The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-05-25
A CLEAR NOTE OF SANITY.


'Promlscuous medical treatment IL not state
function" declared Doctor work who ls the
retiring president Of tho association, "and such
treatment by the state should not he tolerated
by tho public or by physlcaEs"
This IN very unusual statement to come
from a member In good standing Of the medical
ogarchy. We say II In not only decidedly un.
usual but likewise hopeful Of changed att-
tude tho part OF n great profession which.
by its eternal lobbying for laws calculated 20
Increase is prestige and advance It's material
interest. has come TO stand in the popular mind
a. monacing trust doing much to fasten
particularly mschovous form OF patcrnnlsm
upon the country.
II at last the medical profession has thus
been compelled 20 take n stand against the
growth of the seed planted by II In the first
place, that OF government functlonlng In mat
tors which should ever he left TO private judg-
ment been compelled 10 protest against its WILL
II Is case OF the chickens coming home to
roost with vengeance. The medical profess
sion, when Il set out to got Itself recognized as
the only orthodox curative agency, and sue
cceded In fastening itself upon every division
OF government from tho municipality up to the
federal institution. ought TO have foreseen the
inevitable that It's dlctum being accepted at all
the ultimate must be prepared for.
II the state Is to function in matters OF health
10 tho extent asked by the medical associations
or the country oven setting up n federal board
OF health, possibly health department. with n
cabinet officer at It's head then tho most
natural thing in the world Is Tor government 10
20 step further ard take over tho care OF
citizens when III precisely tho postoffice has
taken over the undisputod control OF the malls
and their delivery.
That the American Medical society In at
last alive TO the dangers of the game II has
been unfairly and unwisely playing Ia quite evil
dent from additional action Il has taken For
Instance. It finds that the public health activities
OF tho American Red Cross are no longer neces-
sary and suggests. at least inferentially that
this organization be Withdrawn into Its former
modest channel during peace times. One can
but smile at this naive admission that the Red
Cross, with It's tremendously inflated budget
and organization, has been forced to find work
for Itself and In doing has invaded the legiti-
mate domain Of the legitimate private prac-
titIoner.
Nevertheless The World finds itself In instant
rapport with the medical society. Moro than
alarm against the peace-time activities OF the
Red Cross venturlng TO point out the waste and
duplication which would follow the carrying out
OF It's program for which II was asking millions
and hundreds OF millions OF dollars The doc
tors are right; the Red Cross should maintain
nothing but the barest skeleton OF an organiza-
tion. precisely az prior TO the war period; such
skeleton organization to be amplified es occa-
Ialn Tor it g.
whether due to accidents or the angry out
! bursts OF nature.
| The American Medical society could regain
| much lost ground In the estimation OF the pub
lie by boldly placing the influence Of its or
ganization behind movement 20 abolish all
! tho silly duplication and senseess waste which
has been set up under the guise OF government
and in the name OF the public health That such
ar achievement would rebound to the financial
benefit OF doctors everywhere and OF all schools
| Ia an incidental consequence secondary TO tho
fact that II would save the people hundreds OF
! millions OF dollars annually.
Tt Is likewise significant that the association
also went on record favorIhg the amendment OF
| tho Volstead act so that physicians might have
| an adequate supply OF pure spirits for medical
| use. 1t was pointed out that a recent retoren-
| DUN Of the societys membership disclosed
unusual unanimty to the effect that spirituous
liquor is absolutely necessary TO the successful
| treatment OF various distempers. therefore the
association asks that congress provide for the
sale TO physicians OF pure liquor in containers
| holding s. 10 and 80 ounces.
| Here again we find the association breaking
away from another unholy alliance established
| for political purposes, gentlemen's agreement
| OF oftense and defense with the impractical
! sentlmentalists who sought to drive liquors
| from the haunts Of civilized peoples.
| Evidence Is not lacking that the members OF
| the American Medical society have either had
very distinct change OF heart or have fallen
under the domination OF new and wiser leaders.
! There is a possibility OF the association beeom-
| ing a powerful instrument IN retaining for the
citizens much OF. their lost patrimony in the
way OF freedom Of decision and individual lib
| erty and In opposing the steady and dangerous
| onward march of that arch enemy OF all free
dom and liberty, paternalistic government