Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1912-04-06
Vigorously Oppose Clause in
Proposed Statute Requiring
Examination Before State
Board of Physicians.
OSTEOPATHS LIKEWISE
SEE DISCRIMINATION
Members of This Branch of
Profession Insist That No
School of Medicine be Rec
ognized by Name,

0SllZeQ by name,
! (spsctai Dispafch tc she Moruias Journal. J
Santa Fe. n. NJ. April 5.-Today
was occupied by the legislators prin-
cipally with the meeting of commit
tees to consider the various measures
| that have been introduced up to the
present time.
| The principal interest centered
around the meeting Of the house judi
| ciary committee, which had before 1t
| for consideration, House Bill No. IL,
| to regulate the practice of medicine,
| and at which hearing the friends and
| opponents Of the bill were given an
| opportunity to be heard.
| The Christian Scientists, represent
! ed by Judge Edward A. Mann, of AL
buquerque as their attorney, offered
| an amendment, exempting the heal
ers of that faith from the provisions
of the bill requiring an examination
for a certificate from the state medi-
cal board. before being allowed to
practice Drs. j. H. Wroth and
II. b. Kaufman. of Albuquerque,
| and Drs. =. q. Small and A. J.
Masse. of Santa Fee. represented the
regular schools of physicians, while
| DR.. c. II. Conner. presented the side
of the osteopaths
While the physicians differ upon
some minor details of the bill and all
agreed that II WAS faulty in vcrbage
| the doctors present were united in
their opposition to exempt christian
S.,ix at,fi iut.
| examination. They based their OPP
| position upon the ground of public
safety and declared that unless the
Christian Scientist healer was compc-
| tent to diagnose contagious disease,
Ii was a menace to the public health.
Judge Mann replied to this argu
mcnt with the assertion that the
Christian Scientists did not believe In
any medicine or surgery and there
fore could not be required to pass
an examination on subjects on which
they were not supposed TO be In
formed. He said that II was the
custom Of the Christian Scientists, In
case of any sickness which appeared
to be contagious, to at once call In
regular physician and have the case
reported to the health authorities.
Judge Mann further declared that
the proposed medical law was un-
constitutional. as 1t deprived man OF
his personal liberties To call In the
healer In whose practices he believed.
He said that while he was not "a
Christian Scientist, 1t was not by any
means sure what theory was the right
one and that no man could say, posi-
lively, that prays for the sick was
not more beneficial than drugs, and
If these people preferred to rely
solely upon prayer. no one had the
right ts prohibit them. Judge Mann
was subjected to an almost contin-
uous and rapid cross-fire of questions
from the members of the committee
and the physicians, regarding the
tenets of Christian Science. but he re-
piled that he knew very little of the
beliefs of the faith and that that ques-
tion had no bearing on the matter
upon which the committee was called
upon to decide. namely, whether they |
should be allowed TO follow their own |
inclnations In the healing of their |
sick. There were several spirited ex-
changes between Judge Mann and |
DR.. Wroth, with the honors about |
even.
Senator Isaac Barth, of Bernalillo !
county. made an eloquent plea for the !
Christian Scientists. prefacing his re-
marks with the statement that he WAS
a believer in the regular practitioner |
but he also believed that every man
had right to follow his own Judg
ment in such matters.
w. :. Mattox. of Boston. "a Chris
"a, ftSf "A "a
which he declared that the people Of
his state were extremely careful not
to menace the public health and that
they were willing to have the most
stringent law adopted regarding the
reporting OF conta gious diseases.
Or. wroth and Or. Kaufman de-
clared that the bill was in no sense an /,
effort 10 establish a medical trust. but
was designed solely to safeguard the
public health. and the only provision
upon which they insisted WAS that per-
sons who advertise themselves as
healers should demonstrate their
knowledge and that either the modi-
cal board or the courts should have
authority To revoke the license OF the
for illegal operations. or
who. by reason OF the use Of drugs
or liquor. had become Incapable Of
treating the sick or performing surgi-
cal operations.
Dr. Small. OF santa Fe. opened in
behalf Of thu homeopsthists. and de-
clared that they were satisfied with
the bill.
Dr. Conner. OF Albuquerque. object
ed to the bin because IL discriminated.
he declared. against tn. "-teopsth.
Ne said he favored a bill which rec
ognized no school Of medicine by