The San Francisco call., 1910-09-29
PHYSICIANS DECRY
ILLEGAL PRACTICE
Some Declare Laws Inadequate i;
Others Say Fauh Is in
Prosecution
Continued From Page 1

to sell their right TO heal the sick to
those who debauch the calling.
1t was declared yesterday by a lead
ing physician that there are many in
stances where parallel cases may be
found to that of Doctor Thompson.
who had no license, but shielded him
self behind the name of Doctor West,
who has license, although West is
now unier suspicion and an effort will
probably be made to revoke his license,
When man unable to secure a per-
nit to practice wishes to begin his il
legal but remunerative business he
finds some physician with a license,
but without honor, who lends his name
for monthly payment.
Yet again it is declared openly, but
regretfully, that many medical men
who have thus far maintained untar-
nished regulations are not above per-
forming operations, the like of which
threatens Doctor Thompson with prison
bars.
These, of course, are the exceptional
instances; patients for whom exposure
would mean calamity beyond eompre-
hension, almost. on account of their
prominence; patients who through ties
of blood or friendship seem to have q
right to demand protection; patients
who perhaps are sufficiently powerful
practically to force the physician to
persuade himself that crime is not a
crime under certain circumstances.
Against all of these, however, against
the great as well as the humble of the
medical profession, against those with
licenses. degrees and diplomas as well
a 8 ouaeks. war is to be waged with re-
newed vigor by those with strength and
will to uphold the highest ideals of the
healing profession.
DIR. Philip Mills Jones of the state
board of medical examiners is one of
those who believe the laws adequate
although difficult to enforce. I'VE are
working against that sort of thing all
the time he said yesterday, but we
get little support for our efforts.
Those. who might give us the great
est assistance in the matter are natur-
ally unwilling TO do anything for us.
and the general public does not awaken
70 the vital Importance of the matter
until something like this Eva Swan
case comes up, when 2 spasn of virtue
convulses the community. I am a lit
tie impatient of such momentary at
tacks. but / am hoping that the great
public and the newspapers will be suf-
feiently aroused by this to give US the
help and the support that viii enable
us to accomplish even more than we
have. Our detectives are workin &
against practitioners who are under
suspicion continually; such a case
comes UP tomorrow in one of the po-
lice courts, and we are hoping that we
Will be able to stop many of the adver-
tisements which appear now even in
reputable publications"
DR.. Rene Bine. secretary of the coun-
~ medical association. said that that
body was not a prosecuting one and
could therefore use only ethical means
Of suppressing such cases.
Whenever a man falls under sus-
picion in our society" said Doctor Bine.
he is investigated by our ethical COM
mittee and should testimony prove that
he has been practicing illegally or has
been engaged in dishonest pursuits Of
any kind he is expelled from our or
ganization. That. of course. is a public
disgrace and discredits him as thor
oughly as anything could.
The fault brought out in this Eva
Swan case arises largely from the in
efficiency of the laws governing such
matters"