Evening star., 1897-06-15
Medical Freedom.
or OF The Evening Star:

To the Editor OF The Evening Star:
The pending considerati ton of Senate bill
1134, and the adverse report cf the health
officer of the District thereon, seem to call
for the immediate attention of all persons
" ho value the principle, embodied in the
measure
The church has largely lost it's power of
oppression ard repression in this age, and
this power is becoming vested in so-called
science. but the science which seeks most
to control the affairs of men is mere ma
terialism and not science in any broad
sense. The scalpel and the microscope are
adding constantly to a knowledge of the
physical basis of life, and the compound
ing of new drugs grants new temporary
immunities to the violators of natures
laws.
Medical societies procure the passage Of
laws which shall forbid the exercise OF
healing powers by any but the holders of
a certificate from a commission which
they control, just in former times none
but the officially approved We're permitted
to administer religious functions. AS
Jesus Christ was condemned to death for
sedition under the Jewish laws. SO under
the laws of the District of Columbia at
the present day He might DE fined in the
Police Court and forbidden to heal the
sick until He had passed the prescribed ex-
animation and obtained certificate.
1t has been found, not by universal con-
sent, but to such degree as to be en-
health Of the community is best promoted
by religious freedom but the apostles Of the
materiaistic epoch would have US believe
that medical freedom is dangerous TO the
community.
Much better would it be if laws were
passed against the administration of drugs
even by registered physicians. Tne proper
remedy for disease is the removal of its
Cause. Virtuous and sanitary living IS a
crying need of the people. The mission of
medical men, If holy one. is to prevent
the commission of sin by advice and ad-
monition based on the knowledge they
within the physiological province which
is that of their Jurisdiction. The practice
of medical men is largely the exercise of
their ingenuity to palliate the consequences
of sin. Thus they uphold and prolong the
wrongdoing of the sinner, until its con-
sequences pass beyond their control and
the community is corrupted. To aid tham
in this endeavor they maintain professional
secrecy, whereby the Wrongdcer may be
further protected from having Inc con-
sequences of his sin visited upon him.
The advocacy of laws of medical restrlc-
tion is based upon representations of de-
ceit and imposition rracticed upon the
ignorant by the INSCRIPTIONS. but the laws
themselves are addressed to the prohibition
of unsaI ctioned relations between patient
and physician, however Intelligent or hon
est. Why not address the remedy to the
evil? The prevention of evil practices is
within the legitimate province OF legisla
tive authority. The Mormon may believe
what he will, but the law forb.ds pclyg
amy; a man may be a traitor at heart to
lis country, but the Constitution provides
that he must be convicted of overt acts of
treason before he can be condemned; the
freedom of contract is broad, but false
pretenses are punished when they result
in fraudulent acts. Let the ckarlatan or
the saint be punished for the evil he does
but do not condemn him in advance for
the professions he makes. No law should
be allowed to remain upon the statute
books which prohibits any person from
selecting a physician for his soul or his
body or from: Offering his healing powers
to the service of the sick.
B. PICKMAN MANN.