The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-10-26

filming them to such significance, it is evil
dent that they would not include the oc-
cupation of the plaintiff The practice OF
medicine is a pursuit very generally
known and understood and so also is
that of surgery. The former includes the
application and use of medicines ana
drugs for the purpose of curing, mltgat-
ing or alternating bodily diseases, while
the functions of the latter are limited
TO manual operations usually performed
by surgical instruments or appliances. III
was entirely proper for the Legislature,
by means of this chapter to prescribe the
qualifications of the persons who might
be entrusted with the performance OF
these very important duties. The health
and safety of society could be maintain
ed and protected in no other manner
No such danger could possibly
arise from the treatment to which plain
tiffs occupation was confined
"In State V. Lettering, 81 Ohio st. 80,
IS l.. R. A. 1884, the same conclusion was
reached, also in Nelson V. State Board
Health (Ky.), 80 L. R. A. 3S3. From this
last case. we learn that Osteopathy ORR
Mo. 1871, and that at college of Osteo-
pathy in that State in 1900 (when tina:
opinion was fled there were yer 500
students from % States. besides several
from Canada. and there are doubtless
other colleges Of Osteopathy for the spc-
cial verdict finds that the defendant ex
hbited a diploma from the Columbia Col
lege of Osteopathy in Illinois.
. I, -.
be a science, of osteopathy is an imposi-
ton. Of that, we, legally speaking, know
nothing. 1t is not found as a fact in this
verdict. We only know that the practice
CT osteopathy is not the practice of medi-
cine or surgery, as commonly understood
and therefore it is not necessary to have
a license from the Board of Medical EX-
aminers before practicing it. If it is a
fraud and imposition, and injury results,
the csteopath is liable both civilly and
Criminally. Certainly baths and diet
could be advantageously prescribed to
many people, and rubbing is well enough
if the patient is not rubbed the wrong
way. The real complaint is that oSteo-
paths restrict themselves to these RENE
dies and do not resort to drugs and sur
gerry, but that very fact establishes that
they do not violate the law requiring a
license to practice medicine and surgery.
Doubtless there is an appeal to the i'm
agination but that is a necessary ingre-
dent in all systems of healing. Who does
not know that a prescription by a physi
clan in whom the patient has implicit
confidence is oftentimes more effective
than the same treatment by one in whom
he has none. and that at times bread
pills and other harmless prescriptions are
administered with good results? The
aim of medical science. which is now
probably the most progressive of all the
professions, is simply to assist nature.
Osteopathy proposes to do that by other
methods than by the use of medicines or
the surgeons knife
1--WE attach no weight to the argument
that the defendant hung out his sign
ard advertised himself as Doctor The
special verdict finds that he had di-
rloma from a college of Osteopathy be-
slowing that title upon him. There are
many kinds of Doctors, besides Doctors
of medicine, as Doctors of Law, Doctors
of Divinity, Doctors of Physics, and Vet
Urinary Doctors. and others still. Be-
sides. in this country so far at least as
titles go, honors are easy We know
from common knowledge that druggists
clerks are ordinarily addressed as doc
tor; justices of the peace are usually
called Judge, and a teacher of the sal
tatory art always styles himself 'profes-
sor,' while Marlborough House Colonels
and Honorables by courtesy of like
tenor arc almost as
'"Thck as the autumnal leaves that
strow the brooks
In Vallombrosa.
Certainly the courts cannot abate
man as nuisance because some one
gives him., or he gives himself a title
IF the General Assembly shall deem
osteopathy a legitimate calling, it may
see fit possibly to protect educated and
skilled practitioners by requiring an eX-
animation and license by learned Osteo-
ralhs of applicants for license, but GER
tainly the examination would be on sub
jects appropriate to secure competency
therein. and not on an entirely different
course of learning, such as that prescrib
ed by applicants to practice medicine or
surgery. State V. Gravott. 90 Ohio ST.
2S9; 80 L. r. A. 791. Dentistry is not
the practice of medicine or surgery but
Il
macy, and each has it's prescribed course
of examination of applicants for license
Whether the same rights and dignity
shall be bestowed on osteOpathy is a mat
ter for the General Assembly. or if it is
found to be a fraud and imposition its
exercise may be made irdictable. 1t
seems that it more nearly approXimates
nursing in many respects Though diff
fession, as it now is.
"AlI that the courts can declare upon
the facts found in the special verdict is