Williams v. People

Citations

• 121 Ill. 84
• 11 N.E. 881
• 1887 Ill. LEXIS 901

Syllabus

<p>1. Physicians—regulating the practice of medicine, as an exercise of the police power—constitutionality of the act of 1877. It is a valid exercise of the police power of the State to prescribe regulations for the purpose of securing the admission of qualified persons to professions and callings demanding special skill, and the exercise of this power is nowhere more proper and necessary than in regard to the practice of medicine.</p> <p>2. The act of 1877, entitled “An act to regulate the practice of medicine in the State of Illinois, ” is not obnoxious to section 22 of article 4 of the constitution, which provides that “the General Assembly shall not pass local or special laws granting to any corporation, association or individual, any special or exclusive privilege, immunity or franchise whatever. ”</p> <p>3. The proviso in the thirteenth section of the act, that the provisions of that act shall not apply to those that have practiced medicine within this State for ten years, does not confer upon ten years practitioners any special privilege, immunity or franchise. It does not confer on them anything, but simply leaves them as they were before its passage.</p> <p>4. The act is not open to the objection that it subjects to regulation a class, to-wit, graduates with diplomas and applicants for certificates of examination, leaving ten years practitioners subject to no rtegulation. The first section requires that “every person practicing medicine” shall possess the qualifications required by the act, and the proviso is to be regarded as but prescribing a qualification—that ten years, practice in the State shall constitute a qualification.</p> <p>5. The provisions of the act which give the examining board power to refuse certificates to persons guilty of unprofessional or dishonorable conduct, and to revoke certificates for like cause, is but a regulation pertaining to qualification for admission to practice. It has no application to ten years practitioners, as they a