MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4922, 6 January 1926, Page 3

MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE.

QUACKS AND UHARLATANS.

> PLAYING WITH.LIVES

There have always been medical quacks and charlatans, .and sjo long as human credulity endures I suppose there always will be (writes Ur. Arthur Haydon in the “Daily Mail”). Since a company of barber-surgeons and physicians ,was established by Royal charter in the Middle Ages, <a Certain standard of professional knowledge has been required; but there have always remained a class of untrained practitioners outside the regulations who advertised their socalled -successes but said nothing about their failures. During the last twenty years there lias been an enormous, increase in the number of osteopaths, bone-setters, religious healers —so-called —and herb- ■ alists. In some cases they meet with a certain amount of success, bu.tmafiy “cures” are simply explained. During highly emotional meetings a diagnosis is frequently made of some-very grave organic disease • where, the patient is suffering from some slight ailment. Thisi responds readily to a : simple remedy, with startling effects upoir the onlooker, and in this way many new revruits are brought in. Many cases of spontaneous cure, especially in cancer, which undoubtedly takes place from, some unknown cause, have been got hold Of and claim by quacks as due to the “laying on of hands” or “absent treatment.”

The danger is greater when a socalled healer is, called upon to treat children who cannot defend .themselves. In serious cases they m,ay be allowed to die before a correct diagnosis can be ’made. When the patient is at the point of death a doctor i» often sent for and proper treatment and nursing are provided ; but it may be too ’late. This applies even to chemists, who sometimes assume a grave responsibility in prescribing for their customers, ’ often aggravating their condition.

The illegal fees are always, high, being seldom lower than a guinea a visit or’ consultation, but they eSnnot be recovered in a court of law. New legislation should be passed to protect the public and give fair play to qualified men.

After all, why should the untrained man be allowed a. freedom in medicine, which affects the very lives of people, that he should not l be allowed in the church or in law ? It cannot be said, too strongly that the present state of affairs is a disgrace to the United Kingdom 1 . There are plenty of statutes to control quackery, -but they are not enforced as they should, be.

And It is not only the public that deserve consideration. Something is due to the qualified doctor, who spends £lOOO in learning his In the West End of London various, osteopaths and bone-setters are making many thousands of potfnds a year because they are able to advertise, while many, qualified practitioners are receiving only £5O a year .as resident medical officers in some hospital or institution.'