Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-22
Hearing on the. Bill to Regulate the
Practice Of Medicine.
THOSE who 6PPQSE TIE MEASURE
Or. Busey's Argument Favoring
the PROPOSED Plan.
HER LOCAL MATTERS

trict of Columbia a Il
This bill is the same as that on which the
Senate District committee gave a hearing |
Those appearing in favor Of the bill were
DR.. Busey of the Medical Society of the |
District of Columbia and DR.. Gusts of the
Medical Society. Those OPP
posing the bill were DR.. Geo. Macdonald of
the Eclectic Medical Society, DR.. w. w.
Hubbell Of the White Cross University, end
DR.. Nelson Calvin Page of the Physio-
Medical School.
DR.. William Donnally of the Washington
City Dental Association appeared in favor
of the bill, but asking some amendments.
The question of dividing the time of the
hearing caused friction at the outset, fnd
there were outcroppngs of irritation among
the individual opponents of the bill at the
time allotted the representatives Of the So
ciety.
DR.. MncDonalIs Objections.
DIR. Macdonald of the Eclectic Society
was heard first. He said the bill is the
creature of the American Medical Asso-
citation, an organization perfected for the
purpose of perpetuating a monopoly OF
medical practice. He charged DR.. Busey
with being the agent of the association
for the capture of the District, and said it
was his pull with the Commissioners
He said that through the power and trick
cry of this medical trust all other ply
sicians not agreeing to their tenets are de-
barred from practicing medicine IN many
Of the states. He held that the practice
of medicine in the District is already
amply protected by existing law. If there
are any impostors practicing here 1t Is
the fault of the officers of the law In not
carrying out its provisions. He objected
to the proposed board of medical examiners
and the method of creating it. He wanted
board of men so eminent IN the prO1eS-
sion that they can sit as censors over the
applicants who have received degrees from
Institutions of learning The idea of hav-
Ing two government clerks and three men
selected by the Commissioners to pass upon
candidates seemed ridiculous to him.
The White Cross University.
DR.. w. w. Hubbell of the white Cross
University was next heard. His institu-
ton was incorporated under the general
law of 1870. he SAID. He had studied medi-
cine and law, and this was method of
putting into operation certain discoveries
of his own THE rules of this old fossil,
the Medical Society," he said, this Rip
Van Wrinkle, that has not invented any
thing for one hundred years. would not let
me do anything Unless turned everything
over to Them His university, he said,
was in his Office on New York avenue. He
had gone all through the field of science
and chemistry. He had shown the Com
mssioners how to sink wells to get pure
water, and had invented high-poWer
|ssteel gun. There was only one other ply
stefan beside himself who is practicing
medicine under his school, and, as yet, his
university has regular system of stu
dents. He had invented a medicine which
would help nature to cure all troubles.
Other Objections.
Dr.. Page of the tptysio-medioal school,
said when he looks atethe records of the
men who form the regular medical soce-
! ties he shudders for the welfare of coming
generations. Statistics show that the death
| rate far exceeds the birth rate, and threat
! ems the extinction of the race.
DR.. r. B. johnson favored an honest and
| impartial law regulating the practice Of
medicine In this District, but he desired to
| point out the head of the great dragon
| hidden beneath the verbiage of this bill.
| He said the regular societies do not con-
tain all the brains of the District, nor have
| they excluded all of the devilishness sup
posed to be found only in Gehenna. -''fsr'
| DR.. Dor nally of the Washington City
| Dental Society announced that the pro-
| moters of the bill have agreed 10 amend
| ments desired by his society, and the bill
| will therefore meet the approval of the 2UQ
regular dentists of the city.
DR.. F. H. Williams objected briefly to the
| bill, on account of its Determinations.
| DIR. Buscy Advocates the Plan.
l. DR.. S. c. Busey of the Medical Society of
| the District favored the bill. After long
| years of contention the regular practi-
TONERS and the homeopathists have agreed
| upon this bill The American Medical AS
ISOLATION has nothing to 90 with it. The
| legislatures Of forty-five states have en-.
| acted protective laws of this nature, and
| there should be similar protection for the
| District The fact that impostors have
| been driven out of other states renders il
| more imperative to protect the District.
| those
| who, under the general incorporation law
establish institutions that confer the de-
gree of M. D. without any educationa
qualifications This city has become tn,
rendezvous of all the men of this class.
He said that at least 80 per cent of the
graduates of medical colleges of this coun
try are insuffiCiently educated, and the only
| way to protect the profession here agains
them is to submit applicants to stricte
examination.
He thought the plan proposed by thi
bill, for the formation of the board o
supervisors, a good one, and If the bill Il
enacted into law it will raise the standar,
Of the medical profession in this District
DR.. Busey then explained the provisions o
| the bill in detail.
Mr.. Mines asked if there is anything o.
record to show that the death rate is lowe
| in those states having strict laws regulat
ing the practice Of medicine.
DR.. Busey said this question raises
wide field of inquiry, but he could say tina
the general health Of the public ha
greatly increased in the past ten years.
DIR. Custis Supports the Bill.
Dr. Gusts of the Homeopathic Societ
spoke briefly in support of the BILL H
said the whole object Of the bill is to pre-
tect the public and not to benefit the ply
sicians. He referred briefly to the evil
of the present Atuati ton, already outlined
The hearing closed with short state
{ ment from DR.. Bdsey that the object of tn
bill in providing fees for licenses is to max
the board Of SUPERVISORS self-supporting.
Post-Gradunter School of Medicine.
The House District committee today fs
f vorably reported hga, Senate bill to incol
i porate the Post Graduate School of Med
cine. The incorporate tors named in the bi
: are Henry L. Ea johnson, Edmund ]
e Tompkins, ]. FpsteE Scott. William v
4 Richardson, JAMES Kerr, Middleton j
4 Cuthbert, Edward N. Parker, G. Wytf
George N. Acksr, Y. Holland Whine
Henry D. Fry, J.. Ford Thompson an
Thomas E. McArdle. The bill endows tt
association with all the rights of otht
medical schools. The corporation may ho
real and personal estate to the amount
e 100000, and is empowered from time