Norwich bulletin., 1916-10-21

MT. Editor:-At the tuberculosis conference recently held in New Ha- ven, health insurance received a share
 of attention. The proposed plan pro-
 y1des that every man whose income
 does not exceed $1,20o per annum. pay S2.Q0 yearly for health insurance, he and his family to receive medical treat ment by physician employed by the
 state.
 It is significant that each speaker
 who favored the plan, forcefully em-
 phasized the need of the proposed law containing a compulsory clause. This accords with the opinion of other pro-
 ponents, for it's advocates all agreed
 that it could not become operative
 without compulsion.
 Does it not seem strange that a plan
 which we are told promises to so
 greatly reduce disease, and result in enormous financial savings to both
 employee and employee; and the state as we'll in short grand humanitarian movement, should require legislative
 enactment of q compulsory character
 to make it effective?
 It is evident that those most inter-
 ested anticipate that some individuals
 will not favor the plan. And does not the reason lie in the fact that the rec ord of medicine does not give to it
 the right to be ablished by the state as the only healing system which may
 be used by it's citizens?
 If during the past centuries mate
 rial medicine had attained that de- gree of success which would merit this
 recognition by the state, such recogni-
 tion would be entirely unnecessary.
 Likewise there would be no necessity
 to compel the people to submit to
 health insurance.
 H. A. BehrenS, Vlce-preSldent of the
 Continental Gasulty Insurance Com
 pany, who has investigated the move
 meht to establish health insurance. has
 stated that it is "A propaganda of the social service council (another name fors legislative committee, which it succeeded) of the American Medical Association" and he also adds, Tt seems to be an effort to fasten upon of a particular school of medicine. These statements can be better ap- preciated when it is understood, that notwithstanding the American Medical
 Association comprises only about 40 per cent of the allopathic physicians in this country, it controls the Federal Health Service, and it's members hold g. majority of the health offices of the different states. It is this 10 per cent. of the members of one school of med~ icine which is asking that the working man and his family be compe.4d to receive medical treatment according to the theories of this particular system. These are the doctors who diScarding former methods Of drugging are now also endeavoripg to compel the adop- ton of Serum Therpathy'' so-called or | inoculation for the prevention Of dis
 ease, respecting which the following | interesting quotation Is from w. Van R. Brighton. M. D.. medical society | vice. president, who referring to in- fantile paralysis said:
 Concerning the cause Of this dis
 ease, I think my professional brothers will be somewhat startled when sug- gest the thought that the present cpl demic of infantile paralysis may have been caused by smallpox vaccinations, | You smile. but why should the disease | become epidemic in New York city and epidemic throughout nearly the entire country so soon after the wholesale tprocess of vaccination? I simply throw out this thought for you to bubble laugh. or ponder oyer. It may furnish