The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-10-23
DR., LEWIS is SORRY
That Supreme Court Decided
for Mcknight.
Secretary of The N. c. Board Of Health Explains
The Purpose Ct the Law R, quiing
License.

A News and Observer reporter yester-
day called on DR.. Richard II Lewis. Sec
rotary of the North Carolina Board of
Health, and asked him what he thought
of the opinion of the Supreme court de-
livered in the Mcknight case that no Ii
cense is required to practice osteopathy
in this State.
DR.. Lewis said he had not noticed the
opinion, and when assured of the fact,
said: Il am certainly very sorry the
courts have so decided
He then asked about the opinion. and
was told that. among other things, ii
said that the Medical Society of this
state being Allopaths would certainly
not recognize an Osteopath as one of
their body any more than they would a
Homeopath. nor license anyone to pur-
sue that calling with their diploma as his
authority so 20 do, and if they would
not and tEc court were TO hold it in
dictahle to practice osteopathy without
such license, it would be judicial pro-
hibition upon he exercise Of that phase
cf healing
ciety had nothing whatever to do with
this matter. 1t vas simply question Of
The protection of citizens from persons
who had not shown by examination that
1boy had the knowledge necessary to en-
able them to prescribe for others as a
profession
The State, continued DR.. Lewis 'ia
its wisdom. knowing the dangers to its
n no If hot
diseases by persons utterly ignorant of
tho structure ana functions Of the human
body. the nature of disease and the best
remedies fer it, has said that no one
who has not demonstrated his fitness for
srch responsible work TO the satisfaction
of an impartial board of, regular grad
cated physicians, shall practice medi-
cine or surgery, nor any OF the branches
thereof. nor in any case prescribe for the
cure of Diseases fOr fee or reward
"A very large measure OF protection is
afforded by shutting out the professional
QUacks-thosc who go into it for the
money there is in it, and who. as 4 rule, .
ere not only ignorant. but utterly un-
scrupulous and unprincipled
The rcasonablaness of the requirement
hy the State of adequate knowledge of
The various branches of medicine OF those
who propose to practice that profession
is TO be found chiefly in certain aspect |
of the case that We believe TO be largely |
overlooked by the public. The most diff
hcult Part of the practice of medicine is |
not tic treatment of disease. but the |
diagnosis. the finding ont what the dis |
ease is. The accurate diagnosis of dis |
case often demands tho exercise of the |
highest Intellectual faculties, reinforced |
by a very full knowledge of the nature |
AMI history Of disease. The greatest |
physicians are those who are the best |
diagnosticians. for while some are more |
sllful than others in treatment, the va
ration is by no means so great as in dag |
ross. The diagnosis having been cor
rcctly made. the proper treatment can |
Hesily be ascertained by reference to the |
hest authorities The preventabe disas
tiers i'm the practice of medicine are the |
result nine times out of ten. not OF inn
proper treatment. but of mistaken dag
nosis. 1t is statement of simple Gle |
mentary common sense 10 say that !
person who does not know what the dis
case is. cannot treat the patient success
fully"
Tho case in question which has been |
decided in the Supreme court was that OF
Harry p. Mcknight who was tried at the |
August term of Moore county Superior |
court before Judge Robinson for practic- |
ing without a license at Southern Pines. |
The special verdict was that his treat
mcnt did not consist in the administra |
ton OF drugs or medicines but in manip- !
ulation. kneading licking and rubbing the |
body of his patients. and in the applica |
ton of not and cold baths. and in pre-
scrbipg rules for diet and exercise: that |
hc also practiced hypnotism for the pur
rose Of offccting a cure; that he exhibit |
ted diploma issued by tho Columbia |
college of Osteopathy. He was acquitted |
because. although he had no license. il |
was considered shat he did not practice |
medicine
Tho Supreme court found no error il
this verdict. Judge Clark. i'm the opinion
of the court says that il cannot be CON
ceiyol that the Legislature would require |
the medical examination for a profession |
which eschews she use of drugs and sur
ecry. The opinion concludes by saying
that osteopathy is not the practice OF
medicine or surgery, and no license from
tho Medical Board of Examiners is re-
ouircd
Judge Clark wrote that no weight was
attached to the argument that Mcknight
advertised himself as a Doctor" The
opinion continued
We know from common knowledge
hat druggists clerks are ordinarily adj
dressed as doctor. justices Of the peace
arc usually called Judge and a teacher |
Of the saltatory art always STYLES him
self professor. while Marlborough Houec