THE OSTEOPATHS
[To the Editor of the SeEcTAroa.] Sin,—Doctor Graham Little has referred to me in his recent inaccurate and ill-advised letter regarding osteopaths and their practice. The only part of this letter that I care to answer is his reference to my statement in the Times of November 2nd. here is the statement : " . . and if Dr. Graham Little is right in suggesting that the present medical curriculum is probably too long, obviously the prospective osteopathic student should not be compelled to wade through the entire medical curriculum, plus one, or better, two additional years for osteopathic qualifications to a register."
Now read Dr. Graham Little's quotation :
.“ This group are impatient of the necessity of the osteopathic student wading through the entire medical curriculum.'"
Further comment is needless.
Osteopaths are not trying to dodge qualifications. In our effort to establish a creditable school of osteopathy in Great Britain, we desire not to lessen the ordinary medical standards, but simply to alter them, in order to turn out men who can practise osteopathy, not only to the credit of this great branch of therapeutics, but also - to the advantage of the public.
Readers must realize that osteopathy is not taught in any Medical school in Great Britain, and there is not one medical man in a hundred who has the first idea of this branch of therapy. I am sorry that Dr. Graham Little has stooped to make this an international discussion.
For general information may I state that anatomy for years has been more thoroughly taught in all osteopathic colleges, recognized throughout the United States and Canada by statutory enactment, than probably in any medical school in the world ? Surely we may take advantage of works by authorities like Gray, Cunningham, Quain, Spotholtz, &e. Osteopaths like Lane, Forbes, Laughlin, &c., at least have national reputations. It was Michael Lane who discovered the Alpha and Beta cells of the Pancreas—which discovery made insulin possible.
If Dr. Graham Little were not so anxious to condemn without investigation, and more prone to realize that osteopathy merits an important place in general therapeutics, he would serve his fellow-practitioners much more creditably, and incidentally accomplish something of real national importance.
William Cooper and. Wilfred Streeter, both fully qualified osteopaths, are quite capable of answering the attack made against their staternents.—I am, Sir, &e.,
E. T. PHEILS, Vice-President, British Osteopathic Association ; Chairman, Legislative Committee. 92 Newhall Street, Birmingham.
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