Graeb v. State Board of Medical Examiners

55 Colo. 523
CourtSupreme Court of Colorado
DecidedSeptember 15, 1913
DocketNo. 6398
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 55 Colo. 523 (Graeb v. State Board of Medical Examiners) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Graeb v. State Board of Medical Examiners, 55 Colo. 523 (Colo. 1913).

Opinions

Mr. Justice Scott

delivered the opinion of the court.

On the 8th day of December, 1906, Elenor J. Shields filed a complaint with the state board of medical examiners, charging the plaintiff in error as follows:

That Ernest Herman Carl Graeb, heretofore licensed to practice medicine under the laws of this state, and now holding a valid license so to do, did on the 19th day of September, A. D. 1906, and on the 23d day of September, 1906, and at various times between said 19th day of September, A. D. 1906, and up to or about the 11th day of November, A. D. 1906, in the City and County of Denver, State of Colorado, obtain a fee on the representation that manifestly incurable disease could be cured, by soliciting, demanding and receiving a fee, and fees, upon the specific representation that he could permanently cure one John [524]*524L. Shields, of the disease known as consumption, said Shields having died on the 11th day of November, A. D. 1906, said representation having been made to said John L. Shields, and to deponent, and to complainant, and to others who hold themselves willing to appear and testify, said disease being at said time and times, manifestly and absolutely incurable, a fact which deponent and complainant believes that said Graeb well knew at said times.

Upon a hearing by the board and on April 2d, 1907, the license of Dr. Graeb was revoked. A writ of certiorari was issued out of the county court and upon hearing thereon, and on the 18th day of December, 1907, the writ was dismissed. The case is before us for a review of the proceedings. The question as to whether or not certiorari is a proper remedy in this case, is not raised and therefore not decided.

The only question presented is the validity of that portion of sec. 6068 Rev. State. 1908, authorizing the state medical hoard to revoke the license of a physician upon the ground of “obtaining a fee on the representation that a manifestly incurable disease can he permanently cured.” It is contended that this provision is void for the reason that it is in conflict with certain provisions of the state and federal constitutions, and is too indefinite and uncertain to constitute such an offense- as by reason whereof a physician may be deprived of his license to practice his profession. The scope of the county courts’ powers and duties in the matter of review on certiorari, together with a review of the law as to the powers of state boards of medical examiners generally, will he found in the case of Chenoweth v. State Board, No. 7177, 135 Pac. 771, decided at this term of court. It is therefore .not necessary to enter into these features in this opinion, hut to adopt what was said in that case in so far as it may he applicable to the ease at bar.

That part of sec. 6068, Rev. Stat. 1908, under which [525]*525the plaintiff in error was charged, and under which he was deprived of his license to practice medicine is, ‘ ‘ The obtaining of a fee on the representation that a manifestly incurable disease can be permanently cured.” We cannot enter into the question of the regularity of the trial, before the board, or the sufficiency of the proof in the case. The whole question hinges on what is, or whether there is a distinctly “manifestly incurable disease.” In other words, is this term sufficiently definite and specific as to constitute such an offense against the public morals and public welfare, as may be sustained by the courts, as being sufficient to justify the action of the medical hoard in this case. It will be observed that no disease is named in the statute as being manifestly incurable.

We are relieved from much of the difficulty that would be ordinarily incident to this case, by the statements and admissions of counsel for the board. It is substantially admitted that the statute would not be valid if construed to have reference to a disease manifestly incurable per se, but it is contended that we should construe the statute .to have reference to any disease whatsoever, with which the patient may be afflicted, and of which disease he is in a manifestly incurable condition.

The position of the board is very clearly stated i-n this respect in their brief in Hamilton v. Board, No. 7805, to which brief we are referred and ashed to consider in connection with this case. This is as follows: “If the question were in controversy in this case as to whether the words ‘manifestly incurable diseases’ is so definite as to be unenforceable, we would welcome the issue, but we hesitate to burden this court with a vast number of authorities on a point not in issue. Suffice it to say that the words last quoted, do not refer to any diseases perse,but to a condition of the patient suffering from almost any disease. It is true that consumption is not ‘a manifestly incurable disease’ in itself, but an invalid suffering from [526]*526consumption may have reached a stage in which the disease is ‘manifestly incurable.’ Under our statute, a physician might lawfully take money for representing that he could cure one case of consumption, and at the same time be committing an offense from tailing money under a similar representation as to another case of the same disease, which had manifestly gone beyond the curable stage.”

This argument is also advanced in this case but not so clearly stated as in the above quotation.

This position is not tenable. If the statute had intended a manifestly incurable person, or a manifestly incurable diseased condition, it would doubtless have so recited. But the language is a “manifestly incurable disease. ’ ’ Clearly the descriptive words, manifestly and incurable apply to the disease and not to the person or the condition of the person afflicted with the disease. This is likewise the charge in the complaint, for it alleges “that a manifestly incurable disease could be cured * * * the disease known as consumption.”

Counsel for the board have cited no authority justifying such construction of the language used in the statute as that for which they contend and we do not see how language so clear and explicit can be so tortured. If there is no disease known and understood to be manifestly incurable, then the statute states no offense in that particular, and the board was without jurisdiction in the premises. '

Dr. Graeb in the complaint is charged with receiving the fee on the representation that he could cure the manifestly incurable disease, consumption, with which disease the patient at the time was afflicted. Counsel for the board say “it is true that consumption is not a manifestly incurable disease in itself.” Indeed, it is not contended that any disease is manifestly incurable, but on the contrary, counsel for the board say:

[527]*527“The statutory provision does not proceed upon the assumption that any disease by name, as such, is. incurable ; for a specific disease that is incurable today may be curable tomorrow through the advancement of medical science-; but it proceeds upon the undeniable fact, everywhere accepted, that diseased conditions do become ‘manifestly incurable.’ ”

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55 Colo. 523, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/graeb-v-state-board-of-medical-examiners-colo-1913.