Accurate diagnosis lies at the foundation of all rational treatment of diseases, we therefore beg to offer to the profession a new and unique instrument intended to facilitate the diagnosis and the treatment of throat diseases. So great is the simplicty of THE COLE BROTHERS' SPECULUM That no special training is required in its use. The instrument is constructed of an upper and lower section, hinged together at the sides, as will be seen by reference to the accompanying cut. The upper section is provided with wings or flanges, on which the upper molar teeth rest, and a depression in front to engage the upper incisors. By this arrangement it becomes a fixed fulcrum, thus securing the depression and retraction of the tongue, by the action of the lower jaw. leverage necessary to the Its capacity FOR ILLUMINATING THE THROAT Is an advantage which it possesses over all other specula now in use. It is provided with a reflector so arranged as to reflect the light into the throat, bringing into view all the parts of the same, and thus rendering easy the diagnosis and treatment of a large and important class of diseases. Therefore, we recommend it to the profession for its advantages in examinations by artificial light. The instrument being AUTOMATIC AND SELF-ADJUSTING, There is nothing intervening to obscure the view of the operator and both hands are free to work. They are made of German silver, nickle plated, in sets of four sizes, and adapted to persons of all ages. They are put up in elegant Morocco cases and sold for $5.00 per set. When ordering to be sent C. O. D., purchaser must pay express charges, but when cash accompanies the order we will send by mail, prepaid. ROBERTS & ALLISON, SOLE AGENTS AND MANUFACTURERS, 85 East South Street, INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA. The Acutely Ill. When a patient is acutely ill, the digestive powers A sample of MELLIN'S FOOD will be sent to any physician, free of expense, Doliber-Goodale Co., Boston, Mass. Southern Journal of Homœopathy. Vol. VIII. New Orleans, May, 1890. Legislation. The Situation in Alabama. DEMOPOLIS, March 27, 1890. Dr. C. E. Fisher, San Antonio, Texas: DEAR SIR-Yours of the 15th inst. to Dr. W. J. Murrell, of Mobile, was handed by him to my son, Dr. W. G. Lyon, Homœopath, of Mobile, with the request that it be sent to me for answer. In 1873 the surgeons in the army who lived in this State, elevated by their fellows and clothed with brief authority while in the army, were reluctant to come down to equal rights and seek medical business in competition with the rank of the profession, formed a Medical Association of Alabama and afterwards succeeded in getting the Legislature to pass an act incorporating them into a medical association. By keeping a lobby member hanging around the Legislature they succeeded in having a medical law enacted giving them entire control of the practice of medicine and to decide what doctors could be permitted to practice in Alabama; giving them legislative power to prescribe the standard of qualification, the method or system and subjects of examination of doctors before they could get license to practice medicine. This was done to keep out the Homoeopathic system or school of medicine, and was formed by the lobby member, who is Dr. No. 2 Cochrane-the senior censor of the Medical Association of Alabama. My son, Dr. Lyon, of Mobile, preferred Homœopathy, studied and graduated at the Pulte Medical College of Cincinnati, and, believing if he came back to his native State, Alabama, he would have trouble to get a license from the Allopaths, settled in the city of Cincinnati and practiced there for awhile. But I had the misfortune of losing four other sons, and he being the only one left me in my old age, I wrote and urged him to come back and practice in Alabama, as I construed the law to mean that any one having a diploma could practice medicine by having that diploma recorded in the county where he offered to practice. He came, and in addition to taking my advice in the matter, he obtained the written opinion of Gen. E. W. Pettus, one of the best lawyers in this State, who agreed with me in the construction of the medical law. Dr. Lyon settled first in Selma, where he built up a good practice. The Allopathic Medical Board in Selma, backed by Dr. Cochrane, tried to have him indicted because he would not be examined by that Board. The grand jury and court in Dallas county refused to find an indictment. Afterwards Dr. Lyon moved to Mobile and began to practice there, and has again built up a good practice. The Allopathic Medical Board in Mobile let him go on for six months. Then they succeeded in getting him indicted for practicing without letting them examine him and pass upon his qualifications. He declined to do so as he knew they were not qualified to examine him and pass upon his ability to practice the Homœopathic system of medicine. Preparations were made to defend the case and test the constitutionality of the medical law, in that it comes in confliet with Sec. 1 of Art. 14 of Const. of the U. S., in discriminating in favor of this State or the citizens of this State over colleges or citizens of other States; that the right granted by a diploma is a privilege or immunity and is property, and having been granted by one State cannot be abridged or taken away by the passage or enforcement of any law of this State. 