The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-10-21
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
osteopathy's Plea for War Service.

! A9NARtol ltllliilEudut VI NCiHibIlb has ia
troduced an osteopathic bill in the Unit
ed States Senate 1t is verbatim copy
of the House of Representatives bill 5407
which was introduced soon after the
United States entered the war.
Approximately 500 osteopathic physi-
clans and students from osteopathic col
! leges are already in the U. s. army and
navy service. The recent draft viii take
several thousands more. The osteopathic
situation is unique. Forty-four sovereign
states have legalized the osteopath's pro-
| fessienal standing. Their laws recognize
him as a physician.
! Now the selective draft provided that
the draftee would fill the position in the
present crisis for which his previous edu-
cation and training best fitted him. The
doctor of medicine was rightfully placed
| in the various branches of medical serv-
ice, He was honored by a commission in
the medical corps. But how about the
osteopath who sat by the side of the
medical brother and passed the required
state board examination? In spite OF
the fact that A states have licensed him
as a physician, the U. S. medical board
in this crisis of war, has ignored him.
Why2 Because the surgeon general
has ruled that only doctor of medicine
will be commissioned in the medical
corps of the U, S. army OF navy.
Forty-four states recognize the degree
/ D. O. as the equivalent of the degree
NJ d, in legal sense. Should few men
at the head Of the u. S. medical board
arbitrarily overthrow these statutory
recognitions
Read what the honorable surgeon gen
eral of the u, s. army reports to the
House military affairs committee:
'irhe Judge advocate general has ad.
vised the secretary of war to the effect
that, while the law does not specifically
provide that physician, in order to en-.
ter the medical corps, must be doctor
| of medicine. unwritten practice does, and
the secretary has decided in accordance
with this opinion that he will require
that man coming into the medical corps
shall have the degree of M. D.
Il hope that this decision, which is in
accord with all previous practice, win be
maintained, and that the degree ID. O.
will not be recognized as an equivalent
as is desired by the osteopathie physi.
clans"
Should unwritten practice send quail.
fed osteopaths into the U. s. army and
navy as prvates WHEN EVERY EFF,
FORT is BEING MADE TO OBTAIN
PHYSICIANS, AND AT A TINE WHEN
THE ARMY AND NAVY ARE THOUS.
| ANDS OF PHYSICIANS SHORT OF
| THE REQUIREMENTS is the osteo-
path to be denied the privileges OF the
selective draft If so, in justice to him.
self as a patriot, he is entitled TO pub,
hcity of the facts Of the situation. II he
is not in active positions Of medical
service, the fault is not his own 1t il
due to an arbitrary enforcement of an
UNWRITTEN PRACTICE.
The osteopathic profession has striver
constantly since April 6, 1917, to do its
mite. The osteopathic bill has been il
the hands Of the House military affairs
committee for over a year. Hon. Frank
L. Green of Vermont il q member Of the
committee to which this bill was re,
lferred. This committee has pigeon holed
the bill
The case of Signaller Skeyhill of the
Australian army has been mentioned tC
illustrate the osteopath's appeal. Skey
hill was totally blind from shell shock
Ireeeived in the Gallipoli campaign in. De,
cember, 1916. He was pronounced hope
lessly blind by noted specialists in Egypt
France, England and Australia, In May
1918, he was completely cured while OF
the operating table of Washington
D. c., osteopath. The osteopathic pro
fession will be the means Of restoring
health and happiness to thousands o.
veterans, who, otherwise, would remain
hopelessly disabled
Should UNWRITTEN PRACTICE
stand between the recovery of your son
brother, father or friend?
Last spring, the surgeon general agreed
to commission osteopaths who would
pass the examination of the medical re
serve examining board During the fol
lowing few days-before the word was
sent broadcast to the Professionalism
20 osteopaths passed the required medi
cal examination. What happenedi The
surgeon general reseinded the order, and
refused to commission the men who hac
passed the tests. "a scrap Of paper. Ar
action quite kaiseristic for free Amer
lea"
The Dillingham; bin does not ask fol
special privileges for osteopaths. II
merely provides that osteopaths be per
mitted to take the SAME examination:
which are submitted to the doctors Of
medicine. Osteopaths who successfully
pass this examination will be sent to the
medical reserve officers training camp
and receive commissions There Is room
for each and every physician who car
qualify Creed in medicine should b.
subordinated, as creed has been in re
ligious endeavors in relation to the U. S
army and navy The Dillingham; bill, il
enacted, statutorily minimizes medica
creed
To epitomize: The osteopath asks spe
cial privileges for none; equality before
the law; permission for each man t.
serve in the nations crisis N the capacity
in which he can render the greatest bene
fit. Guy Loudon.