Opinion ID: 1334035
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Was there any evidence in the entire record to support the revocation of appellant's license to practice?

Text: Before considering the facts of this case, it might be well to set out the pertinent parts of the several Acts of the General Assembly relating to the practice of naturopathy in South Carolina which are found in the acts of 1937, Act May 10, 40 Statutes, p. 441, the acts of 1941, Act April 18, 42 Statutes, p. 143, and the acts of 1949, Act June 7, 46 Statutes, p. 538, which are as follows: Section 1. Board of naturopathic examiners  appointment  term  meetings.  Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina: There is hereby created a Board of Naturopathic Examiners to be known as the South Carolina Board of Examiners. Within thirty (30) days after this Act becomes a law, the South Carolina Naturopathic Association shall recommend to the Governor, who shall appoint four (4) members, who shall be members of the South Carolina Naturopathic Association, and whose term of office shall be for a period of four (4) years. The appointees shall meet within ten (10) days after their appointment and organize by electing a President, Secretary and Treasurer, and adopting reasonable rules and regulations for the transaction of business and shall meet in June and November of each year. § 2. License  issuance.  Any person of good moral character who has been continuously engaged in the practice of Naturopathy in the State of South Carolina for one (1) year prior to passage of this Act, but must be a graduate of a reputable school of Naturopathy, shall be licensed without an examination, upon payment of ten ($10.00) dollars, if he applies for a license within twenty (20) days after the organization of the Board, but hereafter all applicants must be graduates of a reputable college or school of Naturopathy and must stand examination before this Board. § 3. License  duties of applicant  examinations.  All applicants must file with the Secretary of the Board, fifteen (15) days prior to its regular meeting time, proper credentials and a fee of ten ($10.00) dollars. In case the applicant fails in the first examination, he shall be entitled to a second examination at the next regular meeting of the Board. § 4. Non-residents.  Any person of good moral character licensed by a Naturopathic Board of any other state whose requirements are commensurate with the requirements of this Board, upon the payment of twenty ($20.00) dollars shall be granted a license to practice in this State. § 5. Revoke license.  Any practitioner who is found to no longer possess a good moral character may, in the discretion of the Board, have his license revoked. § 6. Naturopathy defined.  Naturopathy is hereby defined to mean the use and practice of psychological, mechanical and material health sciences to aid in purifying, cleaning and normalizing human tissues for preservation or restoration of health according to the fundamental principles of anatomy, physiology and applied psychology, as may be required. Naturopathic practice employs among other agencies, heat, light, water, electricity, psychology, diet, massage and other manipulative methods. These agencies are known as psycho-therapy, suggesto-therapy, hydro-therapy, electro-therapy, mechano-therapy, biochemistry, external appliances, mechanical and electrical appliances, hygiene, first aid, sanitation, helio-therapy and dietetics. Provided, However , That nothing in this chapter shall be held or construed to authorize any naturopathic physician licensed hereunder to practice materia medica or surgery, or shall the provisions of this chapter in any manner apply to or affect the practices of osteopathy, chiropractic, christian science or any other treatment authorized or provided for by law for the cure and prevention of diseases and ailments. § 7. Penalty.  Any person violating any of the provisions of this Act shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and punishable in the discretion of the Court. § 8. Pay certain funds to public school fund.  If at the close of any fiscal year there remains in the hands of the Board more than five hundred ($500.00) dollars over and above all indebtedness, the same shall be turned over to the public school fund. § 9. All Acts or parts of Acts inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed. § 10. This Act shall take effect upon its approval by the Governor. Approved the 10th day of May, 1937. Section 1: Applicants for examination and license practice naturopathy  qualifications.  Be It Enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina: All applicants for examinations and licensure to practice Naturopathy in this State must be a graduate of a regular four years high school course and one year premedical course and must have completed and hold a diploma from an accredited school, college or university of Naturopathy conferring the degree of Doctor of Naturopathy. Said college, school or university must be a Class A institution and recognized by the South Carolina State Board of Naturopathy Examiners and its professional training course shall constitute four years of nine months each, making a total number of four thousand four hundred (4,400) hours. Section 2: Fee.  