The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-25
THE MEDICAL BILL.
A Physician Who Objects to Having
it Repealed

Cedar City, Utah. Feb. III read
with Indignation the appeals of nu-
merous quacks and irregular practi-
TONERS of medicine to have the pres
ent medical law repealed. Surely our
legislators could never be converted to
the idea of throwing down the bars
and admitting the offscourings OF all
creation to flock here and meet on
equality with men OF tested knowledge
and skill.
We all agree that human life is too
sacred TO be dealt lightly with and
that of all people the physician should
be most conscientious and honest in
his work. None but those who come
up to a certain standard of qualifica-
ton should be permitted to practice,
because the people are not able TO
judge of the merits of pretenders, es-
pecially if they are endowed with that
characteristic of the charlatan.
Therefore, it should be the business of
the state to protect them from en-
piricism and to see that only those
we'll qualified shall be eligible for Serv-
ice.
The people of our new and promising
state are worthy of a high standard
of medical service, in which they need
have no fear of being imposed upon
by confidence swindlers, such as the
ordinary quack is recognized to be-
Any person who is really fit to prac-
tice medicine will have no dlff1culty
in taking the examination The held
is open to all competitors able TO come
up TO the required standard. 1t is
we'll known custom of quacks and ir-
regular practitioners to migrate from
states where the requirements are be-
yond their ability, and take UP their
abode where there is no law against
them. In nearly every state of the
Union there are laws requiring GER
tain standard of efficiency on the part
of practitioners of medicine 1t is easy
to see that if our law IS repealed Utah
will be the dumping ground of a great
host of pretenders. 1 need only cite
as example the condition in Kansas a
few years back. 1 know men who
made enormous salaries in that state,
posing as doctors. who were as ignor-
ant as one could well imagine of the
science of medicine. No doubt many a
poor patient paid the penalty of their
lack of skill. 1t would be a stride
backwards toward barbarism and the
dark ages to repeal our law.
If we have an influx of physicians,
let them be men of high standard. Let
the state see to their qualification.
They have to do, not with our business
concerns, but with that which is most
vital to our temporal welfare-health
and life itself Let our physicians be
men abreast of the times. well learned
and skilled in the art, and let them
not be Inundated by meeting on terms
of equality luacks and humbugs Let
the emulation for success and the
competition for business be among
men adjudged by the state worthy of
their profession and able to render re-
liable service. Our law works no
hardship on the small outlying towns.
It permits persons to act in emergency
and render what service they can as
long as they do not pose as doctors.
1t gives them all the liberty necessary.
Rather let the standard be raised as
it has been done in the older states.
Let the quacks go to Nevada with the
prize-fighters and other liberal indul-
gences. Let the new star on the firma-
ment of our nations flag be a bright
and glorious ensign. Let it aim to be
a star of the first magnitude and shine
with a radiance that shall never be
dimmed
GEORGE w MTDDJ ETON