New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-19
LETERS.TO THE EDITOR.
THE OSTEOPATHY BILL.
Correspondent Says Measure, If
Passed, Would DO Serious Harm.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: 1 desire the courtesy of your columns to
present the view generally accepted by the medi-
cal profession in regard the matter of the regis
traton OF osteopaths. A letter of doctor Of oste
opathy published in your journal some days since
must be my reason for asking you to present our
side of the matter The real difficulty which obges
the medical profession to object to the passage OF
act regulating the practice of osteopathy in the
State of New-Yor1 is that the osteopaths ask to
enter the medical profession. and to have the
rights with regard to the treatment of disease
do members of that profession. without having the
qualifications which the State now requires
The osteopath-and I speaking from
careful reading of osteopathic Observation-Disclosures
that large proportion of the diseases OF tho body
are caused by the dislocation of Of the
bones making up the backbone of the human body
that interference with the proper nutrition of
the body is thus caused. which leads to the most
varied symptoms and diseases. 1t is an interesting
fact bearing markedly on the osteopathic conten-
tion that men already educated in the science of
medicine rarely from the ordinary practice to
become osteopaths. The inference is that the
claims Of osteopathy and the results do not gen
orally appeal to educated physicians. No schism
has occurred in the profession such as resulted
when Hahnemann promulgated the doctrines of
homeopathy The medical profession has passed
through the stage Of heresy hunting and of object
ing to any particular means OF practice. There is
now no orthodoxy in medicine or surgery. The
most varied opinions in therapeutics are openly
held by men whom the State has licensed to prac-
tise. They longer called TO book II they
practise medicine in peculiar way. The
PRONUNCIATION of the science of healing by osteopa-
thy will not be interfered with If those practising
it will first the knowledge now required by
law. equally of the homeopathic, the eclectic and
the old school practitioner. Those who desire to
practise osteopathy will simply be obliged to study
the peculiar Osteopathic treatment as these three
enumerated schools Of medicine now compelled
general knowledge required of them.
The demand of the sosteopaths for special
a
with what has been obtained by the dentists. Den
tistry is but a speciality in general medicine and
treat the teeth they make mo claim tbat diseases
of the teeth cause the most Of human ailments as
do the osteopaths with reference to disocatons OF
would even now prefer that all those who practise
dentistry should obtain the degree OF NJ. d. and
quite proportion Of them do so before entering
upon the practice of dentistry.
The bill which the osteopaths are endeavoring to
cut into the practice Of medicine. II this succeeds.
Il Will be great piece OF injustice on the part OF
the State to the men and women who. after four
practise medicine with restriction Of any thera-
peutio ENTHUSIASTICALLY, Christian and mental
science incuded-which their judgment will lead
them TO adopt But far beyond this the passage
Of such bill Will be a great disaster to the state
large number OF men half educated in medical
tice for all kinds Of diseases based upon a theory
which most, If not all, ANTAGONISTS and physiolo-
lowed free license TO practise in all very many
forms OF disease The American. and indeed. any
fed general practitioners-such the licensed
physicians of the state-to practise among SOL
medicine that they shall be obliged TO come up to
this standard before they licensed to enter
upon an exclusive form Of treatment among the
van in the maintenance Of high as well as lib
eral standard in the practice Of medicine and
New-York Feb a. 1906 --' -N