All such applicants must file with the secretary of said Board at least fifteen days prior to its regular meeting time proper credentials and a fee of $25.00. In case the applicant fails to pass the examination he or she shall be entitled to a second examination at the next regular meeting of the said Board. Section 3: Non-residents.  Any person of good moral character licensed by a Naturopathic Board of any other State whose requirements are commensurate with the requirements of said Board upon the payment of Fifty ($50.00) Dollars shall be granted a license to practice in this State without any further examination. Section 4: Practice of naturopathy defined.  The use and practice of phytotherapy, minor surgery, obstetrics, and gynecology, autotherapy and biologicals shall be made a part of and be included in the practice of Naturopathy. Section 5: Recognized school, college or university of naturopathy defined.  Any school, college or university legally chartered and having a regular professional course in Naturopathy and its allied branches of four years of nine months each, and includes in its curriculum the following subjects: Bacteriology, Anatomy, Diagnosis, Comparative Medicine, Physiology, Etiology, Hydrotherapy, Histology, Pathology, Phytotherapy, Biology, Toxicology, Electrotherapy, Chemistry, Hygiene and Sanitation, Massotherapy, Analysis, Biochemistry, Orthopedics, Symtomatology, Physiotherapy, Practice of Naturopathy, Autotherapy, Ethics and Jurisprudence, Dietetics, Gynecology and Obstetrics shall be recognized by the South Carolina State Board of Naturopathic Examiners and the above requirements shall constitute the definition of a recognized school, college, university of Naturopathy. Section 6: Certificates sign  diseases report.  All Naturopathic physicians who are in active practice and licensed in this State shall have the authority to sign birth, death and health certificates and shall be required to report all infections and contagious diseases to the State Board of Health and shall be accorded the use of the State Biological and Chemical Laboratories. Section 7: Register.  All licensed Naturopathic physicians shall be required after receiving a certificate of qualification or license from the South Carolina State Board of Naturopathy Examiners to register in the County in which he or she resides with the Clerk of Court's office and pay a fee of fifty cents. Section 8: Subjects  examinations  business transact.  The South Carolina State Board of Naturopathic Examiners shall have the power and authority to name the branches of Naturopathy and its allied sciences in which the applicant for licensure shall be examined, and shall hold written or oral examinations or both, in the discretion of the Board. The Board shall also have power and authority to transact any business or legal matters pertaining to the practice of Naturopathy in this State. Section 9: Invalidity.  In the event that any provision or part of this Act shall be questioned in any Court and shall be held to be invalid the remainder of this Act shall not be invalid but shall remain in full force and effect. Section 10: Repeal.  All Acts or parts of Acts inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed. Section 11: Time effective.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval by the Governor. Approved the 18 day of April, 1941. Be It Enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina: Section 1: § 5231-19, 1942 Code, amended  board of naturopathic examiners suspend or revoke licenses  clauses  appeal.  Amend paragraph (2) of Subsection 19 of Section 5231 of 1942 Code of Laws of South Carolina by striking out paragraph (2) of said subsection and inserting in lieu thereof the following: `(2) The South Carolina State Board of Naturopathic Examiners shall have the power and authority, and is hereby authorized and empowered, to suspend or revoke, by a majority vote of its total membership, any license which may have heretofore been given under the provisions of this Act to any practitioner to practice naturopathy in South Carolina for any one or more of the following causes shown at a hearing before it, to wit: First, where any diploma, license, or certificate, illegally or fraudulently obtained by the applicant, or any other credentials, was presented to or filed with the Board and considered by it in granting a license to any practitioner; Second, where a license has been applied for and issued under an assumed name for the purpose of shielding dishonesty or criminal record; Third, the conviction of any criminal operation, or habitual drunkenness, or insanity, after the date of approval of this Act, or where one has been judicially adjudged by any competent court, or legally authorized commission to be insane; Fourth, where one has been guilty of any immoral or dishonorable