Very respectfully your petitioner humbly represents in behalf of the profession to which he has the honor of being a member; that, for want of a law to regulate certain professional duties in the practice of Physic & Surgery, particularly that portion among paupers, for which, no positive law is existing in this State, and for want of a particular law compensating the physician, much loss of time and and hard & laborious earning consiquently results. Your petitioner furthermore represents to your honorable body, that the Attorney & councellor at law, in this and every other State in the union, are, by law compelled to have a licence before admitted to appear at the bar for the plaintiff or defendant, under certain penalties, where no life is at stake; and in this State, particularly in several districts, where a variety of disease prevail in the different seasons of the year, great necessity exists that the practitioner of Medicine & Surgery shew qualificatory evidence for his responsibility in the treatment of the maladies in the neighbourhood where his professional duties are or may be distributed; therefore your petitioner under the influence of a long experience, proposes to your honorable body, the enactment of a law, with which, society generally much benifit will result. 1^st that the treasurer of each county be required to pay at sight, or with intrest from the presentment of a bill for services rendered a pauper, or pennyless sick person in any coun[ty?] in the State, by a Physician. 2^nd that no bill

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bill be recognized or accepted by the treasurer of the County, unless the Physician presenting the same, produce a certificate from the Clerk of the Circuit court asserting the record of a Diploma or Licence legaly & regularly granted from any regularly authorised board of Physicians in any of the United States to the said physician—for the practice of Physic and Surgery. 3^dly That all bills for medical or surgical services rendered paupers, or persons unable to pay, be proven by the practitioner aforesaid before any judge or justice of the peace, services & medicine furnished, and which when presented to the Treasurer as afforesaid be Charged to the county wherein said services are rendered. 4^thly That the law authorising County Commissioners courts to diminish medical bills & leave professional servants in medicine unpaid be repealed: And that the lawful demand for services rendered as before expressed—be 12¹/2 cts[cents]: Milage in daytime—50 cts. for prescription—25 cts. each does of cathartic or emetic medicine—25 cts. for Venesection—25 cts. for each blister, 25 cts for each anodyne &c and for Surgical operations half the Amt[Amount]: usually charged in responsible cases detatched from pauper_s

By establishing the above proposed law, Quackery & Thompsonianism will be diminished, & poor houses provided for.

For the enactment of a law, providing as above requested, or as near as prudence, & your wisdom may sanction your petitioner will ever respectfully pray.