The Elk Mountain pilot., 1911-12-21
FEDERAL HEALTH BOARD.

S@ssosA
board viii not be allowed to pass with
risistancs come from all parts of the
country. and 1t may be that the oppo-
sidon will soon be sunhciently solidi-
ned to defeat q project that promises
infinite mischief for the community.
and suffering and injustice for the In
dividual.
Tho proposal 10 based upon those
spscious claims that are notoriously
hard to eontrovert. II federal heath
board were TO connns IT. activities to
the promulgation Of salutary advice
upon hyBisnic matters. to the abate-
msnt Of quacksry. and to the purity Of
dsugs, It might be possible to say
much in its favor. although It would
still b dimcult to say that such an
organization IL needed. But We know
that It will attempt to do far more
than this. seeing that it, adherents
have loudly proclaimed their intsn-
tions. Indeed. there ia no secrecy
about them. It u confidently expected
that the board will consist OF advo-
Gates Of one school Of medicine only
and that the methods Of that school
will be not only recommended. but
enforced upon the nation. Indeed .
board that was in any way represents
tive Of the medical profession ~ .
whole would be stultihed BY its own
engagements. Outside the domain
Of simple hygiene for which We need
no federal board at all. there IL NO
single point Of medical practice upon
which allopaths. homeopathic. eclectics
and osteopaths could be In unison.
Any board that could be devised BY
the wit Of man must be composed Of
representatives Of one school only,
and this means that all other schools
are branded ~ Of an inferior caste.
even though nothing worse happened
to them. And something worse would
happen to them. II We are to establish
= school of medicine. II We arc to as
sert that the government Of the Unit
ed States favors one variety OF prac-
tice more than others. why not estab-
lish also q sect OF religion and BE-
stow special authorities upon Bap-
fists. Methodists and Episcopelians!
An established school Of religious
conjecture seems somewhat less OBJ
jectionable than an established sect
Of pseudo-scientinc conjecture.
Those who suppose that . federal
board Of health would have no concern
with Individual rights are likely to
md themselves undecsived. II 10 for
the purpose OF interfering with indi-
vidual rights that the proposal has
been made. We need no special
knowledge OF conditions to be aware
that what may be called unorthodox
methods OF healing have made sad In
roads into the orthodox. Homeopathy
claims q vast number Of adhsrsnts
who are just ~ we'll educated and just
- Intelligent ~ thoss who adhere to
the older school OstsopAthy. eclecu-
cism. and half . dozen other methods
Of practice are certainly not losing
ground. Beyond them 10 the vast and
Increasing army Of those who may b
classed under the general and vague
name Of mental heaIsrs. Those who
are addicted to any Of these forms Of
unorthodoxy need have NO doubt ~
to the purposes Of the federal health
board. Those purposes are to make
II diflcult for them to follow their
particular fads and fancies. to lead
them. and II necessary to drive them.
| from medical unorthodoxy to medical
orthodoxy.
Now the Argonaut holds no brief
for any Of the excuses and the super
stitions connected with the care of the
body In which this age 10 10 rife. But
II does feel concerned for the prsssr
walton of human liberty and for the
rights Of the Individual to doctor him
tn n = =
hs does not indubitably threaten the
health OF the community. He may
take large doses or small ones. or no
doses at all: he may bs massaged.
anointed with oil, or prayed over. just
~ the whim of the moment may die
tate, and probably II makes no par
ticie Of difference which he does. But
be has the right to choose. just a. h3
chooses the color Of his necktis or the
character Of his underclothing. Il 10
not a matter in which any wise gov
eminent will seek to interfere. This
10 precisely the liberty that the health
board intends to take from him.
Orthodox medicine. conscious OF its
losses, 10 trying to buttress itself By
federal statute. to exalt allopathy TO
the status OF = privileged caste. and
| to create an established school OF
medicine Just ~ some other countries
have allowed themselves to create an
established school Of religion. It 10
for the cnmmon sense Of the commu-
nifty to rsbuke that effort and to ~
pei an unwarranted invasion upon ele-
mentary human hghts.-Soa Froa-
cisco Ar0o~awt.
A Drain Of the Company.