The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1909-10-02
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for the Dental
Combine
HOW DENTISTS LOST THEIR
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS
IN WARRINGTON.
BY Edwin. ]. Brown.

BY Edwin. J. Brown.
The theory upon which a Dental
or Medical Law Is enacted by the
Legislature Of State. Is 10 protect
the people from incompetent per
SONS; but whoever heard OF the
people asking for such legislation?
II IL safe 10 say the people have
never asked for such Legislation
in any state in the Union.
State laws and City ordinances
have been demanded and passed
regulating the fees of physicians.
but this was intended as a restraint
upon the outrageous charges for
services. As rule all laws regu-
lailng the learned professions have
been passed at the instigatiOn and
behest OF those who needed pro-
lection against competition. To be
sure, they always appoint them
selves guardians Of the people. but
that was exactly what the wolf DID
when he guarded the sheep $50 well
that he ate theml.
The Washington Dental Law was
enacted for the purpose OF keeping
other Dentists out OF this State.
Let me quote NJ. ID. Thurston,
president OF the Dental Board, In
an interview published In the Ia
coma Ledger Nov. ~. 1903: THE
amendments to the state dental law
as made in 1901 were the work OF
faker"
Such is the declaration OF DIR. NJ.
ID. Thurston OF Spokane. President
of the State Dental Examining
Board.
1.-The second provision was that
none be examined who hadn't a
diploma and the object OF that was
to protect from competition those
already here"
And now ! shall proceed 70 show
that ThurHton was right Unhi
1901. the Dental Law Of Washing
ton provided an examination for
Dentists az follows: Said exaIni-
nation shall be elementary and
practical In character. but sui
ficiently thorough TO test the Mt
ness of the Candidate 10 practice
Dentistry. II shall include. written
In the English language, questions
on the following subjects: Anat-
omy, physiology. chemistry. materia
medlca. therapeutics. metaiiurgy.
history. pathology, operative and
surgical dentistry. mechanical
dentistry, aud also demonstration
OF skill IN operative and mechanical
dentistry" Claw Of IS. IL CD In
1901. the Combine became active.
and as DIR. NJ. d. Thurston. Presi-
dent OF the Dental Board. said:
Secured law to protect the Dentists
already here from competition, and
the Law was amended 80 as TO
strike out all subjects in which a
Dentist shall be examined, and left
all this 10 the arbitrary VIII OF the
Dental Board. and as these subjects
constitute the States qualification
standard, and the Dental Board
arbitrarily prescribes them instead
OF the Legislature. the Dental Board
exercises absolute arbitrary power.
because the Board may examine In
what II pleases unner the law and
the courts OF this State are prac-
tlcally closed TO Dentist who has
been refused his license.
The law secured by the Combine
and now In force provides as fol-
lows, to-wit tpierce's Code. Sec
4f67l:
LICENSE TO PRACTICE-CER-
TIFTCATE. No. g. Any person or
persons seeking to practice dentist
~ in the State of Washington. or
to own. operate OF cause 10 be
operated, or TO run or manage a
dental office or place for the prac-
tice of Dentistry In the State OF
Washington after the passage OF
this act shall file his or her name.
together with an application for ex-
animation. with the Secretary OF
the State Board OF Dental Examin-
ers, and at the time Of making such
application shall pay to the secre-
tary of the board a fee of SIS. ane
present him or herself at the firss
regular meeting thereafter of satx
board to undergo examination be-
fore that body.
All that I shall be able TO show in
this article. is that the Combine has
the power TO say who shall practice
dentistry in this State, because the
State Law does not provide an ex-
animation, but allows the dental
board to examine In what they
please, because the present law sets
forth that a Dentist shall be exam
lned by that body. but does not
guide that body In what and TO what
extent a Dentist shall be examined.
For instance, at the last exami-
two members on the board
told one man that he could get
all the books in Tacoma and yet he
would not be able to pass the ex-
on aural surgery. Now as
sociate this fact with the further
fact that a Dental Quiz class is now
running In Seattle. where a Dentist
is charged seventy-five dollars for
eighteen quizes, and that at the last
meeting of the Board. seventy Den
lists took the examination, and
thirty-five out Of this seventy pass
ed, and twenty-four ont OF the thirty
who took the seventy-five dollar
quiz passed. We see that forty-five
Dentists took the examination who
did not take the quiz. and only ten
out of this forty-five got their IL
cense.
want you TO think about the Sc
attic Dental quiz at seventy-five
dollars for six weeks. and three
quiEes each week. while a years