conduct which would reflect upon his or her professional competency, or where the practitioner has become addicted to any harmful drug habit, or where he has conducted himself in such unprofessional manner as to bring discredit upon the profession; Fifth, upon the conviction of any practitioner of a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude or professional dishonor in which case the record of the conviction, or a certified copy thereof, certified by the Clerk of Court and by the Judge in whose Court the conviction is had, shall be conclusive evidence. `Whenever the Board shall have cause to believe that any license heretofore issued by it should be revoked, because of the existence of some ground for revocation as set forth in the above section, it shall be the duty of the Board to file or cause to be filed with the Secretary written charges against the accused, specifically setting forth the offense or offenses, acts or conduct complained of. A copy of said charges shall be forthwith delivered to the accused practitioner in person or by registered mail or left with some person of sound discretion at either his place of business or place of last known residence, either of which shall constitute sufficient notice to justify proceeding with a hearing of the charge. In addition to the delivery of a copy of the said charges, the Board shall, at the same time, advise the accused of the hour, day and place of hearing of said charges and warn him to be present, if he so desires, and to defend the action. The accused practitioner shall be permitted to be present in person and by attorney at the hearing and at the taking of all testimony relative to the charges. Any member of the Board is authorized and empowered to administer oath to all persons testifying at any such hearing. The accused shall be allowed at least ten (10) days from the date of such notice to him of the charges before being required to defend. It shall be the duty of the Board to receive reasonable evidence, whether for or against the accused, and the Board shall not be bound by the strict rules of evidence, as is required in a judicial court. The findings of facts of said Board shall be conclusive. The Board is charged to reach its findings and set forth its action thereon, and a certified copy of such findings, and action of the Board shall be served upon the accused practitioner. The practitioner, if he is dissatisfied, shall have the right to apply to the court of Common Pleas of the County in which he resides or practices for writ of certiorari, and the questions to be determined by the Court on such writ of certiorari shall be as is now provided by law, and the decisions of the Supreme Court of South Carolina.' Section 2: § 5231-23, 1942 Code, amended  qualifications of applicants for examination increased.  Amend paragraph one of subsection 23 of Section 5231 of the 1942 Code of Laws of South Carolina, by striking out the word `one' between the words `and' and `year' on line three of said paragraph and insert in lieu thereof the word `two', so that said paragraph one of said subsection 23 shall read as follows: `(1) All Applicants for examinations and licensure to practice naturopathy in this State must be a graduate of a regular four year high school course and two years premedical course and must have completed and hold a diploma from an accredited school, college or university of naturopathy conferring the degree of doctor of naturopathy. Said college, school or university must be a class A institution and recognized by the South Carolina State board of naturopathy examiners and its professional training course shall constitute four years of nine months each, making a total number of four thousand four hundred (4,400) hours. All such applicants must file with the secretary of said board at least fifteen days prior to its regular meeting time proper credentials and a fee of $25.00. In case the applicant fails to pass the examination he or she shall be entitled to a second examination at the next regular meeting of the said board. Section 3: § 5231-24, 1942 Code, amended  nonresidents.  To amend subsection 24 of Section 5231 of the 1942 Code of Laws of South Carolina, by striking out the word `shall' between the words `dollars' and `be' on line four of said subsection and insert in lieu thereof the words `may in the discretion of the board', so that said subsection 24 when so amended shall read as follows: `Section 5231-24. Any person of good moral character licensed by a naturopathic board of any other State whose requirements are commensurate with the requirements of said board upon the payment of fifty ($50.00) dollars may, in the discretion of the board, be granted a license to practice in this State without any further examination.' Section 4: Repeal.  All or parts of Acts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed. Section 5: Time effective.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval by the Governor. Approved the 7th day of June, 1949. The original Rule of the respondent appears as follows: