Miles v. State

15 Ohio Law. Abs. 227
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedSeptember 29, 1933
DocketNo 2316
StatusPublished

This text of 15 Ohio Law. Abs. 227 (Miles v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Miles v. State, 15 Ohio Law. Abs. 227 (Ohio Ct. App. 1933).

Opinion

[228]*228OPINION

By BARNES, J.

The petition in error and briefs of counsel for plaintiff in error challenges the sufficiency of the charge as contained in the affidavit, and also the sufficiency of the evidence to sustain a conviction under the law. Claimed error is also presented on the admission of record evidence in the nature of a certificate from the Secretary of the State Medical Board, setting out that an examination of the records discloses that no certificate to practice medicine or surgery or any of its branches had been issued to the defendant Miles,

Objection to this evidence was based solely on the claim that no competent and sufficient evidence had been presented to show any violation by the defendant of the Medical Practice Act, and hence there was not a predicate for introducing the certificate in evidence.

The last paragraph in §12894 GC specifically provides in substance that a certificate signed by the Secretary of the State Medical Board, to which is affixed the official seal of the said State Medical Board to the effect that it appears from the records that no certificate to practice medicine or surgery or any of its branches has been issued to the individual in question, shall be received as prima facie evidence of the record of such Board in any court or before any officer of the state. By virtue of this provision of the Code we do not think there could be any prejudicial error in the admission of this piece of evidence.

Of course if the other evidence in the case fails to disclose that the defendant was doing the things complained of the certificate would have no application.

The complaint against the defendant as set out in the affidavit under date of October 27, 1931, omitting the formal parts, reads as follows:

“did unlawfully advertise and announce himself to be a practitioner of medicine and surgery in one of its branches, to-wit, chiropody, before he had obtained a certificate from the State Medical Board of the State of Ohio, in the manner required by law, to-wit: that he, the said Ben L. Miles, did then and there advertise and announce himself as said practitioner by having and exhibiting and displaying a certain sign on the door of Room 306 Cooper Building, located at 71 E. State St., in said city, a copy of said sign which is as follows: ‘Ben L. Miles, Foot Correctionist’.”

The pertinent part of §12694 GC under which the cause was prosecuted reads as follows:

“Sec 12694 GC ' * s or whoever advertises or announces himself as a practitioner of medicine or surgery or any of its branches before obtaining a certificate from the State Medical Board in the manner required by law; * ‘ f shall for the first offense be fined not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than five hundred dollars.”

As an aid in determining what constitutes the practice of medicine or surgery or any of its branches it is necessary to examine §1286, GC, and §1274-1, GC, and wc set forth these sections in full:

“Sec 1286 GC. What constitutes practice of medicine, surgery or midwifery. A person shall be regarded as practicing medicine, surgery or midwifery, within the meaning of this chapter who uses the words or letters, ‘Dr.’, ‘Doctor’, ‘Professor’, ‘M.D.’, ‘M.B.’, or any other title in connection with his name which in any way [229]*229represents him as engaged in the practice of medicine, surgery or midwifery, in any of its branches, or who examines or diagnoses for a fee or compensation of any kind, or. prescribes, advises, recommends, administers or dispenses for a fee or compensation of any kind, direct or indirect, a drug or medicine, appliance, application, operation or treatment of whatever nature for the cure or relief of a wound, fracture or bodily injury, infirmity or disease. The use of any such words, letters or titles in such connection or under such circumstances as to induce the belief that the person who uses them is engaged in the practice of medicine, surgery or midwifery, shall be prima facie evidence of the intent of such person to represent himself as engaged in the practice of medicine, surgery or midwifery.”
“Sec 1274-1 GC. Examination and registration of practitioners of limited branches of medicine or surgery required. The state medical board shall also examine and register persons desiring to practice any limited branch or branches of medicine or surgery, and shall establish rules and regulations governing such limited practice. Such limited branches of medicine or surgery shall include chiropractic, naprapathy, spondylotherapy, mechano-therapy, neuropathy, electro-therapy, hydro-therapy, suggestive-therapy, psycho-therapy, magnetic healing, chiropody, Swedish movements, massage, and such other branches of medicine or surgery as the same are defined in §1286 GC that may now or hereafter exist, except midwifery and osteopathy.”

It will be observed from the above provisions of the General Code that limited branches of medicine and surgery are very broad and comprehensive in the things included.

The transcript of the evidence as taken in the Municipal Court discloses that aside from the certificate of the Secretary of the Medical Board, only one witness was presented on behalf of the State. The defendant did not testify nor did he present any witnesses.

The witness for the State was Frank A. Dorsey, an inspector for the State Medical Board. In substance Mr. Dorsey says that he met the defendant in error at 308 Cooper Building on East State Street, Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio, and that he talked to the defendant a few seconds on the inside of the room, and afterwards talked to him in the hallway. The room where the conversation was held was a reception room, and on the front door of 306 there appeared .the following: “Harriet A. Clemens, Chiropractor; Hours 1-5; Saturdays 10-12,” I believe. “Ben L. Miles, Foot Correctionist.” It is the contention of the State that the words “Foot Correetionist” are synonymous with chiropody. Under the definition of chiropody as presented in the evidence the words “foot correetionist” would probably be synonymous. However, we do not think that it is necessary to determine this question, since the complaint sets out very fully the exact character and wording of the advertisement. While the complaint characterizes the advertisement as announcing the practice of chiropody, this is no more than the pleading of a conclusion, .and the complaint must stand or fall on the determination of the question as to whether or not the advertisement violated the Medical Act regardless of the complaint characterizing the sign as advertising the practice of chiropody.

We think that the word “foot correctionist” is a title in connection with the name of the defendant and is of such a character as to induce the belief that the defendant, Ben L. Miles, was engaged in a branch of medicine or surgery or the cure or relief of an infirmity of the foot. We again call attention to §1286 GC, wherein, in the first paragraph of said section it states, among other things, "that a person shall be regarded as practicing medicine, surgery or midwifery within the meaning of this chapter who uses the words or letters, “Dr.”, “Doctor”, “Professor”, “M.D.”, “M.B.”, or any other title in connection with his name which in any way represents him as engaged in the practice of medicine, surgery or midwifery, in any of its branches,” etc.

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Related

State v. Blackmer
179 N.E. 502 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1929)

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Bluebook (online)
15 Ohio Law. Abs. 227, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/miles-v-state-ohioctapp-1933.