The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-28
THE Practice or MASSAGE.
A Demand Thst II shouid Ne Restricted ~ law
to the sa-; raetcd Only.

my
To THE EDITOR or THE suN.-Sir: While the
public Is protected by necessary laws and
regulations against tho deception and quack
cry formerly existing In many professions and
vocations having relation to It's health and gen
erai affairs, there exists. so far as I know. in no
state Of the Union any protection, under any law
or government, against the palpablo incompe-
tency OF u certain very numerous class OF mas
scurs and masscuses who. while protesting n
profound knowledge Of mechanical therapeutics
In general. and especially massage. are yet
wholly destitute OF the requisite education, nbil-
ity. and talent.
In many cases whore massage. ns an auxiliary
to medical and surgical practice. would produce
n most desirable effect, II Is left TO be applied
by ignorant impostors OF either sex. with no
qualification beyond their own assertion dis.
played on signboarts or in deceptive advertise
mcnts in certain newspapers. The danger OF
this practice is easily perceived. Tho limits OF
massage are well defined. But these bold
adopts Of ling and Mctzser fear no con;
tuinor as chcerfnlly os they viii treat
disease when poii me tonprrc should he the
watchword. ! have known them IN cases OF
lateral curvature OF the spine to rub ana cNcr'
ciso the muscles OF the coicavc side and consc-
crate this method by giving 70 1t Tho assuring
and modification " The female figure are the la
test achievements In modern mechanical thcra.
poniics OF this category. The fact Is that the Pre-;
medical rubber" is well aware that he can do
no good. But his utter ignorance OF the physio-
Knowing tina; he can iniict great Injury.
1t is strange that the United States should
possess the bcs; physicians and surgeons Ia the
world but the worst mnsscnrs. The virtue Of
massage Is not ovcrlookcd: but the difficulty Of
K" isn,s rdq ptnois an" nt ; "A. ns men ,n is t n%s root yIsib Of
RECORD a woii.known physician remark. thai:
and scientifically done. There are many people
who pose az mlsscurs and masscuscs who do not
know the first thing about, the subject, and
do his patient harm"
pr. Benia,nin Lee. In his valuable essay on
this opinion by saying:
IT is not TOO much to require that no one Of
either sex shall attempt to perform remedial
mnnipulations upon our patients who docs not
possess IA knowledge OF the leading facts In
size Of The various o organs and the position and
course of the larger blood vessels and nerves. and
q such facts In In physiologg as the functions OF
~ilation. and nutrition: OF the modes Of applying
massage and movements in such, n way as TO
time and with the least discomfort to
the patient; OF the effects produced locally and
methods Of rproeedare; Of the order in With
they should be used; and OF the injury which
may be inflicted by employing them improperly
vi ~ ''tIp'oBt NV 'nn'e Oit. &c 'oihptNthN
to acquire such knowledge who has not had a
certain amount Of education. To these cndow.
ments OF nature and education must be added a
manual deNterity in the application OF the vari-
Gus procedures which can only be acquired by
careful training under an experienced Instructor.
Hence II will be understood that the stable an~i
the laundry are not, on the whole, the best
schools from which to graduate practitioners OF
this art"
There exists no good reason why tho practice OF
massage should not be regulated and restricted.
In Sweden and other countries where the prac-
titiOncrs of mcchano.thcrapy enjoy the cont
dencc OF the medical profession, no ono Is per.
mitted TO adnlnister massage who is not quail
fled by the state Board Of Medicine. The same
method could easily be adopted here. II repu.
table masseur or masseusc should apply to a
state. Board OF Medicine for Il certificate,
let his Or her competency and record
be vouched for by a certain number of physicians.
] believe that a Legislative act Of this Kind would
be- hailed with delight by the public, the medical
profession, and by all legitimate massours.
lntil something IL done, in this direction, cheap
grocnis and servant girls with diplomas and
II valuable auxiliary To medical and surgical
practice will remain II constant source OF danger
afd. abuse in the hands " unlettered and un.
skilled assuIn"r-. ANEL G. HALLBECK,
NEW YORK, Feb. ~.