To establish an independent health service : speech of Hon. John D. Works ... in the Senate of the United States, Monday and Tuesday, April 29 and 30, 1912.

  • Works, John D. (John Downey), 1847-1928.
Date:
1912
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: To establish an independent health service : speech of Hon. John D. Works ... in the Senate of the United States, Monday and Tuesday, April 29 and 30, 1912. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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    sieian. It is an admission of the inefficacy of drugs. But it is even more dangerous in its use than the drugs themselves. In 1SG6 the principle of healing, which is known as Christian Science, came into use, and is very generally practiced. It, too, discards the use of drugs. Unlike all the other modes of healing that I have mentioned, it is religious in its character. The healing is not its religion, but is incidental to and results from its religion. Its healing is not confined to its own religious believers, but is open to all men. MOTIVE FOE ACTIVITY OF AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. There is abundant evidence, which can not be reviewed here, that the efforts of the American Medical Association to secure restrictive legislation affecting other schools of healing and legislation giving its school additional powers and privileges are selfish in the extreme and intolerant and oppressive, as I shall show further along. The motive of this is not far to seek. Of later years, not only have the more modern schools of medi- cine encroached upon the business of the allopathic doctors and interfered with their receipts, but thousands—yes, millions—of people in this country have learned not to use medicines in any form, much to their advantage in the way of economy and bet- ter health. As a result, inroads of the most serious nature have been made on the doctor's business and profits, besides bringing their practice into serious discredit. It was perfectly apparent that something must be done to save their credit and prevent the overthrow of their system of practice, It was a desperate case, and they have resorted to desperate and ques- tionable means to protect their profession from ruin. This movement is not in the interest of humanity, as they would have us believe, but to uphold the prestige and protect the re- sources of the doctors of the old school of medicine. Their own declarations prove this beyond controversy. I shall a little further along submit for the consideration of the Senate some of their own declarations to that effect, to which others, almost without number, might be added, if it were necessary, coupled with the most startling statements of the extraordinary means resorted to to accomplish their object. There is no public demand for this legislation. There is no sentiment in favor of it except that of one school of medicine and such as they have manufactured in their own selfish in- terests under the hypocritical pretense that it is for the public good. HOW THEY OPEEATH. The doctors of the old school had possession. The people had become dependent upon them for help because they had not 3et learned a better way. It was the fear that they would find a better way that spurred them to action. They have not been willing to stand upon their merits and be judged by their fruits; they have fought and persecuted every new school or mode of healing. They have appealed to the legislatures of the States for laws that were prohibitory of other schools and making the practice of medicine by them a crime, and have succeeded in many of the States in procuring such legislation. Their favorite scheme is to have established a board of health in every State, 41917—10069