contend with the promoters
i-l- .lare &c "a
enough to induce him TO bestir himself
and lift up his voice in warning and in
opposition TO such d scheme before IL
is too late.
: II happen 20 be acquainted with the
bill in question and cogniZant of its
provisions. The bill was adopted by
a convention of the physicians of the
state assembly at the capitol building
in Topeka, May 15,1894. 1t was PRINT
ed and copies of it sent to all the ply
sicians of the state together with
circular letter asking the individual in
f!uence and financial aid of every
separate doctor in its behalf to secure
its passage and enable il TO become a
law. It provides in section first that a
graduate in medicine is to present his
diploma, have it registered and receive
certificate to practice by paying
small license fee.
WHAT IS UNPROFESSION
Section second is devoted to the
rights and duties of the health board
who are alone empowered to issue GER
tificateS and hence to decide who shall
and who shall not practice medicine IN
the state. At first glance the bill
seems to be fair and impartial, but sec
ton nine reads: The state board OF
health may refuse to issue the GER
tificates provided for in section two to
individuals guilty Of unprofessional
conduct, and may revoke such GER
tificateS for like causes.
There is nothing in the bill, as pre-
scented to the legislature, and its franz
ers intended that nothing shall be put
into it; to define what is unprofes-
sional conduct. The intent is evident
TO leave that for the board OF health
to determine, and If it is left for that
board to determine il is very certain
that the man who dareS to put dis
play card or advertisement into the
daily papers will be speedily waited
upon by representative OF that board
and forcibly invited to either suppress
such card or shut up shop immediate
~. Should he refuse to acceed to their
demands a prosecution in the courts
under this law is sure TO follow.
IF YOU ask me for my reasons Tor
thinking that this is the prearranged
plan and the latent scheme behind this
bill if il becomes a law; | answer that
this is and has always been the in
stigation OF such laws and the out
come Of their enactment.
They are aimed at the advertising
doctor, /. E., the man who has the nerve
to place a professional card in the pun
lie prints and then has also the hon
esty as we'll as the ability TO make his
promises good and preserve intact his
word passed TO his patrons.
Il cd horse
or spotted pony to proclaim his ident-
ity and still be very ethical. He may
ride in a nondescTipr gig or buggy and
il perfectly legitimate. He may be-
long to one two OF half dozen in
fiuertial churches in different parts of
the city To extend his acquaintance
and it is ell right. He may lead
class meeting for professional erect
and he is entirely honorable. He may
get himself appointed on some hospital
staff and he is Immediately supposed
to be quite learned and 1t is all quite
proper. He may get appointed surgeon
TO some monopoly or corporation, and
he is a wise fellow.
"A man cuts his finger. DR.. Hum
bug is called in to tie II up and I'M
mediately he rushes off to the press and
states all the facts including his name;
there is nothing irregular about 1t.
SCORING NON-ADVERTISE
"A child is ushered into this world;
YOU find a paragraph in next morn
ing's paper stating the fact and some
where in that paragraph occurs the
name OF DIR. Blow-hard as being in
attendance, indicating that he HIM
self dictated the article and inserted
his name in il. Yet this is perfectly
excuseable ethical and right.
But no difference how well a man
may do his work: how honorably he
may treat his patients; how ably he
may investigate their ailments or how
skilfully he may manage their afiilc-
tons No difference how wise he may
be or how much experience he may
have had; if he daTes to place dis
play card in the daily paper, and es-
pecialiy if that card offers TO guarantee
anything to the patient, he Is at once
branded as a Quack, a chdrldtan ana
pretender and is osCracised, VilLned
and reprOhated through the land II
he still persists in his unprofessional
doings: if he prove too strong Tor local
calumny to suppress, legislatures are
invoked. Hobbies created and Doodle
secured las in this case to get laws en-
acted under the cloak Of candor but
containing a mailed hand concealed in
A glove OF fairness to strike him down
and drive him out
I'VE End the same spirit running en-
tirely through this bill That IL is not
the incompetents that they are after IS
evidenced by the fact that in section
twelve. after prescribing a penalty Tor
practcing without a certificate from the
board OF health, they enter a prOviso
stating that any person who has been
practicing medicine ten years as
means of livelihood. even though he
have no diploma (and presumably no
knowledge of uedicine) shall have q
certificate granted 10 him; Dotwith-
standing his Ignorance; provided only
Il. Ia - ino.-, r-,ts1rr- ,rra mr.