The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-12

able by reasonable study and application.
their validity is not subject to obJection
because of their strlngency or difficulty.
Commenting on this decision and apply
ing il in the case of Columbus to-l Pny,
stefan who practiced without incense anu
was fined $50 Judge Bigger Court OF COM
mon Pleas Columbus. o. sustained the
fine and said: THE defendant claims the
Ohio law is invalid because IL impairs MS
previous contract; but the contract when
exists between State and citlzen VINO -
licensed TO practice medicine is not OF sucu
binding force to move IL out OF reacn OF
regulation at the hand OF the state. Inc
right of the State to enact police reeula-
lions extends 10 the right 10 impose heM
and additional restrictions and regulations
upon the practice OF medicine. whlch aLe
not unreasonable in themselves, as lhe
ton of the health and lives of its citizens
There Is no doubt TO the agreement OF
the proposed Indiana act with the state
and national constitutions.
Second-It has been falsely circulated that
all the doctors of the State. some nve
thousand. will each have 10 pay the 80, STAT xss
for a certificate. Legal practluoheIs VIZ
pay ST. new graduates from approved col
from inferior colleges, or who have no OIL
ploma or license 10 practice, Will pay go;
for one examination. with the priVllege, II
they fail. of taking the examination WIFI
out further cost within twelve montns
Persons practicing midwifery for ten years
pay 81 for a certificate; those Just De
branch. or present to the board an appi onei
diploma from a school of midwifery. inns
is the law in adjacent states MoIhs no
hardship and puts this important orahch OH
a legal and recognized basis. The fees thus
collected make the board self-supportlng
In brief. the cost is all borne by the DOC
tors and not a cent by the State. The doc
tors regard this no hardship. as Is SHOWN
by the fact that the $500 physicians OF IN
diana who are members of the leading or
CARNATIONS, regardless OF sectarianism: are
all working tremendously for the bill 10
become law. And well they may, ot LOT
| with the excellent laws In force IN Oilo'
Kentucky and Illinois. this State has pc
| come the paradise of the itinerants, lndlan
| doctors and fakes of all the adjacent STATES;
| to the actual necessity OF such law. 10.
| fore me is the catalogue OF chicago 9i-
ploma mill-a so-called independent medl-
cal college which offers diplomas for from
| $50 to SO. and the student does not leave
home. The examination questions are Sent
| to him. Most of this catalogue Is IN apuse
| of the Illinois health board. which, next 10
| that of New York city, has done more than
all others to advance the standard of med
| ical colleges and the sanitary and hyglenic
! good of the people. Our Western SCHOOLS
| formerly had two terms OF i've months;
now there are four years .o OF SIX noepes
| of the United States. This the doctors have
| done themselves, for they are not cads ana
| servants. as in England, but, living In one
place and doing honest work. they have an
assured social position and are as learned
| and progressive as the legal or theological
| professions.
What more noble tribute to the doctor
| than President Cleveland's address before
| the New York Academy of Medicine. Jan.
| %? He says: You have a code of ethics
which condemns charlatanism in all its
| forms and yet ignorant pretenders roam
over the land, Offering to perform miracles.
or are located in our towns and cities prey
| ing upon the weakness of the sick and az
| flicted, while men and women are allowed
| to die without medical attendance; and de-
| luded with the hope that faith Will save In
the last extremity" And then he tells the
| physicians: IF laws are needed 10 abolish
| the abuses your professional Investigations
have unearthed you should not be strangers
| to the agencies which make the laws, ano
| that is just what the physicians of the
State are trying to do by urging this bill.
The common law protects people against
| fraudulent insurance companies, smell
games false measures and balances, fraud
| ulent contracts and cheating schemes OF all
kinds; and yet before me as | write Is
| letter from an Ohio prosecuting attorney
| asking for the professional standing OF
an infirmary I'm this city which had con-
| tracted TO cure a case of infantile paralysis
| (as hopeless as hunchback) and the note
| for 800 is now presented for payment to
| poor farmer through bank OF THIS city.
whose character is also asked for. These
| and other letters / have, and by. inside
knowledge i know that the whole scientific
| knowledge of this concern Is vested in
/ doctor whom they paid 500 a month to an
swer the symptom letters and send out the
| medicines And now this concern rolls in
wealth and fights with ample means this
bill. In the State of Kentucky such prac-
| titioners are quickly in jail under their law.
The fact is that the world moves and the
mind opens Medicine is to-day the COM
| mon meeting ground of all the sciences.
| Through matters of hygiene and public
| health it connects with State and municipal
politics: even philosophy is embraced
| through its later physiological studies. and
| more. by its universal pity and charity for
human suffering it is breaking down sec
| tarianism-even its own--and is becoming
| the universal religion of humanity. To dis
courage in any way this honest effort of its
| sacred priesthood to relieve mankind is
more than Legislative incapacity and afro
| ply: it is moral obloquy and impiety. Let
| us look after little children and our
hopeful but incurable epileptics and con-
| sumptives with as much care as We do our
swine fish and quail. If this Legislature
| fails to pass a fair medicine bill the next
F, will succeed, for the doctors and hygien-
ists-notably the women-were never more
in earnest. and our profession is power
in politics
Wilberforce did not want the happiness
| of mankind postponed until the next meet
ing of Parliament: he wanted a special ses-
| sion called and happiness secured at once.
The optimistic and enthusiastic members of
our profession have faith that this Legis-
| lature will pass this bill. If they fail an
other Legislature will pass wiser and a
| better one. A. w. BRAYTON.
| Indianapolis Feb. IL.