Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-02-26

dead line of the so-called regular
school of medicine and seek for. find
and apply for the common welfare
all that is good in every school of
medicine, old and new, and all other
methods of healing, saving none. IA
voring none. | would not allow any
medical or other professional prac-
titioner to preside over the service.
/ would allow no preference to rule
the service.
LAS it is now governed it is an aux
iliary of the American Medical As
sociation, and of course is biased,
narrow and unjust. All government
medical officers are made members
of this association, and am inform
ed none has declined his membership.
| do not question their motives or
good faith, but | do seriously ques-
ton their judgment and the propriety
of government health officers be-
longing to an association operated
| for the benefit of its own members.
The government should see to it
that the service is removed from any
such influence and made the unbiased
and honest searcher for the best that
can be found as means of prevents
ing disease and preserving the pub
lie health. | appeal to Congress for
fair and patriotic consideration of
this great question that involves the
health and happiness, the lives OF our
people"
Costs S2o,ooo,ooo Year.
| Senator Works quoted figures to
show that the annual expenditures
for the health service in its various
branches exceed $20000,000. There
is, he said. at the head OF the public
! .,
eral; another surgeon general OF the
army and one of the navy, and under
them thousands of surgeons, assist
ant surgeons and subordinates. He
presented table OF expenditures for
| 1912 showing a total of Sl9,S0O, ,086-23,
more than half of which was paid for
compensation of 1902 employees,
all of whom were of one school OF
medicine, the allopathic. The num-
ber, he said. has been largely in
creased since then.
Almost unlimited powers, he said,
have been delegated to the surgeon
general and his subordinates. usurp-
ing the constitutional rights of indi-
viduals. In apprehension of an cpl
demic or contagion, he said the sur
gcon general assumes despotic pow
or, his authority not peing exceeded
even Dy tHc SeucIdi oi tue army III
time of martial law.
"He represents for the time being,
said the senator, the enormous po-
lice power OF the government. He
may restrain and imprison citizen
and prescribe the habits OF the peo-
pie. Even in ordinary times his pow
er is little less despotic. When we
travel he may determine what we
shall drink and how we shall drink it
The Useless and unnecessary precau-
tons taken to keep us in good health
lare often burdeDsome and humiliat-
: ing in the extreme.
unfortunately most people are
willing slaves to the doctor whether
he appears in uniform or in pri'
vate capacity. The extent to which
intelligent people submit to the min
!, listrations of the physician or surgeon
is one of the wonders of the age.
Ineompetency Charged.
The senator charged that the in
) competency and recklessness oi
some physicians and surgeons has
caused more fatalities made more in
. valids, and done more to devlop the
liquor and drug habits than any 9th
er cause.
And. SIR" he said, 1T Is in the
hands of a profession composed to
la large extent OF such as these thai
the health and happiness OF suffer
ing people now mainly rest, and that
in large measure by force of laws en-
acted by Congress and the stale leg
islatures.
Our public health service has been
given over without question TO just
one school OF medical men TO he ex-
clusion of all other modes OF healing
No different methods is even consid-
cred. No citizen is allowed to eNer-
else his individual conscience in time
of existing or threatened contagion.
is allowed TO exercise his individual
belief as to the manner OF preserv-
ing or restoring his health. He must
submit TO the rules OF the health de-
partment, eat and drink what it die
tates, swallow the vile drugs it pre-
scribes. and live where and as 1t
commands.
The service maintains a press bu-
reau and sends broadcast over the
country, at public expense, literature,
mostly doctors opinions about caus-
es of disease. that breeds fear which
in turn produces and fosters disease
and cures none who are unwise
enough to read it, which, fortunately,
very few people do
Broader Powers Sought.
: The senator called attention to the
various bills, passed ani pending, to
enlarge the scope of the health ser
vice and broaden its powers, all oi
which are passed, he said. because oil
a "childlike confidence in the infalli-
bility OF doctors"
Mr. President" he continued,
"thc government should no longer
cling to one mode OF healing and lend
its powerful aid TO the building up
! OF one school OF medicine. The ad-
ministration OF the public health ser
vice is a sacred duty. We have con-