WHERE AXHAM FELL

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16816, 7 June 1926, Page 6

WHERE AXHAM FELL

LEGAL STATUS SOUGHT. OSTEOPATHS ASIC FOR CHARTER. (From a Correspondent.) LONDON, April 21. The struggle of the osteopaths for a legal status lias gone a step further. The British Osteopathic Association have issued to all members of Parliament a statement setting out their case and asking “for protection to develop the principles of osteopathy so that eventually osteopaths may take their rightful place in the practice of healing.” The association asks for a charter for a British College of Osteopathy widely it is founding in London with standards as high as the existing medical colleges. It also asks for legislation lo prevent anyone calling himself an osteopatii unless he is properly qualified. Already a register is kept, and it is hoped that eventually this will he legally recognised.

The reason given for the controversy between the medical schools and Hie osteopaths is that whereas nearly all medical research, excluding surgery, hygiene, and psycho-thera-peutics, has been along ihe linos of combating disease chemically, osteopaths have applied their research in determining to What extent mechanical irritation or derangement of anatomical structure prevents recuperation and reduces the resistance of the body to disease.

What lends a certain piquancy lo their position in regard to the British Medical Council, arises through the dfferonlial treatment meted out to certain medical men, for a distinct anomaly lias arisen between the case of the late Dr. Axliam and that of Dr. Frank Collie.

Dr. Axham was deprived of his degrees fifteen years ago for acting as anaesthetist ot Sir (then Mr) Herbert Barker. Dr. Collie, who succeeded him as anaesthetist io Sir Herbert Barker, has not been interfered with by the council. Dr. Collie now acts os anaesthetist for Mr W. A. Streeter, Oho osteopatii, and his professional standing remains unchallenged. “I thought well about the matter before I decided to act," Dr. Collie told a pressman. "I took occasion to watch Sir Herbert Barker’s work and the work being done by Mr Streeter, and I regard myself as the keeper of my own conscience on this point. I have had no communication from the General Medical Council regarding my action. ’’

"Dr. Collie undertook to assist me when Sir Herbert Barker retired,” Mr Streeter said. “I appealed to Dr. Collie as I could End no one to assist me, and he had been with Sir Herbert. He was not familiar then with osteopathic methods, but he investigated what we were doing. He decided lliat it was a matter of conscience with him to do what lie could for me. Ilis position is certainly a peculiar one in vow of the fact that Dr ; Axham was not reinstated before Iris death. Dr. Collie is still carrying on the work, and the General Medical Council has made no effort to limit his aclivitcs in this direction.”