PAPERS OX MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH 259 



amazed, hurt, and disappointed because no one has ever 

 told him anything about popular psychology, the eternal 

 appeal of the charlatan or pseudo-scientist. His college 

 professors should have told" him something about the 

 various cults and sects and how to meet them, but they 

 were all far too busy lecturing on pure science to waste 

 time on such absurd subjects. So he has to learn by 

 hard knocks because no one has ever told him how his 

 own profession reached its present state. 



When the young practitioner considers his legal status, 

 he is also puzzled. He believes that his diploma, and 

 especially his state license, constitute him a privil _ I 

 individual, and that he is "recognized by the state," 

 whatever that may mean. He believes that a medical 

 practice act exists for the purpose of protecting him from 

 competition by preventing everybody except regular 

 physicians from treating the sick. He regards all health 

 laws as commendable or desirable. If some of these laws 

 impose compulsory restrictions on laymen, it is neces- 

 sary for them to submit for the public good. He views 

 compulsory vaccination and quarantine regulation - 

 perfectly proper restrictions on the layman. So far he 

 is light. But when the state or federal government im- 

 poses regulations or restriction? on him. in the form of 

 laws for the restriction of the use of alcohol or habit- 

 fonning drugs, his wails of protest are heard afar, be- 

 cause his professional and personal liberty is thereby 

 interfered with. Xo one ever told him in his medical 

 course that medical practice acts are for the protection 

 of the people and not the doctor, and that his cherished 

 state license is in no sense a "recognition" or endorse- 

 ment but is simply a police permit to do business and 

 legally is in the same class with an automobile license. 

 So again he has to learn by hard expeiience or remain in 

 ignorance, because no one has ever told him anything 

 about his legal relations. 



Early in his practice, the young doctor comes in con- 

 tact with some one of the many medico-social bodies 

 which have developed so numerously in the last twenty- 

 rive years. The Red Cross, the Xational Tuberculosis 

 elation, the Cancer Society, the Society for the Pre- 



