The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-05

the latter have to be established and MAIN
tanned by law The act of 1897 ITO regulate
the practice of medicine" ETC., puts IT in the
power of five physicians, appointed by the
Governor, to sit in judgment on the qualifi-
cations of all the other physicians In the
State to recognize" or refuse to recognize
any particular medical college 'as maintain
ing sufficiently high grade or standard Of
medical education as defined and fixed in
the records of the board" and to issue or
refuse to issue license to practice medi-
cine to any person according as, in the
opinion of the board, the person may or
may not come up to the boards standard
This goes very far in the direction of in
terfering with personal rights. Such egis-
lation is defended on two grounds-frst, the
protection of the people against medical
ignoramuses, and second, to purge the med
ical profession of quacks But what provi-
sion of the Constitution or what principle
of government makes 1t the duty of the
State to purge the medical profession of
quacks or to protect the people against med
ical ignoramuses? We have legal igno-
ramuses, who butcher the property and So
clad rights of the people, and theological
ignoramuses, who undertake to minister to
sick souls, but the law does not interfere
with them. 1t does not fix any standard
Of education for lawyers or preachers, nor
require them to register and receive a
license to practice or preach from a board
which sets up its own standard. Some of
the best lawyers and preachers Indiana has
ever had were not graduates of law school
or theological seminary, nor of any college
or academy, even. Under the old Consttu-
ton a prospective lawyer had to undergo an
examination and be favorably reported on
before he was permitted to practice. Under
the present Constitution no qualification is
required except good moral character, and
not much of that 1t seems strange that
almost fifty years after reltnqu1shing it's
right to prescribe a standard or qualifica-
tons for lawyers the State should, for the
first time, exercise the right in regard to
doctors. In law and theology the fittest sur
vive. The lawyer who gets big cases and
fees does not ask the State to elevate the
standard of his profession by closing the
door against pettifoggers, or to protect the
people against legal ignoramuses. Why is
IL any more the uuty or IuncuOn OF the
State to protect the people against medical
ignoramuses? Even ignoramuses and quacks
are citizens, and have natural and constitu-
tional rights as sacred as those Of college
professors and medical faculties. The Jour-
nal is not arguing in favor of ignorance,
but in favor of personal liberty and against
class, paternal and proscriptive legislation
There is too much such legislation in all
the States. It seems now that the BARRIERS
are likely to ask for their share of it. The
Greenfield Republican says:
The proposed legislation against incompe-
tent BARRIERS is creating interest among local
BARRIERS, as in general they believe that some
law should be enacted that will benefit their
profession AS to men shaving themselves
there is no question, and the per cent. in
Greenfield is growing every day. BARRIERS
claim that this has been brought about by
inferior artists in the tonsorial line.
If it is the duty of the State to protect
the people against ignorant practitioners of
medicine, why not against inferior artists in
the tonsorial line?" In fact, we are by no
means certain that the demand for reform
in the ''tonsorial profession is not an out
growth of the microbe theory that would
make the State health protector and med
zeal adviser for all the people, with Incl
dental functions regarding the fumigaton of
slate pencils. That is the logical tendency
Of laws to regulate the practice of medicine