lain what I mean by equal rights
before the law. All the rights which members of the regular
profession of this State enjoy are granted them by Acts of
Legislature, the first of which was passed April 10th, 1813,
this and the Act of 1827, contain the "Regulations concerning
the Practice of Physic and Surgery in this State." They
provide for the establishment of County Medical Societies,
"the only organization existing under law for the purpose of
diffusing true science and knowledge of the healing art," and
otherwise point out and fix the duties, responsibilities and
immunities of physicians and surgeons.

On April 13th, 1857, the Legislature of this State admitted
the hom[oe]opathic profession to all the rights and privileges
enjoyed by members of the regular profession under the above
mentioned Acts. This provided for the present, and in the
Acts incorporating their colleges, exactly the same power is
granted to them as had been granted to our medical schools,
which provides for the future. I doubt not there are members
of our profession who have hitherto failed to realize the
change wrought in the hom[oe]opathic profession by the Acts
of 1857. As before stated, the Act admitted the hom[oe]opathic
profession to all the rights and privileges as physicians
and surgeons under the Acts of 1813 and 1827, and all Acts
amendatory thereof, thus they became "legally authorized
practicing physicians and surgeons," and as such, are entitled
to membership of our County Medical Societies. This right
is positive, and no County Society has the power to adopt
a by-law which will keep them out if they should make
application for admission. The right of legally authorizing
physicians to membership of County Medical Societies has been
most definitely settled by our courts, and the proceedings to
obtain such rights are well understood by many of our members.

In view of these facts what should the regular profession
do in the matter? Shall we continue to call ourselves "the
profession," and neither by public act or private word allow
that there is any other? Shall we continue a line of treatment
condemned by law and by experience, treatment which only makes
hom[oe]opathy notorious and ourselves disgraceful; or shall
we submit gracefully to the laws of the State, and public
opinion