The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-02-19
'JUSTLET US ALONE"
Christian Science Asks This
of General Assembly.
Miss Mary Hatch Harrison ard Many Ladies
Appear B,fore the Senate Committee
on Public Health.

The Joint Committee on Public Health
were in session yesterday afternoon in
the Senate Chamber.
The matter under consideration was
bill which has passed the House, and
which the Christian Scientists and
Osteopaths are opposing, as they regard
it as inimcal to them.
The Senate Chamber presented an IN
usual sight. One half of it was oceu-
pied by ladies, representatives of the
Christian Scientists from Buncombe to
Craven with their advisors while on the
other side were the members of the COM
mittee, legislators and visitors. The
galleries were thronged with ladies look
ing on with interest,
In the delegation of Christian Scientists
were Miss Elizabeth Jones, Mrs. Mary
Lindsay, Mrs. Ruth Brown and Mr..
Thomas Henry, of Asheville; Miss
Willie Ferebee, Miss Emily Ferebee, Miss
Ola Ferebee, Mrs. Anna Ferebee, Miss
Mary Hatch Harrison Mr.. Staub, Mi.
Nathan Goodng, Mr.. c. NJ Heath and
Mr.. w. L. Register, of New Bern; Mr.. &.
A. Phillips, of Washington N. c.. Capt
VIM. j. Pope, of Grifton; Mrs. Martha j.
Stanley, Mrs. Willie Loftin, Miss Ruth
Sutton, Miss Bessie sutton; Mr.. H. c..
PEBBLES, of Kinston; Miss Lelah Cherry
of Greenville, and a large party of
Christian Scientists from Wilmington
were expected on the afternoon train.
The bill which brought the H9esation
to Raleigh is as follows: ~ a.
amended nb' S by adding Ing. these words: For
the purposes of this act The expression
practice of medicine and surgery" shall
be construed to mean abe management or
treatment for fec or reward of any case
of disease, physical or mental, real or
imaginary with Or without drugs, surgi-
cal operation, surgical or mechanical APP
planes, or by any other method what
soever. Provided, that this shall not
apply to midwives, nor to nurses acting
under the direction of a registered ply
sician.'
DR. R. H. Lewis appeared for the bill,
advocating it for the State Board of
Health He said that one of the great
est menaces to the health of the State
was incompetent physicians and that the
popular idea of the medical profession
had been set forth recently in 5u-
preme court decision when it was held
that the use of drugs made up the medi-
cal profession. He said that Christian
Scientists and Osteopathists opposed the
bill, but it was not intended to put any
burdens on them ~ they showed the
proper knowledge of medicine. He de-
clared the bill was no interference with
religion, but was simply to prohibit the
Christian Scientists from leaving the
domain of religion and entering that of
medicine. If they went at their work
without pay he had no objection, but
said they should not if they took fees.
He discussed Osteopalty and massage,
and said that no one would be treated
unfairly by the State Board of Medical
Examiners, gave illustrations of the
need of trained physicians and closed by
saying that unless the bill was passed it
opened a field to loot the people of North
Carolina and to let in all manner OF
duackerY.
Mr.. C. M. Busbee spoke for the Chris
tian Scientists as their attorney, though
he let it be understood that he was not
Christian Scientist. He declared the
law proposed was drastic and unconsti-
tutional that the bill was crudely
drawn, that the gentleman who intro
duced it did so by request and would
vote against it, He declared that the
bill would prevent a dentist, corn doe
tor, masseur from practising unless
they passed examinations as physician,
and that it would keep preacher from
praying for the healing of the sick. The
bill, he said, was entirely obnoxious to
the law of the State as laid down by the
Supreme court. He said there was no
clamor for the bill, and that it tended
to a monopoly that only the financial