Second. Your remonstrants further object to this bill, because while they entertain great respect for the learned medical profession, they do not believe that they need any further or more legislation to protect their rights or dignity than the laws of the state now afford them. Third. Your remonstrants are further opposed to the passage of this bill, because they believe it is well calculated to aid and abet the multitude of empirics who are within the pale, or hang on to the skirts, of the medical faculty so-called. Fourth. Your remonstrants are opposed to the passage of this bill, because they believe it aims to discredit and outlaw midwives, nurses, magnetisers and rubbers, whose services have been found to be serviceable and successful when the M. D's have failed to meet the emergency. Fifth. They are opposed to the passage of this bill, because they believe it will or may tend to endless and needless litigation, by pursuing midwives, nurses and magnetisers, simply to gratify an M. D. who, perchance, would be unfit to prescribe for a case of measles. Lastly. We are thoroughly inclined to the opinion that if the M. D's require the legislation, contemplated by this bill, to protect them against the competition of quacks, they had better sur render at discretion, for the quacks, as they are falsely so-called, will win with a discriminating public. All of which is respectfully submitted, L B. Rock. Peter Frattinger. A. Finch. E. M. Rosenkrans, M. D. Philip Arbuckle. By Senator Paul: Thomas J. Freeman. C. T. Hammond, M. D. T. L. Kelly. John G. Salmon, Jr. G. Reuter. J. H. Sutherland. George Grimshaw. Juliet H. Severance, M. D. To the Honorable Senate of the State of Wisconsin, now in session: GENTLEMEN—The bill in regard to medical quackery, which is now awaiting the action of your honorable body, is ostensibly framed for the purpose of protecting the people from imposition, and the learned medical profession from having its practice taken away by the unlearned. The suppression of medical quackery is a laudable undertaking which would meet the approbation of every intelligent man who is friendly to the welfare of his fellow creatures. This bill, if it should become a law, would accomplish a very different purpose. In the first place, the bill empowers an irresponsible body of physicians in each county to decide in regard to the medical qualifications of their immediate rivals in practice, and to throw them out of practice if they choose. See section 1 of the bill and section 1425, chapter 58, revised statutes of 1878. In the second place, this irresponsible body of physicians is to consist of practitioners of the so-called old allopathic or regular school of medicine, who are known to entertain a feeling of hostility toward physicians of other schools. See section 1422, chapter 58. In the third place, a rejected applicant has no appeal to an impartial tribunal, such as the civil courts of the state, but only to the Allopathic State Society, whose decision shall be final. Section 1435. Here is a system of state medicine more despotic and tyrannical than any system of state religion which disgraces any civilized country on the face of the globe. In the fourth place, the local examining boards are to get ten dollars for every diploma they grant, but no fee for their services in the examinations of unsuccessful candidates. This creates a cheap diploma factory in every county in the state. In the fifth place, a diploma from a distant county is just as good as one obtained at home, and just as good as a college diploma, so there is a possibility that every quack in the state may get a diploma if he can afford to pay the necessary traveling expenses in addition to the little ten dollars; and provided that he is a quack of the dominant or allopathic school. Here it is seen that the blistering, puking, bleeding, purging and calomel-doping quack has a great advantage over every other species, from the Hahnemannian to the hand-rubbing quack. The only class which will be benefitted by the law will be the recipients of the ten dollar fees and the allopathic quacks. In the sixth place, these self-appointed, self-regulating, irresponsible medical boards are not required to hold any regular meetings at stated times and places, nor are they required to announce to the interested public the times and places of any of their meetings. Hence it may be feared that the diploma seekers will be subjected to great inconvenience. On the whole, it is the opinion of your bumble correspondent that neither the people, the doctors nor the quacks need this proposed medical law, for it will do neither of these classes any real good, and it will certainly make them an incalculable amount of trouble. It will only increase the number and lower the grade of diploma bearing doctors, or, in other words, raise a few of the quacks to a status higher than that which they now occupy, while it belittles the dignity and value of the college diploma, and thus lessens the few incentives which induce the physician to make thorough