The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-09-18

the court -nOi1 lBat t-t p
1jan science end allied methods is not
practicing medicine. would be a speci2l
act By the next Legislature forbidding IN
der heavy penalties attempts to cure
disease for fee or reward by any method
whatever without first having obtained a
license from the Board of Medical Exam
i,ers. If these methods be good and eff
factiye let them be employed, but insist
upon it that the practitioner who assumes
such terrible responsibility knows what
he IS about.
1t is sincerely to be hoped that this
tragic object lesson will bear fruit in saw
ing our people from the fads and ~vagaries
of ignorant, if sometimes sincere persons.
RICHARD H. BATTLE.
DR.. BAKERS VIEWS.
To the Editor:-Replying to your ques-
ton: what should the State do in regard
to the death of the little boy in EeWbern
under the treatment OF Il Christian Seen
list" | would say that q liberal c%onstruc-
ton Of the laws OF North Carolina regu-
lating the practice of medicine and sur
gerry makes the "ooeratOr,' or "healer
guilty Of a misdemeanor, and liable TO
punishment accordingly. The laws OF
1881 and 1889, it seems, are conclusive on
LlIS DOliLt- ,l1tpIt1 1OI, PEI : = otAC
4 and 5 laws of 1889, says: ANY person
who shall practice or attempt to practice
medicine or surgery in the State without
first having registered and obtained a GER
tifcate as aforesaid, shall be guilty of a
misdemeanor, &c The Supreme Court
in State VS.. Van Doran. 100 n. c.. page
S64, says: "To constitute the offence Of
practicing medicine under acts of 1881
without registration, etc, it is not neces-
sary to allege or prove the person prac-
ticcd upon; it is sufficient if the defend
ant held himself out to the public as a
physician" A physician is one who prac-
tees medicine. Medicine is defined
STANDARD Dictionary: The healing art;
the science OF the preservation of health,
and the treating diseases for the purpose
Of cure. Among the North American In
dams anything supposed to influence the
Gods f~avoraDly."
The practice Of medicine is not simply
the administration Of drugs or the direc-
ton for the internal use OF certain yegeta-
Bile or mineral substances. 1t includes
all mean used for the cure of disease,
or the practice of the art of healing. Any
person holding himself out to the public
as q "healer," although he may not call
himself a physician, is attempting to prac-
tice the healing art, and in such capacity
should be compelled to comply with the
laws, or suffer the penalty.
The recent case in Newborn is the first
warning Of the invasion of the State by
a fanatical sect of charlatans. BY claim
ing a certain dependence upon religion and
under the cognomen of Christian Science,
"a most dangerous application of hypno-
tism is practiced. Suggestive therapeu-
tics IN the hands of on hOnnro 65p and in
telligent practitioner, has it's field of use
%fulness; but in the hands of ignorant and
fanatical laymen, making use Of the nat
ural inclination to look with reverence
for, and awe upon, things connected with
the Divine, it is both dangerous and BIAS
phemous. 1t is in violation of both civil
and religious laws.
The words christian and science used
in the combination are simply terms to
%conjure with. and to fix more firmly and
readily upon the mind of the individual
the hypnotic influence sought to be ex-
erted.
The Newbern case, according to the
report, was one of ordinary malarial in
lection, scientifically considered, it is a
disease produced by the entrance into the
blood Of a peculiar form Of parasite, whose
life he's been studied and whose ravages
are well known. as is also the methods
of destroying it. To stand over the sick
child and tell him he was WELL" expect
ing thereby to destroy this parasite is ar
rOgating to the operator s~uperhuman pow
er. To attempt this by suggestion, or
hypnotic influence, is a display Of criminal
ignorance OF. the power attempted to be
exerted. AS we'll might the Operator
or 'healer" allow one to plant a seed OF
cotton or corn, under favorable environ
ments and stand over it and tell it not to
terminate and grow, expecting it to do
as commanded.
The failure to recognize we'll established
principles and to use the means of re-
lief well known in every household in the
land, resulted in this case. as it always
viii, in disastrous results. The conbina-
ton Of ignorance, superstition, fanaticism
charlataniSm makes victims of the inno-
cent, and the State should protect them.
If, as we believe, the laws cited are suff-
cient, the Judges of the criminal courts
should be asked to call the attention of
the grand jury to all violations of this
character. If the laws regulating the
practice OF medicine do not cover the
case, then certainly the criminal statutes
do, and the solicitors should be urged to
III SoS1 d1l1 "
criminal carelessness or negligence can
be discovered, as to Justify it, indictments
fer manslaughter should follow. But as
no law can be enforced unless it has the
endorsement of the community, the people
should be made to understand the folly
and the danger Of such evils. Should
this be done there would be an earnest
cooperation with the officers Of the law
in their efforts to punish the offender,
and eradicate the evil. If on the other
hand the present laws do not cover the
case, then certainly the coming Leg;sla-
ture should be asked to pass a law that
would be sufficient to protect the citizens
of the State.
Yours truly,
ULIAN NJ. BAKER.
DIR. McKEE'S VIEWS.
To the Editor: Replying to your COM
nlunication Of the 18th instant, will state,