The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1919-10-04

less OF the irrational character OF SuCn a
course, and contend that they have abundant
authority and precedent for what they do. y
From the Philadelphia Record, May S,
1905: CDR. Oliver T. Osborn, of Yale
University and president of the American
Therapeutic Society, in his address ON The
Therapeutic Art delivered at the meeting
of the society held yesterday in the pink
room of the Bellevue -Straford, said: The
educated physician of today rarely speaks of
curing, but constantly of managing dis
ease. He leaves the word "cure" for prac-
trrlm venders. The management Of dis
sease means the diet hygiene, climate, water,
electricity if indicated, and the necessary
drugs"
DR.. James Gregory, who admittedly add
ed as much reputation to the medical de-
partment of the University of Edinburg as
any other of her professors, said "Ninety-
nine in the hundred medical fact are medi-
cal lies, and the most medical theories are
stark, startling nonsense"
Prof Marie Francois Cavier Bichat,
NJ D., French anatomist biologist, physio1o-
gist, physician, and author, wrote: "Medi
cal practice is said to be contradictory. [
say more = it is not in any respect pro-
fression worthy to be followed by sensible
men,"
Herber A. Parkyn, NJ. D., said: "The
laymen are farniliarizing themselves with
suggestive therapeutics and are healing and
being healed by it in various guises, and
they will soon BE called upon to pronounce
for or against it. Physicians are not in the
class that will be permitted to pass final
judgment on the practice of the healing
art"
Charles Kidd, NJ D., M. R. c. S., author
of various treatises, wrote: "It is sad and
humiliating confession that at present Our
chiefest hopes of medical reform exist in
the outer educated public"
DR.. ]. Wylie Anderson said: "The doc
tors are desirous of medical legislation to
protect the dear public - in fact, to save
themselves. This country was sought for
and founded by people of foreign lands,
beliefs, and the express constitutional pro-
vision was made that they were not to be
interfered with in their pursuits of life,
liberty and happiness. All medical legisla-
ton is of itself in the nature of class legis-
lation, asked for by the few and not by the
masses. When the latter are happy and
and are not seeking redress, why should the
former force upon them medical restrictions,
unless from selfish motives? While believ-
ing in the highest education and qualifca-
ton, |, for one, do not wish to stand for
such methods; and until the demand is
made by the people I am an advocate of
liberty in things medical and of giving to
every adult the right to pursue in his own
way any method of healing that appeals to
him, proving to himself the good or bad of
each dogma.
"Our lawmakers should remember that
the Indian tribes, with their limited amount
of learning and intelligence, successfully
healed themselves for ages past, as was de-
monstrated by their ability to endure fatigue,
whites at this day, with their far more learn
ing and intelligence, are capable Of selecting
the safest and best methods of healing, and
therefore should not be prevented. from ex-
cercising this privilege by State medical
laws created for the sole benefit of a class
of physicians who follow the dispensary as
aforesaid and attempt to cure one disease by
producing another Why should these doc
tors be entitled to receive any recognition or
protection from the State? Why should
vast army of these men have the right as
they now have, to give to sick people any
thing they please, even though it be patent
medicine from the drug store, without the
least idea why or wherefore, kill or cure?
Why are State laws made to encourage and
protect such practices? Is it any wonder
that Oliver Wendell Holmes said mankind
has been drugged to death? And does not
the fact of their being about four times as
many doctors in this country as are needed
explain why the Americans are the shortest
lived people on the earth, the average being
but 249 years? This marks the difference
between the present condition of the whites
and that of the old Indian tribes.
GAS the doctors now want national
health bill passed, it will be well for us to
seriously consider the question: Shall the
American Medical Association or the peo-
pie control this country in the future?"