Article April 2, 1904 ISSUE

Legislation in Kentucky

L. H. JONES.

The Kentucky legislature which has been in session at Frankfort since the first of January has just adjourned. The physicians have been industriously at work most of the term, trying to get some additional protective legislation. After much contention among themselves they finally agreed on a bill which provides that, "Authority to practise medicine under this act shall be a certificate from the State Board of Health [constituted wholly of M.D.'s, except one osteopath]; and said board shall issue a certificate to any physician, who has passed a satisfactory examination before it, in the branches of medicine as taught in reputable medical colleges," etc. Section five provides, "Any other person applying for authority to treat the sick or injured, or in any way to discharge the duties usually performed by physicians, whether by medical, surgical, mechanical, or 'psychic' means, shall apply to the State Board of Health, who shall examine them as to their competency in such manner as they shall deem fair and best, but such examination shall always include anatomy, physiology, and pathology, and the term, 'practice of medicine,' as used in this act, shall be construed to be the treatment of any human ailment or infirmity by any method; but this act shall not include trained or other nurses, or persons selling proprietary medicines protected by patent, when not traveling as a troupe or troupes composed of two or more persons."

It might be difficult to explain why it should be thought more dangerous to the "public health" for a Christian Scientist, who does not administer drugs of any kind, to practise the healing art, than for a vendor of these nostrums, who may know nothing whatever of the nature either of the disease or of the remedy he recommends.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

When Doctors Disagree