Civil and Religious Persecution in the State of New York. A Family Medical Instructor.

125 pp. 2 pages of publisher advertisements follow text, another appears on rear wrapper. Eight stapled gatherings. 8vo. A work of political protest relating to an act passed May 11th, 1874 regulating the practice of medicine and surgery in New York State. The author complains that the requirements set forth by the new legislation violate the religious beliefs of many of the state's citizens, and discusses numerous alternative medical treatments made illegal by the statute. Hoolihan 1597: "With a fortune amassed from textile manufacturing, Hazard retired in his mid-forties to devote himself to various reform issues, including economic reform, education, the treatment of the insane, abolition, etc. Following the death of his wife and daughters, Hazard became increasingly interested in spiritualism. In this work, Hazard takes issue with legislation passed in the State of New York (1874) requiring practitioners who were not medical school graduates to obtain certification from the State, county or district medical society. Hazard writes: "I see... that the M.D.s of New York have commenced broadening their opportunity for mischief in their death-dealing profession by taking the initiatory step to stop by fine and imprisonment a mediumistic doctress [Mrs. Holmes] from healing the sick after the fashion and order prescribed, practiced and commanded by Jesus Christ, of imparting health and vitality through 'the laying on of hands'" (p. 4). Throughout his treatise, Hazard contrasts 'the criminal practices of the faculty' (and the collusion of the legal and clerical professions) with the successes of clairvoyant and spiritualistic healers."