Denver labor bulletin., 1916-11-04
The Medical Amendment and
What 1t Really Means
By D. L. CLARK, Osteopath

knowledge may be shown either by cred
entails properly verified or by examina-
tion. No person of good moral char
acter can be denied an examination.
1t is the persistent claim of opponents
of the bill that it puts the osteopath
out of business. In this connection we
believe the public is entitled to little
specific information which may serve to
clarity the situation. Osteopathy as a
school of healing had its origin in the
teaching of Dr. A. T. Still in the early
nineties. It's growth in numbers and
in educational requirements was rapid.
ments made by the original and asso-
ciated colleges, which formed an organi-
zation known as "The American Osteo-
pathic Association" there came de-
mand for an easy way to obtain an
osteopathic degree. Since there is no
royal road to learning, the diploma mill
flourishes at the expense of too cred
ulous public. Colorado, or to be more
specific, Denver was inflicted by an
institution Incorporated by a man and
his wife and an optician under the
name OF Physicians and Surgeons Optic
al College Association" for the purpose
of the manufacture and sale of optical
goods and for the granting of degrees
chiropractic. So far as we have been
able to ascertain. the college had but
one teacher who was neither physician,
surgeon, an osteopath, nor a chiroprac-
tor. To carry the farce TO its legitimate
conclusions this gentleman of many ac-
complishments, together with one or
more of his graduates organized the
Colorado State Osteopathic Association,
with name so similar to the Colorado
Osteopathic association as to mislead al.
but the most observing. He elected him
self president and one of his graduates
secretary. He further organized the
Colorado Optometric society with him
self as president and one of his grad
yates as secretary. With college and
two state societies under his immediate
supervision he proceeded to introduce
bills into the legislature, one to create
an osteopathic board of examiners and
another to create board of optometrie
examiners. Both of these bills We're in
opposition to bills introduced by the
Colorado Osteopathic association and by
the Colorado Optical society respective
ly, the latter being the legitimate organ
izations of the respectable elements of
their professions.
of National Association OF Drugless
Physicians obtained his degree in osteo-
pathy from the Physicians and Sur
geons Optical College association" soon
thereafter became secretary of the Col
orado State Osteopathic association, and
the leader of the opposition to the es-
tablishment of an educational standard
for those who would practice the healing
art. His one lament is that it puts
the osteopath out of business" That
part of the osteopatbic profession which
represents the standardized schools fail
to see where any one worthy the name
is interfered with by the bill or why
the pretenders.
The bill definitely provides for the
licensure Of osteopaths and others who
| have made a consistent effort to ac-
quire that knowledge of disease which
is necessary for its recognition; it does
not, however. license the simple pre-
| tender by whatever name he may be
known. It denies no one of good moral
character the right to show by fair
and impartial examination that he has
the requisite knowledge in which event
he is granted license.
From the foregoing it must be evident
that the bill is drawn for the sole pur-
pose of establishing an equitable stand
ard which shall be required of each and
every one who bases his treatment on n
pretended physical diagnosis, before he
shall be permitted to practice the heal
ing art
The Christian Scientist who makes no
pretense at making a physical diagno
sis is exempted from it's provisions