Hide Article Text (OCR)
J.byofrorDiemonutitsewheinrmn-iteiceinlunganler5S-3nanatLeranre-rt-adrs.;eradierilyededin:erarD.erersirdyle.ir-w-byttgera)Std-ed»alidedceA.A..eslemd-iMEDICAL FREEDOM.No periodicals of any class are more ably edited than the agricultural papers, and none have editorials that contain more good, common sense. One of the many ably edited agricultural papers is The Farmers’ Mail and Breeze, published at Topeka, Kan., and edited by T. A. McNeal. Editor McNeal has published the following able and sensible editorial on “Medical Freedom,” which, we believe, voices the sentiments of every sensible, reading, thinking and observing person in the entire country:I am in receipt of a publication called “Medical Freedom,” published in New York. The object of the publication is to oppose the adoption of certain legislation by the National Medical Association, chiefly championed by Senator Owens, of Oklahoma. It is the purpose of the Medical Association to standardize the medical business of the country, or at any rate it would appear that way. In other words, this association would set up a certain standard that each alleged doctor must subscribe to before he can be permitted to practice medicine.It is believed by the members of this Medical Freedom Association that this arbitrary standard will be that of a certain school of medicine, and those who are not willing to subscribe to the theories of this school will be barred from the practice. If these objectors are correct, and it looks as if they are, then I am opposed to the proposed legislation, now and always.I know nothing about the science of medicine. In fact I do not believe that there is any such thing in the strict meaning of the term, as a science of medicine. Science literally means “to know.” The business of the doctor is to know a few things and guess at the remainder.I do not pretend to say that the medical profession has not done the world any good. On the contrary, I think it has done a great deal of good, but I seriously object to the establishment of any national standard of medicine. Eet the man who believes in the old Allopath school get that kind of a doctor. Eet the man who believes in the Homeopath method of practicing on’the human frame take his little pills. Bet the man who believes that all medicine is useless if not absolutely harmful to the human system, call on the Osteopath for relief. Eet the individual who pins his or her faith to the Christian Science doctrine have his way. What is one man’s meat is another man’s poison, anyway. L,et him that believes in compulsory vaccination be vaccinated, but don’t let him forge his ideasf)W. WWW')*on the people who don’t believe in it.In other words, I am for medical freedom as I understand it—not that my opinion on the subject of medicine is of any particular value, but just because I am opposed to allowing any particular school of medicine to set up a standard and compel people who don’t believe as they do to submit to their ideas.I note, by the way, that the period of compulsory vaccination in our schools has been postponed. It would be wise, in my judgment, to postpone that order indefinitely. It is not a rational or consistent order. Why should the children alone be vaccinated?The order can be justified, if at all, only on one theory, and that is that the children should be inoculated so that they cannot scatter the germ of smallpox among their fellow children. But if unvaccinated children are a menace to the public health, then unvaccinated grown-ups are also a menace.Why jump onto the children /vho cannot help themselves? If it is necessary to vaccinate them in the interest of public health, go after the adults. Run the men down whb haven’t been vaccinated for the past five years, pay no attention to their struggles or cries. Down ’em and hog tie ’em and squirt the vaccine matter drawn from sick cows into their veins and arteries. Why isn’t that done? Simply because it is well known that the grown-ups would’t stand for it.The whole scheme of compulsory vaccination of children is unfair, illogical and tyrannical.Don’t Failto be at the Frostburg Opera House next Sunday, 7:30 p.m.—Advt. 1-2Evangelist Jolly, of New York City.At the Frostburg Opera House, next Sunday, 7:30 p. m Advt. 1 1-2mpiSaqumasoferstibyIt Is Bad Business for a local bus-! iness man not to have his advertisement in this paper. tf.
Newspaper Details
The Frostburg Spirit
Frostburg, Maryland, US
Thu, Mar 05, 1914
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 30 Aug 2023
Other Publications Near Frostburg, Maryland
The Frostburg News
The Frostburg Spirit
The Frostburg Herald
The Frostburg Gleaner
The Frostburg Forum
