Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-12-05
AN OUTRAGEOUS LAW.

The Meanaess OF q Medical College.
Marietta Times.
Among the acts passed by the present
Legislature at its last session was one ''To
provide for the registration of all prac-
titioners of medicine and surgery" The
alleged cause for the enactment of such a
law was to prevent bogus doctors from
practicing in this state, but the real reason
seems to be to enable the medical co.,
leSes IN this state to secure students, if
the story Of physician is to be believed.
DR.. W. c. Wisener came to Marietta
several weeks ago, from Norfolk, Vir-
ginia, and commenced the practice of
medicine. He held diplomas from the
Louisville (Ky.) and the Shelbyville
(Tennessee) medical colleges. He had
been practicing medicine in Norfolk-his
native place-for the past fifteen years,
was member of the Norfolk medical So
ciety, and was the author of several works
on diseases. After putting out his sign
his attention was called to the above act,
and he took his diplomas to the prothono-
tary's Office, at Lancaster, for registra-
ton. Here his attention was called to
Section 4, of the act, which reads as fol-
lows:
''SECTIoN 4. Any person who may desire
TO commence the practice of medicine or
surgery in this state after the passage Of
this act, having a medical diploma issued
or purporting to have been issued by any
college, university, society or association
| in another state or foreign country, shall
lay the same before the faculty of one of
the medical colleges or universities Of this
commonwealth for inspection, and the fac.
ulty, being satisfied as to the qualifications
Of the applicant and the genuineness Of
the diploma, shall direct the dean Of the
faculty to endorse the same, after which
such person shall be allowed to register,
as required by section of this act"
DR.. W. accordingly took the train for
Philadelphia, and presented himself to
! the faculty of Jefferson college, and asked
for the endorsement on his diplomas.
They submitted him to severe examina-
ton, and informed him that he answered
all the questions satisfactorily, but they
absolutely refused to endorse his diploma.
unless he would attend tho lectures at
their college for term of two years, prac-
tically making him pursue his studies over
again.
While Dir. Wisener was at the college
other physicians called Oh the same errand.
among others a graduate of the New
York university, probably the finest medi-
cal institution in this country. But the
faculty were firm in their refusal to in
dorse the diplomas.
Furthermore DR.. Wisener says he was
informed that these colleges were tho par
ties who secured tho passage of this act.
If this is true, it shows up these institu-
tions in a very bad light, as they are Ger
tainly guilty of tricks which honest men
should be ashamed of. IT these colleges
cannot exist without resorting to such
contemplate means of filling up their lists
of students they should be wiped out.
Other states will not be slow to procure
the passage of such laws and the result
will be that Pennsylvania colleges will
have to depend on students from their own
state for support. Steps should at once
be taken to repeal this obnoxious law.