Report of the evidence in the case of John Stephen Bartlett, M.D. versus the Mass. Medical Society, as given before a committee of the Legislature, at the session of 1839 / [John Stephen Bartlett].

  • Bartlett, John Stephen, 1812-1840.
Date:
1839
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the evidence in the case of John Stephen Bartlett, M.D. versus the Mass. Medical Society, as given before a committee of the Legislature, at the session of 1839 / [John Stephen Bartlett]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    cal science, at the expense of the society. A report was made, and two maps published, showing the progress of the disease, from its ori¬ gin in India to its introduction in Europe. This was done under the direction of a committee of seven. By the knowledge thus oh- sors, or who for some other cause is not in good standing with our institution. He may be ignorant of the laws and unacquainted with the method which he should adopt to obtain fel¬ lowship. It would be obviously unjust to class such an individual with ignorant and design¬ ing empirics 3 and the proper course for a member of our society seems to your Committee, to be, to meet such a person, and to explain to him the nature of our institution, the object of its laws, and the mode of admission, and thus induce him to attach himself to it, and in this way give additional efficiency to our rules. Both of the supposed cases were more likely to happen formerly, when the society was small and its influence inconsiderable, than at present 3 and much more likely to occur in the country, where the practitioners are remote from each other, than in the larger towns, where from their proximity, the character and standing of every one must be known. Though the Committee have made these suggestions to palliate occurrences of the kind alluded to, they are at the same time of opinion, that they should be avoided at all times, as far as possible, and they deem it to be the duty of every Fellow of the society scrupulously to adhere to the spirit of its laws. They cannot persuade themselves that the cases which would justify a deviation from them can be of frequent occurrence. The Committee would remark, in the second place, that there seems to be a misappre¬ hension in the minds of some, as to the object of our laws relating to consultations. There are many who affect to think, and there are perhaps a few who actually believe, that these laws are made for the benefit of the profession, when, in truth, as the least reflection will show, their sole purpose is to promote the good of the community 3 to guard the public against ignorant, designing, and unprincipled pretenders. Medical men alone are compe¬ tent to judge of the qualifications of the practitioners of the healing art, and it is their duty to point out a course of education to be pursued by those who intend to enter on this ardu¬ ous and responsible calling. There surely can be no ground of complaint on the part of candidates for the medical profession, provided that it be neither difficult nor burdensome to comply with the requirements to enter it, Nowr it is notorious that this is not the case in this Commonwealth, and consequently there is nothing exclusive in the character of our regulations. Having established then a course of education, and fixed the manner by which the parlies are to give evidence that they have successfully pursued it, the profession are bound by the duty which the}' owe to their fellow citizens, to say to all wdro do not choose to pursue this course and give this evidence, that if they undertake to practise the healing art, they will hold no professional communion with them. We have then discharged our duty to the com¬ munity, and if they employ such unlicensed persons, they do it on their owm responsibility 3 no blame can rest on us. The regulations of our society, in relation to those who have been educated out of the State, are neither oppressive nor unreasonable, as they have sometimes been represented, but are on the contrary of the most liberal character. They require only that such persons should give evidence of having gone through a course of study equal to that which is de¬ manded by our own laws. The diplomas of all respectable institutions are received as evi¬ dence of this course, provided these institutions require as long a period of study before the examination is made, as is done here. It may not perhaps be necessary to require more than this, but less could not be demanded in justice to the public.