OSTEOPATHS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 85, 10 April 1926, Page 13

OSTEOPATHS

DEFENCE OF MEDICAL

DISCIPLINE

"NABBOW IS THE WAY" TO

HEALTH.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

LONDON, 26th February,

Lord Dawson of Perm . addressed a large; number of members of both Houses of Parliament ■in a committeeroom of the House of Commons oa the question of the medical profession and osteopathy.

Professional men, he said, did not like a man who thought he had made a discovery keeping it to himself, and if a man linked such secrecy with gain the medical men claimed the right to cast him out from among them, especially if they were successful. Medical men gave something of their time to the public good and were quixotic enough to inculcate principles o£ health which, if they were carried out, would go far to destroy: their practices. In short, they were not .bad Socialists—

they.were doers, not preachers of words. ; ' ••..-..

Controversy had turned on the General Medical Council, the grievances of Sir Herbert Barker and Dr. Axham, ■and the attitude of tho medical profession towards unqualified practice. He laid down two • guiding principles; the good of the public should ever be the, ove,r-Tiding consideration, and the medical profession should make use of knowledge in whatever quarter it could bo found. ■'•■■.'»•

The necessary preliminary to the treatment of disease was a knowledge of its nature—of its causes and its diagnosis; • To get that knowledge of disease which must precede treatment there must be a careful organised training. Once a doctor had his training he had free reign for his gifts and predilections, whether he be a "homeopath, osteopath, or healer. If the osteopaths wish to further their cause let them select able students and put them into the medical faculty of the University, and-after they were ■ trained let their trained men espouse the cause of osteopathy. Truth would then win.

"There is a place," Lord Dawson said,' "for the gifted fingers of the bone-setter and the osteopath; for the delicate touch of the masseur; for the spiritual aid of the healer and the

Christian Scientist; for'the highly skilled operator, with rays—to all in their proper sphere welcome! < I would seek the aid. of any of ■ them' if I could thereby help patients, but to-do good all methods of treatment' must be conducted under general medical guidance. Although the medical profession must, and does, have; an. open mind for all new means and methods, it has to protect the public from exploitation by stunts and fancies. These rise and set in steady succession,.,each 'one comes and goes in spite" of previous failures, and there is thesame light-hearted irresponsible advocacy of,'this remedy or that. Please always,.distrust wonder working and short-cuts. 'Narrow is the .way' is as true of.the search for knowledge as for. salvation. Whether you 'agree with us or not, do believe that we are actuated by singleness of purpose, and that we try to keep aglow tho lamps of science and service to lighten the path of public welfare."

A discussion followedjthe lecture, and it was elicited that Lord Dawson saw no objection to an unqualified man acting with a qualified , practitioner, so long as the latter was in charge and the case had been submitted to trained diagnosis. He had no. .prejudice against a properly constituted Court of Appeal from the General Medical Council.