I refer to the existence of a class of men who lie hidden among us, and who
are called physicians. Were the severity of the law or the current feeling of
the country to be relaxed never so slightly, these abandoned persons, who are
now compelled to practise secretly and who can be consulted only at the greatest
risk, would become frequent visitors in every household; their organization and
their intimate acquaintance with all family secrets would give them a power,
both social and political, which nothing could resist. The head of the household
would become subordinate to the family doctor, who would interfere between man
and wife, between master and servant, until the doctors should be the only
depositaries of power in the nation, and have all that we hold precious at their
mercy. A time of universal dephysicalization would ensue; medicine-vendors of
all kinds would abound in our streets and advertise in all our newspapers. There
is one remedy for this, and one only. It is that which the laws of this country
have long received and acted upon, and consists in the sternest repression of
all diseases whatsoever, as soon as their existence is made manifest to the eye
of the law. Would that that eye were far more piercing than it is.
    But I will enlarge no further upon things that are themselves so obvious.
You may say that it is not your fault The answer is ready enough at hand, and it
amounts to this - that if you had been born of healthy and well-to-do parents,
and been well taken care of when you were a child, you would never have offended
against the laws of your country, nor found yourself in your present disgraceful
position. If you tell me that you had no hand in your parentage and education,
and that it is therefore unjust to lay these things to your charge, I answer
that whether your being in a consumption is your fault or no, it is a fault in
you, and it is my duty to see that against such faults as this the commonwealth
shall be protected. You may say that it is your misfortune to be criminal; I
answer that it is your crime to be unfortunate.
    Lastly, I should point out that even though the jury had acquitted you - a
supposition that I cannot seriously entertain - I should have felt it my duty to
inflict a sentence hardly less severe than that which I must pass at present;
for the more you had been found guiltless of the crime imputed to you, the more
you would have been found guilty of one hardly less heinous - I mean the crime
of having