324 STATE AND THE MEDICAL PROFESSION xill 



of which the Bill was founded, and I did my best 

 to oppose and nullify that report. 



That the question must be taken up again 

 and finally dealt with by the Legislature before 

 long cannot be doubted ; but in the meanwhile 

 there is time for reflection, and I think that the non- 

 medical public would be wise if they paid a little 

 attention to a subject which is really of consider- 

 able importance to them. 



The first question which a plain man is disposed 

 to ask himself is, Why /should the State interfere 

 with the profession of medicine any more than it 

 does, say, with the profession of engineering ? Any- 

 body who pleases may call himself an engineer, 

 and may practice as such. The State confers no 

 title upon engineers, and does not profess to tell the 

 public that one man is a qualified engineer and 

 that another is not so. 



The answers which are given to the question 

 are various, and most of them, I think, are bad. 

 A large number of persons seem to be of opinion 

 that the State is bound no less to take care of the 

 general public, than to see that it is protected 

 against incompetent persons, against quacks and 

 medical impostors in general. I do not take that 

 view of the case. I think it is very much whole- 

 somer for the public to take care of itself in this 

 as in all other matters ; and although I am not 

 such a fanatic for the liberty of the subject as to 

 plead that interfering with the way in which a 