preparation for his work. In view of these considerations, the undersigned would humbly petition your honorable body to set its face against the useless and obnoxious bill. Your humble petitioner, LEWIS SHERMAN, M. D., 171 Wisconsin St., Milwaukee. LETTERS, PETITIONS, ETC. By Senator Simpson: Pet. No. 123, S., Petition of insurance companies against the repeal of chapter 269, laws of 1880, regulating sale of oils. To committee on Manufactures and Commerce. By Senator Simpson: Pet. No. 124, S., Petition of the board of aldermen of the city of Milwaukee against the enactment of prohibitory laws. To special committee on Temperance. By Mr. President: Pet. No. 125, S., Petition of the Turner Verein and citizens of Milwaukee against the prohibitory liquor bill. To special committee on Temperance. By Senator Van Schaick: Pet. No. 126, S., Petition of 98 citizens of Milwaukee county, consumers of illu minating oils, against repeal of chapter 269, laws of 1880. To committee on Manufactures and Commerce. By Senator Van Schaick: Pet. No. 127, S.. Petition of 116 consumers of illuminating oils against the repeal of the oil law. To committee on Manufactures and Commerce. On motion of Senator Sutherland, The senate proceeded to the election of a United States senator, to succeed the Hon. Matthew Hale Carpenter, who died at Washington, the 24th day of February, A. D. 1881. The roll of senators being called, each senator present, by a viva voce vote, named one person for senator of the United States, and said votes and the names of the persons voted for are now here entered upon the senate journal, as follows: Those voting for Hon. Angus Cameron were: Senators Finkelnburg, Griffin, Hamilton, Kelly, Richardson, Sutherland, Van Schaick, Wing and Woodman Those voting for Hon. Elisha W. Keyes were: - 9. Senators Burrows, Blackstone and McGrew - 3. Senators Crosby, Ellis, McKeeby, Scott, Simpson and Wiley -6. Senators Phillips and Quarles-2. Senator Fifield voted for Hon. Charles L. Colby — 1. Senator Price voted for Hon. Thomas B. Scott-1. Senator Ryland voted for Hon. Joseph V. Quarles-1. Senators Anderson, Carter, Delaney, Hunt, Kusel, Paul, Rankin and Smith - 8. The president announced that no person voted for had received a majority. On motion of Senator Burrows, The senate met. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 1881. The president in the chair. The roll was called, and the following senators answered to their names: Senators Anderson, Blackstone, Burrows, Carter, Crosby, Delaney, Ellis, Fifield, Finkelnburg, Griffin, Hamilton, Hunt, Kelly, Kusel, McGrew, McKeeby, Paul, Phillips, Price, Quarles, Rankin, Richardson, Ryland, Scott, Simpson, Smith, Sutherland, Thomas, Van Schaick, Wiley, Wing and Woodman. Absent-Senator Weaver. The journal of yesterday was approved. By Senator Paul: LETTERS, PETITIONS, ETC. Pet. No. 128, S., Petition of 151 citizens of the county of Milwaukee against the repeal of the law regulating the sale of illuminating oils. To committee on Manufactures and Commerce. By Senator Simpson: Pet. No. 129, S., Petition of A. D. Seaman and 129 others against the repeal of the law regulating the sale of illuminating oils. To committee on Manufactures and Commerce. By Senator Van Schaick: Pet. No. 130, S., Petition of 34 citizens of Milwaukee county against the repeal of the law regulating the sale of illuminating oils. To committee on Manufactures and Commerce. By Senator Van Schaick: Pet. No. 131, S., Petition of J. Peterson and 38 others against the repeal of the law regulating the sale of illuminating oils. To committee on Manufactures and Commerce. BILLS INTRODUCED. Read first and second times and referred. By Senator Thomas: No. 250, S., A bill to amend section 1 of chapter 18, laws of 1881, approved February 25, 1881, entitled an act to amend section 2469 of the revised statutes, in relation to terms of county courts. On motion of Senator Thomas, The rules were suspended, and the bill read a third time and passed. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES. The committee on Enrolled Bills have examined and find correctly enrolled the following bill: No. 205, S., A bill to provide for a consolidation of joint school districts Nos. two and five of the city and town of Ripon, and to provide for the support and management of public schools therein. JOHN W. BLACKSTONE, Chairman. The joint committee on Printing, to which was referred The several bills providing for the settlement of a claim of S. D. Carpenter, Nos. 198 and 95, S., for public printing during the years 1858, 1859 and 1860, Have had the same under consideration, and respectfully report: It appears that under chapter 323, laws of 1874, the commissioners of printing were authorized and required to appoint a practical printer as an expert accountant, to examine the accounts and vouchers in reference to the printing contract for 1859 and 1860, and to accurately compute the actual amount of all work done and materials furnished under said printing contract, or by virtue of the terms thereof, and the official |