The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-10-26
DOCTORS SHOULD
NOT BE TAXED.
Should be Removed as
Matter Of Justice.
DR.. NELSON OPPOSES.
DR.. DeShazo Opens the Discussion
in Favor.
.,,r NTIJTOc
EDWARDS, HODGES AND OTHERS
Tho Society Meets Next Year in lynch
bur.-Dr. John Robinson Glider
sleeve Elected President.
Meeting Closed With a
Banquet at The
Gleason Hotel
fsnce,a, dispatch TO The Ti.nes.)

Especial Dispatch TO The iitnes2
CHAIR. u.oTTESyILLE. VA, October 20
The Medical Society of Virginia ad3eulilsu
this evening 10 meet next yesis III ~ - :, =.
burg. The following officers wee e4estso-
President. John Robinson Gi:defsteeVe.
.r.va,.eI1. First yice-President. JOAN Henry
NeT IIarrisonburs: Second F.ce-PTesluett' l
!. t-opeisnd. Round Hill; Third wee
President. Charles ". Plitcnett. i1aiNlile'
Recording secretary. Lanoon q. E4"at@s'
Richmond; Corresponding Secretary, Joiiii
f. winn. Richmond: Treasurer, hichafo
7. Styli. Newport News.
The meeting closed fo-nsht "ttii d o7t.-
uuet at Hotel Gleason
NO LICENSE TAN.
At last nights session, DR.. j. s. Dc
Shazo. of Ridgeway, made an effective
address on the Removal OF the Speciai
License Tax he urged that, as the
medica! profession did so much chaIitaole
work, and benefited the State IN so many
ways. and especially in preventing the
spread of contagious diseases me 9tate, ils
in return. should remove the license tax
as mere matter of justice and right.
No other profession did so much and was
50 barshlv treated. The doctors mad 10
bear it, because they were not cioseiE
enough in touch with the legislators Let
them cultivate these gentlemen before theN
reached the engaging. persuasive a1lnoS-
,hcre of Richmond. Let physicians Iearh
TO ..pull the wire and better things were
IN store for them.
OPPOSED.
Or, Hugh T. Nelson vigorously opposed
the proposition. The State OF NirSiila
he said. was poor, her asylunls fci Inc u
t1icte6 soldiers We're crowded. her Oh Con
federate soldiers We're suffering Tor care
and attention. What right had the medic al
profession to knock at her doors and ASK
frh prn
would Impair her ability To tsttzes Gaze OF
her Dependents
Why should the medical profession be
freed from taxes which other professions
bore, and bore uneomp!aininsly? Physi-
clans we're charitable. he admitted. put
was there man Gil the floor who believed
that they went into the profession solely
for charity and the exercise OF the otle'
Heavenly virtues ascribed 10 them? No.
They vert into ii expecting 10 make an
hcnest living. and they made this liT-
ing ne believed tliev should pay their
State tax, as every other profession was
doing.
Dr. T. NJ. Parker made another earnest,
eloquent address along the same lines
taken by Dr. Nelson.
DR. EDWARDS.
pr. Landon Edwards Of Richmond.
earnestly advocated the measure. 1t was
no question of clla-ity-it was simply one
of Justice. The doctors did benefit the
State more than the members of other
professions. They prevented the spread
Of contagious diseases, affecting all citi-
Zens-.hey were poorly paid as State eX-
perts-ihey did a vast charity practice.
and their State Board Of Health was ever
watching and working for the welfare OF
the State. He therefore asked the repeal
OF the tax as i simple matter OF justice.
Doctors Neff, of Harrisonourg. ana
Hodges, of Richmond. reiterated DR.. Ed
wards arguments, ana the latter gave
several slans TO other professions, par
ricular1y the legal fraternity.
THE RESOLUTION.
DR.. W. d. Turner. OF Ferguson's Wharf.
at the request of DR.. DeShaZo, offered
the following resolution. which was car
ried by a large majority:
Whereas The physicians OF Virginia
lock after the public sanitation, make
seif-suppor,ing citizens of diseased pau
pers, fight down deadly epidemcs, and do
more charity work than ali other profes-
SONS combined, ard
Whereas. Nearly every other State in
the United States has repealed special Ii
cense tax upon physicians.
Resolved, That he medical profession OF
the State. through its State Medical So
ciety, declares his an unjust law. and
begs the Legislature Of Virginia for a re-
To carry into effect this resolution, a
motion was adopted providing for The ap-
pontment Of a special committee of seven
members 10 have charge OF this special
question, with power to appoint sub-com-
mit.ees for the county and city districts
and that IL also have fu! power 10 formu-
late methods besi calculated TO secure the
repeal of this law.
The chair appointed on this committee
Drs. j. B. DeShazo chairman. j. r. G.l-
dersieere. ". D. Turner, Rawley Martin
southgate Leigh. NJ. D. Hose, Jr.. and T.
NJ Psrkins.
ILLEGAL PRACTITIONERS.
DR.. z. S. Martin OF Stuart. Va, read a
Very f5;le paper on What Can We Do 10
Enforce the New Medical Laws He
urged that the Society look into the mat
ter ana act at once The profession was
being dragged down and the health Of the
people endangered by Illegal practitioners.
DR.. Paulus A. Irving. Of Richmond. next
read u most interesting peaper on The
Stale Board of Health-1ts History, Work
and Possibilities .
DR.. c. ". Drake. of Holins. delivered
practical address an "Dietetics and Dietary
Reform.
Under The head of miscellaneous busi-
ness, Dr.. Jos. a. White, of Richmond.
chairman of the Business Committee, pre-
scented . let;ersto the Society from DR.
Wn H. Taylor. of Richmand. protesting
vigorously against the present treatment
and payment of medical experts in Vir-5
ss,.a. and asking the Society TO take steps
FOR their relief. The Doctor cited several
cases in which he had been compelled to
70 great distances as an expert, and when
he had rendered The service required. and
presented his bill. he was confronted with
I the statement that there wss no law au-s
thorizink: the payment of medical experts, I,
The court before which he had testified,
the State Auditor and the Attorney Gene
raj OF the State had all assured him of this
furs