New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-29
Vicious Advertising
A Plea for an Exception in the Case
Of Medical Journals

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: The law to which you allude under
the title eliminating Vicious Advertising
practically gives the Department of Health of
this city a monopoly of the privilege OF ad-
vertising to treat or cure venereal disease.
This is dignity to which no reputable physi-
clan aspires. Nevertheless, he has a const-
tutional right to do so if he chooses to ignore
the ethics of his profession.
There is a side to this question other than
the one put forward by the Department of
Health, whose attitude you apparently in
dorse in your article. II will only be neces-
sary to direct your attention to this view,
properly and competently presented, in or
der to insure its consideration at your hands.
This is anticipated as matter of justice to
your readers, who are entitled to all the facts
bearing upon this question, no less than in
accordance with your standard of action.
If the money of the tax payers is to be
spent to eliminate this one form of quack-
cry, for the benefit of a not very deserving,
however numerous, class of the community.
care should be exercised not to inaict, as is
where. In this case this evil would fall
upon a numerically smaller and less influential
body, the medical profession. There is no
doubt of the competence and of the authority
Of American Medicine" to speak on this sub
jcct and for this body. Under the title
"Handcapping the Practice of Medicine" it
has this to say on one effect of this law:
IN ic dra
to law, just passed by the New York State
Legislature, which with the most laudable
intent bids fair, nevertheless, to sti1e medi-
cal progress in an important direction. This
law prohibits the advertising of any and
all remedies for the treatment of any
venereal disease. If this had been made to
apply specifically to lay publications no pos
sibIe exception could be taken, but no such
limitation was made and as a consequence all
announcements of new remedies and ap-
planes for the treatment of venereal dis
cases gonorrhpa and syphilis will have -
be discontinued The medical profession will
be denied any information in the scientific
journals as TO where they can obtain the
newer remedies, apparatus, etc, they need in
the prevention and treatment of these dis
tiers. When one stops to think how abso-
lutely uncalled for any such restriction is for
medical journals which, of course, do not cir
culate among the lay public, and low il tends
10 limit all advance of the treatment of a
grave class of ailments, Indignation is sure
to be felt at the loose way in which the law
was drawn. IL is fortunate such law was
not in effect few years back, for many
physicians Of New York would have been de-
MED knowledge that such remedies as -
are of the utmost value in the prevention
and treatment of all venereal affections.
while conscious OF the handicap such
law offers 70 medical progress in an important
direction, the main thought at the moment
is the apparent neglect Of the legislative
committees of our medical societies 70 pro-
,ect the medical profession against nanifestly
unjust and uncalled for legislation"
The censure of the legislative committees
of the medical societies in general is well
deserved Ia this instance il should be con-
fined to the legislative committee OF the
Medical Society of the County of New York.
without whose approval this law could not
have been passed. IL was unanimously con-
demned on the ground above stated when it
was originally presented for consideration
before the committee. Later on, during the
absence Of the members actually opposed to
it. il was again presented, this time by q
laymsn having no connection with the prac-
tice of medicine, and then Endorsed with the
above result. JOHN =. DAWN, MD.
New York, Aug. q, 1917.