Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-02-20
|H|R0PRACTIC BILL.
|UBjECT Of DEBATE
|exander Opposes Amendments
Relative to Preliminary Re-
quirements Made by Commit
tee on Public Health
VIGOROUS DISCUSSION
aches Fist-shnkiug Stage--"Nule
BiIq" PASSES EOuse-Ncasurc Intro
Iuccd TO Promote Farming Industry

Montpelier. Feb. 19-Before the largest
sembly of visitors yet seen in Rep
entatives' hail this session. II. Is, the
ropractic bill, as amended by the
special order at 2:l5 o'clock this after
on. and was made the subject of the
,st intense oratory heard on the floor
the House in long time. The entire
ernoon was spent in debate. Nearly
entire Senate was present. there
ng no afternoon session of the body.
At the opening of the debate, Mr.. Stay
of Morristown, chairman of the COM
ttee on public health, introduced Or.
aries a. Thompson of Bellows Falls,
negro who holds a diploma from the
nerican School of Chiropractic at Chi
go. and who can neither read nor
lite and who is at present employed
hostler in a livery stable. Or.
ompson did not speak
Mr.. Slayton was nterroRated by Mr.,
lstin of Highgate as to the reason for
s. Introduction. Mr.. Slayton replied that
is would be brought forth later in the
scusson, at which Mr.. Austin said
nt he did not think the House of Rep
sentatives a proper place TO indulge
any foolne.
Mr.. Alexander of st. Adams city, the
tder of the forces for the chiropractors.
terrupted and held the floor for nearly
hour. advocating the cause of
iropractic, explaining amendments
hich he proposed to offer to the bill
lch would put the cliropractors on
same standard for preliminary
ucation as the other practitioners of
State
While the representatives We're
mewhat stirred UP over the intro
ctlon of the negro physician, Mr..
acy of Johnson moved that the House
into a committee of the whole in
der to hear such evidence as might
forthcoming. This the House re-
sed to do.
MIR. ALEXANDER SPEAKS
Mr.. Alexander then took the floor.
declared that he was ready TO offer
nendments to the original bill, if
zen the opportunity, which would
ace the preliminary requirements for
e chiropractor to practice in the
ate on the same footing as the re-
lirements of the American Medical
sociation; namely, a high school ed
fation and a three years course in
reputable school of chiropractic. He
Eclared that if the amendments pro-
falth were adopted it would mean
iood-by. Chiropractor, in Vermont"
After reviewing at length the his
ry of Vermont laws in regard to
I
ound up with a plea that the leeis-
tors would give the chropractors the
me fair play that has been given to
Ie osteopaths and other practitioners
the State.
During the course of his lengthy argu-
ent. the longest of the afternoon, Mr..
leXander referred to a cure which had
ken place in the town of Bristol. upon
hich reference Mr.. Edmunds of Bristol
physician, interrupted and explained
be case in question. When Mr.. Fdmunds
hd been speaking for minute or so,
peaker Dana called his attention to the
bet that the gentleman from St Albans
Ill had the floor, whereupon Mr.. Ed
unds remarked that he thought Mr.
lexander might want rest. daughter
At the close of Mr.. Alexander's argu-
bent, Mr.. Austin of Waterville asked
the gentleman from St. Albans had
zen retained by chiropractors. Mr..
lexander said that he was not so re-
hined, although he had acted as counsel
pr them at the public hearing.
BELIEVES IN AMENDED BILL
Mr.. Belknap Of Rockingham said that
e had been notified that the chief diff
hot.
hiropractors was that, "the osteopath
ubbed gently, while the chiropractor
rev up his fist and hit you one good
nd hard" Mr.. Belknap favored the bill
amended by the committee on public
ealth. He called attention to the fact
hat 1t does not go into effect until Janu-
ry /, 1920. and said he was willing to give
he chiropractors even longer to meet
he requirements. He said that. if the
tate now establishes board Of chiro-
ractors 1t will not be the last board
,hich the State will be called upon TO
stablish so that other kinds Of healers
an practice in the State. He referred
b the 1.5oo different kinds of healing
hat he had discovered were being prac-
fced in the country and said thar as
oon as we begin to let down the bars
| II of these will he clamoring for
eparate boards of registration in the
3tate
BELIEVES IN ONE BOARD
| 1t was Mr.. Belknap's opinion that in
rider that the public should he properly
protected there should be but one board
or medical registration and all those
Wishing to practice medicine within the
State should come before this board not
&ecessarily take the same examinations.
put at least qualify in the same stand
&rd. He believed that it was mistake
10 let the osteopaths under separate
board In closing, he urged that the
legislators keep as high as possible the
5tandards required of those who would
|'hold in their hands the issues of life
fnd death" He was vigorously ap-
blauded.
WRITER'S OPPOSES AMENDMEN
Mr.. Writer'S of St Johnsbury opposed
|he amendments to the bill in a speech
Which was biting with sarcasm lie said
|hat he had been looking over the bill
fs amended by the committee on public
health
II have come to the conclusion" he
remarked, that the only thing it could
pc compared to is the United States
'hinese exclusion act"
lie went on to say that he did not see
bow any chiropractor could qualify under
he requirements since there were no
lCOptinued on paGe fOurl