MacDonald v. State

64 N.E.2d 794, 224 Ind. 74, 1946 Ind. LEXIS 94
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 6, 1946
DocketNo. 28,130.
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 64 N.E.2d 794 (MacDonald v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
MacDonald v. State, 64 N.E.2d 794, 224 Ind. 74, 1946 Ind. LEXIS 94 (Ind. 1946).

Opinion

Richman, J.

This appeal is from a judgment on a verdict convicting appellant of practicing medicine without a license.

In § 63-1301, Burns’ 1943 Replacement, it is declared to

“. . . be unlawful for any person to practice medicine, surgery or obstetrics in this state without first obtaining a license so to do. . . .”

In § 63-1311, it is provided that

“In charging any person ... in an affidavit, information or indictment, with a violation of this law by practicing medicine . . . without a license, it shall be sufficient to charge that he did, upon a certain day and in a certain county, engage in the practice of medicine, he not having any license to so do, without averring any further or, more particular facts concerning the same.”

The affidavit herein was so worded. Appellant says that he was denied due process in having been compelled to go to trial thereon since it was insufficient to inform him of “the nature and cause of the accusation” in violation of § 13, Art. 1 of the Constitution of Indiana. Every argument made herein upon this proposition was also made in State v. Williams (1936), 211 Ind. 186, 5 N. E. (2d) 961, wherein the court held that a similar affidavit charging the unlawful practice of dentistry was not subject to a motion to quash. Cited *78 therein are numerous cases, including Benham v. State (1888), 116 Ind. 112, 18 N. E. 454; Parks v. State (1902), 159 Ind. 211, 64 N. E. 862; and Melville v. State (1909), 173 Ind. 352, 89 N. E. 490, 90 N. E. 467, all holding that an affidavit similar to that before us charging the unlawful practice of .medicine was sufficient on motion to quash. We are asked to- overrule these cases. The argument is that the affidavit should have contained in detail the specific acts done which constituted the alleged unlawful practice of medicine. The court in the Williams case said:

“The substantive offense charged is the practicing of dentistry without a license. All, or any one, of the acts set forth in section 63-522, Burns’ 1933 (§5607 Baldwin’s 1934), supra, may enter into the substantive offense, but, whether one or all of them do so, there is but one substantive offense—■ that is, practicing dentistry without a license. The language of the charge in the affidavit sufficiently meets the requirements of section 13 of Article 1 of the Indiana State Constitution.”

So here the substantive offense was practicing medicine without a license. The statute, § 63-1311, supra, defines in detail what acts shall be deemed to be the practice of medicine. It can hardly be denied that if this affidavit had stated that he did each of the acts so detailed in the statute the affidavit would have been sufficient. In the trial the prosecuting attorney might not have been able to prove all but proof of only one, coupled with the fact that he had no license, would have been sufficient to convict. Appellant was bound to take knowledge of the statutory definition of the practice ¡of medicine. As the affidavit was framed he had knowledge that he might be called on to meet evidence as to any one of such acts and could not have been misled. The rule stated in the cases above cited has *79 been the law for many years and we are not disposed to change it. The motion to quash was properly overruled.

The only other questions briefed deal with the giving of certain instructions and the refusal to give others and several claims of error in rulings on admission of evidence.

As background for the consideration of those questions. the evidence discloses that appellant had a sign on his door, reading:

“Dr. MacDonald. Eye-Ear-Nose-Throat.” He also issued receipts for service on stationery similar to the sign. Three witnesses each testified to being attracted by the sign and consulting the appellant for treatment, one for throat trouble, another for sinus trouble, and the third” for removal of water in his ears. Another witness who testified as to being treated was apparently not attracted by appellant’s sign. Appellant admitted that he had never, been licensed to practice medicine or surgery in Lake County where his office was located. He did have a license to practice optometry. Two licenses had been issued to him as a drugless physician, each of which had been revoked after hearing before the State Examination and Registration -Board in Indianapolis. He admitted that he had notice from the State Board of such revocation but said he had received no notice from the county. Appellant was permitted to introduce into evidence these two licenses. The records of the clerk of the Lake Circuit Court showed that the clerk did not comply strictly with § 63-1306, Burns’ 1943 Replacement, requiring him to record the order of revocation “upon the margin of the record of such license,” but that he did on such margin make a notation that each license had been revoked as of a certain date.

*80 Apparently it was appellant’s contention that the action of the State Board was incomplete without such record. That is not true nor was the clerk required to notify appellant of something which he already knew. This mistaken theory on the part of appellant entered largely into his defense, which was predicated upon the validity of the two licenses.

There was no error in the court’s giving Instruction No. 3, defining the practice of medicine in the language of the statute. He says the court should have defined therein “what other licensed professions there are that are excepted from the provisions of said definition,” referring to chiropractors, naturopaths, electro-therapists or physio-therapists. There was no question involved as to the rights of persons who might have been so licensed.

The court’s Instruction No. 5 excluded from consideration of the jury as immaterial whether persons treated by appellant were benefited or cured. It correctly stated that the sole question was . . whether or not the defendant did any of the acts and things enumerated in the statute defining ‘The Practice of Medicine.’ ” Appellant complains because the jury was not told in this instruction that it was also immaterial if any persons treated were not benefited or cured and says that the instruction permitted the jury to infer as evidence of guilt the failure of the defendant to benefit or cure any such patient. There is no merit in this contention.

The court’s Instructions No. 6, 8 and 9 each singled out certain things which the statute defines as the practice of medicine and informed the jury that if they found that appellant was doing these things he was practicing medicine. He contended that an optometrist may do some of these things. There *81 could be no reasonable contention from the evidence that appellant was acting under his license to practice optometry. These instructions must be considered not only in connection with the evidence but also with the court’s Instruction No. 14 that the practice of optometry . . does not include medical treatment or surgical work upon the eye.” and that “. . .

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
64 N.E.2d 794, 224 Ind. 74, 1946 Ind. LEXIS 94, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/macdonald-v-state-ind-1946.