Iron County register., 1897-05-27
ROASTED GOV. STEPHENS.


stephens in Approving the OsteOpathy
Sl and in Placing the Fulton Asylum
An Charge of the Homeopaths.
missouri doctors have been having
great times in st. Louis The Missouri
Medical association (who styIe them
selves regulars), held their annual ses-
sion, and the Illinois physicians met in
East St Louis. The two bodies frater-
nlzed, and at a joint session in St
LOUIS President DIR. J. II. Duncan of the
missouri association delivered his an
nua4 address He paid his respects
ana those of the school of medicine
winch he represents to Gov. Stephens,
anent his recent actions in signing the
osteopathy bill and in placing the state
insane asylum at Fulton under the
control of the homeopaths in no unmis-
taxable terms. DIR. Duncan's utter
ances ELECTED applause so enthusiastic
and long-continued as to leave no
oouot as to the Endorsement of his
hearers. DR.. Duncan said in part:
recent insults to the people and medical
profession OF this great state by its chief exec
utiVe should be warning to US in the future 70
taAe an active part In elevating to that honor
aDIe position man broad enough and courag-
eouS enough to listen to the suggestions of his
IeIIoW-citizens- The act of the present govern
or IN signing bill, legalizing an innovation and
making IL q science an equality with medi-
cine is the greatest insult ever received bv
the o,OOO reputable medical gentlemen of all
schools, in this state. His conduct in this
matber was unwarranted. inexcusable and an
eFlosnce OF his inability fill satisfactorily the
exalted position in which we helped to place
MN 1t is pleasure for me to be able to hold
up to you his sensible broad-minded predeces-
sor, who realized that he was the servant Of B.
OAOO freemen, that his duty as slch was to
them carefully, and then act for their best in
Lerests, and for the dignity and honor of his
state When a similar bill was before him. he
vetoed IT, and 1 copy from that veto message a
few paragraphs:
Medicine and surgery are sciences A iu-
alClo1s lou OF successful practice of them requires
haS Deen greatly imposed upon, by ignorant
physicians as well by empiricS and char
IatanS VINO play upon the fears and credulity of
Suuerlng humanity The enlightened and
learned men of the profession. have
!a6ored assiduously for years to elevate
the profession, and to exclude from its
ranks, those who do not posses the knowledge
necessary to qualify them to deal intelIigently
with matters directly affecting human life.
The treatment of many kinds and
phases OF human diseases, by the art of manip-
ulatton, is not new thing 1t has been prac-
ticed. with more or less success, for many years
nave known people who have received great
Deneft from what is termed the massage treat
men Thls treatment is practiced at nearly all
oatnlng places and is not infrequently pre-
scribed by physicians. = !" do not believe
science, or that any mysterious contrivance or
practice should be recognized by legislative in
nounced against it. that feel Constrained to
return against it without my approval. to the
general assembly for its further consideration.
lSignedl "'WM. J. STONE.
For lack of time, have only selected the
above paragraphs from the veto message of ex-
Gov. Stone. wish had time to read it in its
entirety, for it deserves your careful consdera-
tion. With that message before him. with the
protestation and arguments of some Of our most
noted men, the present governor ignored the
wishes of those whom he is supposed to serve,
and 70 gratny his individual, personal feelings,
signed the bill. and by so doing humiliated the
medical profession of the state beyond
expression The people are apt to think
that our opposition to legalizing this practice
Is financial one. Allow me to say this
is a mistake. The existence of the practice
does not AFFECT the income OF the regular ply
Sician; and those who are carried away by the
wonderful cures sooner or later, except in rare
instances return to their family doctor. But
we feel that the representatives of a great
scientific body in this nation it is our duty to
protect the healing art from all isms,' 'fads'
and 'humbugs,' and by so doing guard the
health, welfare and pockets of our fellow-citi-
zens.
"a competent governor is the states safety
in her hour of distress, but we utterly help
less in the hands of one who is unwilling to
recognize the difference between science on
the one hand and massage and mesmerism on
the other.
Again, in what am about to say L cast no
slur upon the school of homeopathy. however
much may differ from them in practice, which
most certainly do. There are in Missouri
about 5000 medical men. and Of this number
about 800, cent, are homeopaths- There
are in Missouri about 100000 people. and OF
this number about 10000 are of the
homeopathic faith. There are in the in
sane asylum of Fulton about 200 in
mates, and 1 am credibly informed that in
April, 1897, not 3 per cent, OF them ever were
followers of homeopathy. Yet the governor of
this commonwealth has seen fit to- arbitrarily
and without cause, remove two reputable ply
sicians from the board of management of that
institution. solely that he might satisfy per-
sonal desire to place in control of that asylum
the school Of homeopathy. BY so doing he writ
ually says to 400 unfortunate citizens or missouri
and to their relatives and friends: L know you
prefer different treatment, but 1t is my will
that you accept homeopathic service. and
by the power in me vested you snail l
ask in All candor my homeopathic friend
would YOU not think il cruel if someone who
services Of q regular physician against your
willY And yet this governor says TO 1OO unfort-
unates, who can not act for themselves, and to
their sane relatives and friends, who have no
place to move them, IL they so desired: You
Shall, to further my private views and maybe
advance some personal frlendr accept homeo-
pathic treatment
Had been a member Of the legislature, and
had a bill been introduced placing at the dis
poSal of that school OF medicine a portion OF
one of the asylums, wherein those unfortunates
forming that practice could avail themselves
of it would have cheerfully voted for it; or
would go further. and favor the construction OF
another asylum and placing it in the hands Of
the homeopathS- But, appeal to the citizens
of Missouri, to the friends and relatives Of
the 700 insane at Fulton, il it was not an act
of Injustice and cruelty for q governor to SO far
forget his duty to his state as to tyrannize over
those unfortunates- Excuse me for dwelling so
hfitI I
future the SOO0 medical men of this state will
exercise their citizenship and influence, they
can assist in elevating TO the of1ceS OF trust
men who realize that they are TO serve the peo-
ple and not themselves
In concluding his address. President Duncan
recommended higher educatlonal quallhcatlons
for medical students, q state boaru OF examln-
ers 10 examine applicants for licenses to prac-
tice medicine in the state, more power TO the
state board of health in compelling sanitation
and the establishment Of local boards OF health
in each county to control sanitary matters
The most striking figure in the con-
yention, so far as personal appearance
is concerned was DIR. Brooks, of Garth
age.
He is recognized as d skilled surgeon He Is
tall and somewhat angular, and wears his hair
cropped quite closely on the top OF the bead,
hut allows it to fall in festoonS below his ears
A prominent St. Louis physician tells how Dr..
Frooks in a medical convention some YearTi
ago undid the years labor on the part OF St
Touis specfalist. The ST LouiSan had read a
paper on the identity Of Group ana dlph-
iberia. maintaining that Group was practl-
rallv the same disease. Il have been practlc-
ing medicine for 30 years. said Dr. Brooks' IN