The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-14
State Beard [ Health Will En-.
force Law.
Get Opinion From the Attorney
General.
CANNOT LOCATE HERE.
Freak and Fraud Doctors Must
Move On.
Object Is to Protect Health of
People of State.

The magnetic healers and freak doc
tors that have suddenly settled down
upon Kansas and practiced frauds and
lrnpoSitionS upon the people of the
state will be routed from their offices
and placed under the. restriction laws
OF the state or else placed under the
: care of Warden Codding of the state
penitentiary
This decision came to a head today
at the meeting of the Kansas State
Board of Medical Registration and Ex-
animation when they read an opinion
just handed down to them by Attor-
ney General Fred S. Jackson which
stated specifically that the practice of
this class of doctors in the state was
illegal and subject to punishment
For many years Kansas has been
the dumping ground of magnetic heal
erS and freak doctOrS-au on account
of the fact that the state laws have
not been enforced to a sufficient de-
gree to prohibit them. Practically all
OF the states in the Union have strict
laws upon this matter and the freak
doctors have gradually been cast out
of these states.
Governor Hoch called a special ses-
sion of the legislature and gave the
state medical board their rights to
keep out this class of healers but thus
far no active attempts have been made
to rid the state of them. The board
took action today and resolved itself
into body to act at oLce.
torney general covers the points of the
law as the board has wished and gives
them good authority to conduct their
campaign.
There are too many of these
quackS in the state and it is for the
health of the citizens that they are
sent from Kansas and not allowed to
practice" commented Secretary Hat
field of the board.
1.-THE law gives us a right to see
that these magnetic healers do rot To-
cate in Kansas and we are going to
see that the law is enforced or we will
take the matter to court" said Presi-
dent Dykes on the board.
The opinion by the attorney general
tells the whole story of the legal
rights of practicing physicians and
surgeons in this state and will be of
wide interest to everyone in Kansas
After quoting the law, the attorney
general comments on the same as fol-
lows:
"You will notice that any person
shall be regarded as practicing medi-
cine or surgery within the meaning of
this act who shall prescribe or who
shall recommend for a fee for like
use. etc., and any person attempting
to treat the sick or others afflicted
with bodily or mental inf1rmities or
any person representing or advertis-
ing himself by any means or through
any medium whatsoever or in any
manner whatsoever indicate he is
authorized to or does practice medi-
cine or surgery in this state, or that
he is authorized to or does treat the
sick or others afflicted with bodily
infirmities.
1.-THE purposes of this act are to pro-
tect the health of the people of this
state as against those who attempt to
treat persons sick or afflicted with
bodily inirmities and who are not
properly qualified by learning or ex-
perience to skillfully handle the dis
eases and ailments which they attempt
to cure This is a statute to prevent
the practice of fraud upon the people
of this state. 1t is statute under
taking to prescribe certain qualifca-
tions for those who practice medicine
or surgery and for those who attempt
to practice medicine or surgery and
attempt to treat the sick or others af-
ficted with bodily infirmities. The
language of the statute prohibits per-
sons from practicing medicine or sur
gerry or from treating the sick or 9TH
ers afflicted with bodily or mental in
firmities, except that the statute shall
not be construed as interfering with
religious beliefs in the treatment of
the administration of domestic medi-
cines or to gratuitous services.
persons who attempt to treat the
sick or others afflicted with bodily or
mental infirmities by So-called mag
netic or other similar systems come
within the prohibitions of this statute
unless the services rendered are gratui-
tous or such services are rendered in
the practice of religious beliefs in the
treatment of diseases