New-York tribune., 1871-11-10
MEDICAL MURDERRRS.
WHERE THEY ARE LICENSED


A RIVAL SHOP IN THE SAME STREET -
uoNORs DEGREES AND DIPLOMAS CONFERRED
WITHOUT QUESTIONS, FOR CAsH-AMERICAE
AGENCIES IN LONDON.
Licenses to murder are vended, as THE
Tribune has already shown, like other articles Of
hight manufacture, ut exceedingly cheap rates; and
aboronsts turned out with rapidlty not at all re-
arkabe under the circumstance but certainly very
appalling in view Of the probable consequences 10
society We have shown with what facility medical
diplomas be procured by any interruptions rssch
who wishes a license to murder his fellow men under
the disguise Of physician. Although the subject was
not q wholly new 70 the legitimate medical pro
feson nor the facts stated entirely unknown Wiue-
spread Indignation aroused, and numerous letters
from all parts of the country which the following
fair sample received at the Office OF THE IRlBUNE
EGsSs member Of T@' ne mrdSa psGfeo and
anxious to protect citizens against Iraud anu II
mos, Of tSe Infamous conduct Of the Eclectic
College Of philadelphia in granting diplomas 20 al soIIs
sHs 70 any medical education whatever thus legally
authorizing ignorant prctenderst to murder tne PuUc
earnestly hope that YOU will continue IN TINS pIse
worthy effort until you have compelled the authorities
OF Pennsylvania to suppress the nuisance Nm
Ncr- York oct. &c, 1871. LEWIS A. sAfRE' NJ d.
,rr, fouov,pc correspondence was also sent to THE
SErprNE ly physician who had investigated the rascal
flies Of tho srue college, and who vouches for the truth
Of it, satemcnts lie wrote the following letter to the
President Of thc College, rs he supposed:
,o. s,rvs NJ u Vo bl4 Pirr.sf Thtld.-DEAR SIR:
have made medicine study for the last two or three
GGceed without dinona NV means being somewhat
limited however together with sickness in my family,
wIse 90. Can obtain diploma from your college
without ",t uding any lecturesI WI De Wlnne 10 pay
VEL iOr one, If could. Please address stating terns'
HIRAM CHAMBERLAIN.
No 16 Kennedy-st., syracuse, n. Y.
To following is the reply headed with an elaborate
Gd,erti. u,nt Of the American University Hospital &c.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb IL, 1871.
Dr U1EAM CEANpERLAIN-Ded Sir: For 500 we will
tw" desrrcs, College and University CondtOns-A
certificate as to tnc statements made in ISttGT very
Among numerous other letters received on this sub
jc the following suggested the proprety of extending
our inquiry: ,.... ,,.,, . ,o-,
DEAK SIR VIII YOU kindly excuse me for troubling
You for information under the following circumstances
have al present "A boarding school have had good
college education and the Principal OF q COLLEGIATE
cure the degrees Of A. NJ and Ph d. requested @
nn rTSd to lnSr S%d he me forwSrd on me- printed paper
ccI' llniug a Uunner Of classical, mathematical, ana
IN, mat he had the honor to have been appointed For
eigl secretary to the University granting degrees and
tri,y ne would get me the degree in 30 days-he fee
Dcn- 4l5. The printed paper was headed, american
University Of Philadelphia"
Cold yon inform if there be such university and
81 It confer such degrees and IN the aforesaid manner
ai. arxous TO know If the affair be bona tdc aud gen
uiuc. Very respectfully,
The above letter written Dy an EiHISh clPlEy
to al American correspondent Of English religious
review; otherwise it explains itself.
Very slight inquiry this city revealed the fact that
The traffic IN diplomas was not confined to medical col
legs but degrees in law, philosophy, aud theology
a Ohainable iOr the same consideration as the
rank and buttons Of mandarin. Nearly forty years
ago President OF the Medical Society OF the County
Of Ncw.Yok declared his annual address that 1t had
become "a trade to manufacture diplomas, and that such
documents sold about the country at various rates.
like the merchandise of itinerant pcdder Since that
time the business diminished. Diplomas scat
tered broadcast every State and every ignorant quack
can show parchment inscribed in Latin certifying
Fis competency. Doctors of Law, Bachelors of Arts
and Science Doctors Of Philosophy, and even of Divinity
Rwarm about the country, sailing under the colors of
institutions, until the very title is discarded by
the men best fitted to wear and TO honor 1t.
Philadelphia perhaps il entitled to the discrcdit Of
being unrivaled iu this branch OF manufacture. In Tho
former article this subject, description giver
Of Eclectic Medical College OF that city, ali" the man
nor IN which the business Of that Institution is con
Quoted The writer not at the time aware that this
College WAS only O depaI tment Of the American Uni
vereity rnnadelpha, which comprises also depart
uents OF law, arts and theology, with faculty OF 4.
fulIDlown professors beside inRppeTa6le assistants
Indeed, the pot careful Investigation Possible OF the
entire establishment would not have revealed the whole
scope Of the institution To the naked eye, no evidence
sflis was apparent Unless the departments Of law,
throlo,y and arts were conducted in building situated
m TIE rear house. which seemed TO be used for the
purpose storing wood and COAL there could have been
no room outside the medical department for the
faculty 10 have up much less the large classes of
students which the publications Of the institution claim
torccriye.
With letters above given TRIBUNE reporter went to
Philadelphia u invest gate the facts of the sale OF other
than medical diplomas suppoSing that great an in
EttutOn the American University represented Itself
10 lc would he well known, he very much surprised
hon tnld hy
heard OF the object of his search Reference made
10 the directory in which under the head Of colleges,
nupc1rcd tho following :" American University OF Phil
adephia and Eclectic Medical College Of Pennsylvania
No 5l4 Pine-st. John Fast, President; Conrad F. Clio
thcr Secretary Faculty Of Arts, Theology Law, and
Medicine" Following the names Of 4S professors
Tie identity Of the two institutions thus being estab
Iscd further inquiry regarding the "University was
abandoned as a useless task What appertaned to the
one appertaned TO the other matter OF course and
letters were explained without the necessity OF invest
cation According 10 The Medical Journal hereafter
alluded TO- this institution which in reality consists Of
half dozen cunning Tascals, who do not pretend
20 run three departments possesses equal right
70 confer degrees with Harvard Yale any Of the
great universities Of Europe.
In addition to the letters given above fourth had
also been received from physician in Pennsylvania
tncosing the following and to this had:
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 20, 1870.
College of this city, Pine street, and having under
stood that You were an energetic young gentleman Nv with
would be kind as to exert yourself In sending me
w ySS @ S sash IS Gns as%nSe sE9H
which cheap first class college Of 81 years standing
open months out Of the r. Please refer them direct to
me, ana oil that you send TO me shall go through under
sarge class this winter and shall graduate quite NUM-
ber on the first OF the year. Yours truly,
Office 339 South 7th street