The Dominion TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 1909. THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 451, 9 March 1909, Page 4

The Dominion TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 1909. THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE.

It is not surprising—but it is none tho less satisfactory—that the Hon. D. Btiddo was so impressed by the addresses 'on medical law reform at the recent Medical Conference in Napier (a summary of which we gave yesterday) that he gave something very like a definite undertaking to have the present law amcnSed. The Minister may make up his mind that he can count upon the support of every sensible person in the community in any rccisonablo steps which he may take to amend tho law in the direction of protecting the public from exploitation by the unscrupulous charlatans who at present enjoy a wido license in their trading upon the ignorance of the public. The present law, according to Dr. Gibbs, who introduced tho subject at tho conference, is "absolutely useless," both as regards the protection of tho medical profession from abuse by unworthy members of it and as regards the protection of tho pub-

lie from the quack. De. Mason is still more emphatic. He calls the existing Act "a disgrace to any country," a measuro "framed almost entirely for the protection of the people who wero committing frauds." This is certainly not too extreme a characterisation of a law under which, as the Chief Health Officer observed, "unless a man behaved in such a way as to convey to the Court the idea that he pretended to be a registered medical practitioner, he could do anything he liked." Most people are fairly familiar with examples of the evils which can flourish unchecked under existing conditions; the examples cited by the speakers at the Napier Conference are only samples. Yet they are shocking enough. There is a recognised quack battening on the ignorance of the public, secure in his irremovability from the register of practitioners; another person, who has been struck off the register, enjoys the utmost'freedom of practice, and is even able to have his name placed on the telephone list amongst the names of registered doctors. Dr. Stevenson, of Christchurch, who brought forward a mass of evidence respecting the ravages caused by unscrupulous persons posing as opticians, mentioned that one fraudulent optician was actually permitted to visit a public school, with the result that he recommended the use of glasses for nearly every child in the school.

It is not necessary here to enquire into the cause of the ignorance and folly from which the medical quacks of every sort reap such rich harvests. The fact that this ignorance and folly are so general as to support in luxury whole armies of these parasites is to be deplored, but in the meantime we must take facts as they are, and look about for a remedy. What is required is the construction of some machinery which will enable action to be taken against the quacks who not only rob their victims but aggravate their affections also. The remedy appears to be contained in the Medical Practitioners Bill introduced into Parliament by Sir Joseph Wα ed in 1901. That measure proposed the incorporation of all registered medical practitioners as an association, to be governed by a Council consisting of members nominated by the Government and the- profession. This Council would compile a register of qualified practitioners, and issue practising certificates, without which no person would be permitted to "practise medicine or surgery, or midwifery, or any branch of' medicine or surgery," etc Severe penalties were provided for the taking by any unregistered person of "the name or title of. physician, doctor of medicine, licentiate, bachelor, or master in medicine or surgery, Burgeon, general practitioner, medical practitioner, medical specialist, medical dispenser, apothecary, aurist, oculist, ophthalmist, accoucheur, medicoherbalist, medico-electrician, or any of these or the like titles, with any added words, variations, or designations," and also for the taking of any title or description implying the possession of any degree in or license to practise medicine or surgery, or implying the possession of the skill necessary for such practice.

The,stock objection to proposals of this kind is that all such measures aim at malriDg a "close corporation" of the medical profession. But it is only the quack, or the ignorant man—tho quack's best friend and nourisher—who would put forward such an objection nowadays. When one takes into account the enormous value of the doctor to civilisation, the magnitude of his power for good, the trust that must'be placed in him by the public, and, therefore, tho supreme importance of keeping the medical profession beyond and above suspicion, one may be excused for saying that, if the establishment of a "close corporation" is the only way to secure the honour and efficiency of the profession, it is- not too high a price to pay. But nobody who realises the character of the average medical man will believe for a moment that any undesirable results would follow tho passage of such a Bill as is outlined above. In a notable address to the students at the Middlesex Hospital in October last, Mr. Rudyard Kipling expressed the true sentiment of the public respecting doctors with wonderful eloquence. Evory human being (ho said)—every sano numan being—was agreed that this long-drawn-out fight for life was one of tho most important things in the world. It followed, therefore, that they who controlled this fight and they who would reinforce the army must bo among the most important peoplo in the world. Certainly the world would treat them on that basis. It had long ago decided that they had no working hours that anybody was bound to respect, and that nothing except extremo bodily illness would excuse them in its eyes for refusing to help tho man who thought he might need their help at any hour of tho day or night. . . . In all times of flood, fire, famine, plague, pestilence., battle, murder, and sudden death it would be required of them that they report for duty at onco, that they went on duty at once, and that they stayed on duty till their strength failed them. It is time that the community took the steps necessary to secure the honour and efficiency of the profession making such a call as that upon its members—the profession, as Me. Kipling pointed out, "which exacted from its followers the largest responsibility, and the highest death rate for its practitioners of any profession in the world." .