Year: 1875

PHYSICIANS AND QCAGkS.


Two bills are before the Legislature of
this State to regulate the practice Of med
icine. In this respect California is but
following the example set by the State OF
Nevadc, which, at the last session of its
Legislature passed law, of which the
bills now introduced at Sacramento prob
ably are, to some extent, copies. Un-
dou ubtedly the bills are urged forward by
the regular" physicians, and if either of
them pass, will prevent any person from
practicing medicine or prescribing, un-
less that person is the holder Of diplo-
ma. We are not aware that there has
been any demand upon the part Of the
people for the legislation referred to in
cases of sickness the general rule has OBJ
tained to employ the services Of regular
physician. Among holders Of diplomas
we see some who have a large practice,
while others, who had the same apparent
advantages Of education do not seem to



kind, as in any other, the road to fnan-
cial success lays in acquiring public con-
fidence, and that can only by gained by
a success in medical practice which in
spires it in the public mind.


1t may be true that the Legislature has
the authority to regulate by law the prac-
tice Of medicine. But it does not follow
that because possessed of this right 1t
should exercise it. There are many cases
where the passage of such a law would
work a downright hardship, not to the
"quacks" alone, but to those who
are at times compelled to employ them.
In very many places persons are to be
found who, without being possessed Of a
regular medical education, have yet a
sufficient knowledge of medicine and sur
gerry acquired by Eeadng and practice, to
give efficient relief in cases where the SER
vices of regular physician are not read
lily to be obtained. And no one requires
to be told that in the diseases Of children
there is many woman who, by means
the simple remedies so well known to
the sisterhood can effect cure easier
than whole college of physicians In
matters of II more serious nature people
will obtain the services of the physician
they deem the best, and this too regard
less Of the number Of quacks there may
be in the community, whether some Of
those slacks happen to hold medical
diplomas or not.


Country physicians have little desire
for the passage Of such laws As those now
| up for legislative action. 1t is from the
physicians Of San Francisco and other
large cities, where undoubtedly empiri.
cism fourishes, that this movement orig
mates. We do not question but harm is
frequently done by permitting quackery
to hold the high carnival it does in such
places, but if people were sufferers as 8
general thing, we should have had dc
maEd for legislation on the subject before
we were shown this light f'om Nevada
1t looks to us that the Legislature shoulC
no more attempt to dictate to us who shall
act as our physicians when called upon
to serve in that capacity, Except in pub
lie institutions,) than it would have tc
define the qualifications Of those whom
we employ to keep books to work in the
mines to tend IA saw mill, or to follow
any other necessary occupation. When
we employ any one to act for us we are
the best judges of that persons fitness tc
the trust /; and if we choose to keep on
employing incompetents, we must sutfe
for it sooner or later. In former years
when the possession Of the coveted di-
ploma was obtained only after years OF
study, there might have been sound judg-
ment exhibited in laws regulating the
practice OF medicine, but at the present
time it is pretty well established that
money can buy that which in former
years was gained only by patient toll.