New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-08
Advance IN MEDICAL EDUCAT0N'


ARD-Irs DEGREES CLAIMED TO BE OF HIGHER
VALUE THAN THOSE OF MEDICAL CoILEGhs-
sTRlCTNEss AND BREADTH OF THE EXAMlNAlioN''
Toth Editor or The Tribune.
SIR: Few matters concern our every -day lie
,ore cosey than the proper education Of medical men,
Tho ordinary cares and sorrows Of home, the ycisudes
of busipess are seldom depressing OF apphu'uE
than the loss health the sight OF loved ones
by the fortunes of physical suffering or Struggling 20
tween life and death. Certainly 1t Is not TOO ueh "
ask that he 10 whom nstnctvey turn In such cases.
should possess leaving out the matter OF Skin ana eh
perence at the very least good theoretical ground
work and basis Of medical knowledge. The license 10
praetce medicine or the possession OF the medcdl uo
gree is supposed to be cerlncate 'na' 'No NO'
thereof is well versed in these essentials.
Tits is particularly tho case In Great Britain ana
France In own country, however the ueSreo oo"
evs much less weight The fact that the profits OF pro-
and often indeed ability Of medical col
icpe to maintain itself, depend upon the number OF
students in attendance and their graduation ees enReh
ders among those institutions keen competition ana
gvas an impetus so to speak, toward laxity In other
countries the superior value OF medical degree cou
ssts in tho fact that before student is even mdtEcu-
lated-i e. admitted a student at any OF the meal
cal colegesho must wen yersed not only In his own
language and the elements OF an ordinary education
but must possess a certain familiarity with the Latin,
te latter being indispensable to correct reading ana
writing OF medical prescriptions and the understand
ing of medical nomenclature; while In the UDlted
States not only knowledge of Latin not required lor
atr,culaton but the aspirant TO medical honors need
pt be able TO spell or write English correctly nor pro-
fess any particular knowledge OF the elementary En-
glish branches.
Within years, however, some vigorous measures
have been taken TO render the physicians degree OF
more value among them the system OF progressive ex
aminatons introduced at Harvard University. the pas
NaNuX nrK nj lIS
session making It punishable offanse to practice med
cine or surgery in this State without license, and, most
Of ALL an act passed by Legislature In Nay 1872.
directing the appointment OF State Boards OF meu;al
Examiners The provisions OF this Law are so important
that present the most striking:
Tho Regents Of the University OF the state OF New
York shall appoint or more boards or examiners ia
medicine WAC shalt faithfully examine an cahlilaeS
referred to tnem by the Chancellor OF su onaNcts'os
The questions and answers ana the opiulons Oh eie "a
lniner IN detail upon the merits OF each candidate are
ali to be written down ana are an OF th0 " iO P
OF the public records OF the University.
Any person over years Of OF good moral chsrac-
ter AMI paying tnan $50 into the treasury OF tne
University, aud applying TO the Chahceor JOE t9
aforesaid examination SHAH receive an oruSr 10 tna
eject addressed OF the boards OF examiners pro
ylded be shall adduce proofs satisfactory to the Chln
c4or that she has cOBpetont KnoWeuge OF All tHo
branches OF learning teught IN Tie common scnVois Vi
I'm. state and OF the L,tn language, aud that he has
dinseutly studied medicue nOE less tutl lures years.
under the direction Of one or more physlclius uuiy
onafied 10 practice medicine. has binser b'en IL
censed on examination, ny sime medical soeieS OF eQl
pga
medicine -
II the candidate receive majority OF the votes OF the
members OF the Board OF Examiners the Regents OF the
University after he made further payment OF No.
confer upon him tho degree Of Doctor Of Medicine or me
r1ir,rsi Of the STATE of Ne York. The special excel
lence OF this law tending to elevate the standard OF
medical education and features 1t possesses distinct
from any other metnou OF mouicdi VeacHins Va s0O0'
are:
First II Is the only examining medc zeal board where
good Eogsh education and knowledge OF Lltln essen
tals prrmuary 10 the consideration Oh the cahaa'oS
medical requirements, are demanded.
Secondly: The plan OF examinations as PROVIDED oY
the law and arranged by the Regents OF the UhVersy
is such that colluslon axity or pdrtlay Is ImpoSs
Ti,rd,y. The candidates knowledge Of medical prac
ce MAY be limited TO that OF any one school, but ne
undergo an examination III ths practice or tnera
Deulics OF all the schools recognized by the state,
namely, the AllOpatnc. the Homeopathic and the
Foglhiv: The law frees the student from the neces
sy OF attending any particular medical eoge e
he chooses; IN the hospital laboratory anu *
ROOM colleges OF Europe III tho quiet once OF
meth d,1ut lie must show he studied honestly
for years before he permitted TO appear before
the board and pass the examination, medSa lehInk
he must possess anu more than mas ever been DeIoro
required in this country, 10 obtain doctors DEGREE
FThv: The value or the State degree. III would seem
that when the scope and effect OF tnis law snail be u.
derstood by the profession the degree OF Doctor OF
Medicine authorized By IT, conferred Directly Dy the
staIe on recommendation OF State Board OF ExamI-
ners, after examination such as mas Deen oese[oeu,
~ any dIploma hitherto issued In this country.
StxLhiy: Tue examiners under this law are themselves
unon trial; they Understand all the recognized
stems OF medical practice their questions and opin-
IONS are always record, and the examinations open TO
the public .,, .,. 4.
Whatever be the merits OF Homeopathic practice, 1t
Is 10 the credit the practitioners OF this school that II
was by their eff rts tuaJ tbs law passed, aud they
nave beeu tie first TO have Board OF Examiners Rp-
pointed The Eclectic aud AllopaIhic physicians are
eacn entitled " similar boards The memOer5 VI Inc
BOARD are Drs j. f. Gray, Chairman; MacVlckar, j. G.
Minor Ii. b. Miilard q. l.. Becher, New-fork; Wn H.
III. M
p line Albany; aud WIN. Searle, Brooklyn. Tue e1.
amuat,ons are TO ned New York IN December aud
lane The frst examination WAS ned last june, there
ling two candidates neither OF whom passed exam
t"atiou raua 60 tie requirements OF the Board Man
Is containing fun information to students may be OBJ
stned from tue Secretary OF the Board, H. h. Paine,
NJ d., Albany.
Neso York Dec &c. 1874