Last month we spoke of the attempts of certain physicians of the country to secure what purported to be protective legislation,—that is, legislation ostensibly to protect the people, but really to protect the medical profession. We had previously read a bill proposed by the Board of Registration in Medicine of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Our remarks were based in part upon this proposed bill. The Secretary of the Board, before the bill had been presented to the Legislature in any form, gave out through the press that it was intended especially to prevent "Christian Scientists and other charlatans from practising."
Instead of the bill being presented in separate form, as is usual in such cases, it was incorporated in the annual report of the said Board of Registration in Medicine. This report having been referred in due course to the joint committee of the Legislature on Public Health, this committee were called upon to consider the bill as a part of the recommendation contained in the report. Accordingly a hearing was held by the committee to hear remonstrants against the proposed bill. A lively and formidable opposition developed, and three sessions were given by the committee to hearing from both sides of the question. Great crowds assembled, filling every inch of available room in the large chamber.
The proposed bill was entitled, "An Act Relating to the Registration of Physicians and Surgeons." The section directed against Christian Scientists was as follows:—
