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1743_01_19_01_WPA
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YEAR 1743, JANUARY 19
SESSION OF JANUARY 19, 1743
ORDER REGULATING THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE.
Upon representation to the Council by the Procurator General of the King that several persons in this colony have died through ignorance of so-called surgeons on merchant ships coming in this port, who attempt to practice the science of medicine with serious results, which can be verified by a report recently issued by the King's Physicians and Surgeons, of a man who died of wounds through ignorance of the one who dressed them as well as several women who died in childbirth through the ignorance of mid-wives in attendance; that in order to avoid the evils which have happened, an order was issued by the Council in in July 1723, which was not executed for lack of attention; and upon recommendation that it may please the Council to reissue said order and regulation prohibiting all persons in this colony from practising medicine or surgery or excercising the functions of mid-wife, without having been previously examined and approved by the King's Physicians and Surgeons without having been vested with certificates, which they shall have vise'd by the judges of their jurisdiction, under penalty of 300 livres, applicable to the Hospital for the Poor.
The foregoing considered, the Superior Council has prohibited and does prohibit all persons from practising medicine or surgery in this colony or from excercising the functions of mid-wife, without having been previously examined and approved by
(cont'd)
the King's Physicians and Surgeons-Major maintained this colony, under penalty of 300 livres for the first offense, applicable to the Hospital of the Poor of this City, and in case of repetition, they shall be arrested and subjected to greater punishment.
It is further ordered that this present order be published and posted in all places where need be in order that no one may plead ignorance thereof.
Given in the Council Chamber, January 19, 1743.
(Signed) Salmon Bienville Raguet Prat
Not listed in Louisiana Historical Quarterly.
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