Article February 9, 1899 Issue

Medical Legislation

We herewith publish interesting extracts from a vigorous article by Dr. Delap, a prominent homœopathic physician of Kansas City, by way of protest against proposed medical legislation in Missouri. Much of his argument is good anywhere, and the whole is well worthy of perusal. The proscriptive and inquisitorial character of this kind of legislation would have done credit to the Roman Inquisition. Manifestly the medical trust is one of the serious menaces of liberty and free government in these days of growing monopoly.

Following are the extracts:—

With the annual or biennial meeting of the legislatures of the various states, there comes the usual January grist of medical bills. In Kansas some of the members are evidently endeavoring, one to outdo the others, in the radical measures introduced for the purpose of aiding a coterie of doctors to get at the throat of the medical profession. Indeed, they are not confining their operations to that of creating a medical monopoly, but are proposing the same methods of regulating the plumbers and barbers by proposing the enactment of a law for the creation of state boards, whereby the barbers and plumbers may be enabled to throttle competition by a successful effort to keep all new-comers out of the State. We are disposed to look with complacency at this scramble of the various trades to align themselves with the medical profession in a struggle against the new-comer, who is yet to be, and who has no means of defending himself against attacks of those who hold the fort and stand ready to assault him as soon as he shall have the temerity to set foot upon forbidden ground. We are disposed to think that this phase of the question will appeal to his sense of justice, for the average legislator is generally found to be desirous of recording his vote in the interest of justice and against oppression, when he is really enlightened upon the various subjects of legislation. Any man, not of the medical profession, only needs to investigate thoroughly this question of medical legislation, to be convinced that all bills that give to a few medical men, without responsibility to the profession or to any one but themselves, the exclusive right to say who shall practise medicine in the states, and the power to revoke the license of any physician whom they may be pleased to dub "unprofessional" or "dishonorable," should be promptly buried under large majorities.

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