The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1919-01-27

Nv introduced IN the state senate by senator
Lucero Of Colfax county. which provides
Tor practical health education Ia the public schools.
We are utterly opposed TO the other. and apparently
the main portion and objective Of this bill which
would require a semi-annual physical inspection and
examination 81 every child by some doctor or doe
tors hired by the school district. Each board Of
school directors IN every one Of our hundreds Of
school districts would be charged with the response.
biliiy Of hiring a doctor OF doctors 20 inspect aud
pass upon the physical condition Of your child or my
shild.
In some eases the school directors might pick
the best doctor in the district. because In some dis.
tricts there will be only one doctor. Where there is
more than one doctor the chances are the school
directors would pick the worst one, because the
best one would not want the job, having acquired
BY his ability the confidence Of q patronage which
would leave him no time for such a job.
We would get, on an average, the least com
petent medical and surgical ability in tie state
when such a job, II il is 10 be done At all, should be
Ia the hands of the most trustworthy and the ablest
men in the profession. Mr.. Lucero's system, In
other words, would produce a flock Of political
doctors.
This bill came up two years ago and was de-
feated. IL was defeated not only ON account of the
objeciional possibilities outlined above. but because
the people Of this state did not then aud do not now
want their sons and daughters forced to undergo
a compulsory physical examination al the hands
~ - ANlNNN w a NNANN MNA Va Anil "
Wherever this compulsory examination has been
tried Il has produced bitter complaint from parents,
aud sometimes worse than complaint. The benefits
Of the system have yet 10 be demonstrated. We are
10th 20 believe that the physicians of this state. or
any considerable number Of them, wish 20 force
practice on the people by the compulsion of a man
datory statute and we know that the vast majority
Of The able, honorable men who make up the medical
profession in New Mexico do not desire 10 see a
considerable portion Of the profession dumped bod.
lily into the ditch Of political patronage and com
pulsory practice.
The argument IN made that we enforce inspec.
ton Of cattle coming into the state an. that we
should have as much care for our children as for
our cattle. This argumcnt, frequently put forward
by advocates Of compulsory medicine, fails wholly
10 take into consideration the difference between 4
calf aud a child.
We prefer, and in fact we demand the right 70
choose the doctor who examines aud passes upon
the physical condition and defects Of our children.
We have the right that that doctor shall be Of our
own, personal selection that he shall be Of the
school Of medicine Ia which we believe and not the
one in which the school trustees, or the board Of
health, or some other political authority may be.
lieve; and II we are not satisfied with the DEGREES
Of one school of medicine, we wapt the right 10 try
another. We want 10 have the right 10 cntrust our
dearest possessions into the hands Of men in whom
we have confidence, and not 10 men chosen by polit'
zeal influence, or because they need a job.
We are convinced that doctors who are 20 be
absolutely trusted, aud we know many of them
personally and trust them absolutely, do not want
this kind Of practice thrust upon them, or upon
their profession, by law.