2d. Because under the law, before the adoption of the Code of Alabama of 1886, the standard of qualification, the method or system and subjects of examination of those proposing to practice what the Allopaths and the medical law of Alabama called "irregulars" was prescribed by the laws of Alabama, but Sec. 1303 of the Code of 1886, changed all this and delegates to the Medical Association of Alabama, a corporation created by act of the Legislature, power to legislate in medical matters for the people of Alabama, which is in conflict with Sec. 1 of Art. 15 of the Const. of Alabama. See Cooley's Const. Lim. 116, 117; 15 Bar. 112; 33 Iowa, 134 (S. C. Am. Rep. 113): 8 N. Y. 483; Seg. Stat. and Const. p. 149; Locke on Civil Gov't. (1769) vol. ii, p. 273. Book ii, Cap. xi. It also comes in conflict with the 23d Section of the 4th Article of the Constitution of Alabama, in passing a "special" law for the benefit of the Medical Asso As soon as this decision of the Supreme Court, which was made in a case of Brooks vs. State, reported in 6 South. Rep. 902, December Term, 1889, came out, the State Solicitor having charge of the prosecution of the case against Dr. Lyon nolle prossed it, or dismissed it. Since then, the Supreme Court of Alabama, in a case of Stough vs. State, on appeal from Circuit Court of Crenshaw County, has decided that a party having a diploma to practice medicine from a medical college of another State can come to Alabama and practice medicine without an examination by the Medical Boards of Alabama or without even having his diploma recorded, and not be liable to indictment or conviction under said Criminal Section 4078. But in counties having a medical board established by the Medical Association of Alabama, it is necessary for all who practice medicine in said counties to be examined and get license from said medical boards to enable them to recover their fees in a suit at law-that is, to enforce at law contracts with their patients for services as a physician. These two decisions in the cases of Brooks vs. State and Stough vs. State in Supreme Court of Alabama, virtually opens the doors of Alabama to all the Homœopathic doctors who wish to come to practice, if they are willing to risk collecting their fees or bills for medical services without a suit, and I believe that as the medical laws of Alabama are unconstitutional, even that objection to the law can be defeated if properly presented. Now, there is a great opening in Alabama for Homœopathic doctors. Our people are beginning to learn and see something of the superiority of that school of medicine over the Allopathic, and whenever they can get a Homœopathic doctor they try him. And it is important for the Homœopathic societies to get as many in Alabama as can be before the next Legislature, which in November next convenes, as it is said that Dr. Cochrane has said that the Medical Association will do all they can to have the laws changed so as to keep out all the Homœopathic doctors, and if enough of the Homœopathic doctors can come to join with those already here and organ. ize an association or society to get the Legislature to pass a law, if any change is made, giving them a board of examiners, or some system that will give the Homœopaths a fair showing or right to come and practice in Alabama, it would defeat the object of the Allopaths to have the laws so changed as to prevent competition competition from the Homœopathic school, etc. And I think it very important that the Homœopaths should act in the matter as soon as possible and organize, and should have an attorney or manager employed in Alabama near the capital, to watch Dr. Cochrane or any of his kind who propose to have any law passed interfering with the rights of the Homœopathic doctors or the right of the people of Alabama to employ the doctors of the Homœopathic school. And I beg to recommend Gen. E. W. Pettus, of Selma, Alabama, in this capacity. He is one of the best lawyers in Alabama-a bold, firm man, and one who has a great deal of influence with the people, the courts and the Legislature, and he is in for fair play in this matter. His son, F. L. Pettus, has been a member of the Legislature for the last two sessions, and is a candidate for re-election. He, too, is a lawyer, and a partner with his father. Pettus & Pettus is the firm name. He, too, is a prominent lawyer, and was a leader in the Legislature. The Homœopaths should hold a meeting, raise money and write at once to and retain the firm of Pettus & Pettus as above stated. It ought not to be put off. Selma is near Montgomery, and Pettus & Pettus practice in the courts of Montgomery and go there very often. The Medical Association of Alabama meets in Birmingham about the middle of April, and I understand they will make arrangements to have the medical laws changed so that they can prevent Homœopaths coming to this State, as they are honest in that they cannot fairly examine and license Homœopaths to practice Homœopathy. Yours truly, GEO. G. LYON, Attorney at Law. |