The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-12
MEDICAL LEGISLATION,

MEDICAL LEGISLATION.
The State Medical Association yesterday
passed resolution that the times demand
higher standard of professional attainment,
and to this end will memorabilia the next Leg
islature to create State Board of Medical Ex-
aminers, which shall have the power to exam
inc applicants and grant licenses to practice
medicine, irrespective of the medical colleges.
AS the law now stands, the only restriction on
the physician is that he shall register his name
and address with the county clerk. For
twenty years the State association has at
tempted to secure law regulating medical
practice, and for twenty years has failed.
Governor Williams vetoed an excellent bill,
which had passed both branches of the Legis-
lature on the ground that it excluded profes-
sional midwives, and so might work evil in
country districts.
Moreover, the idea has been prevalent that
the bill is to protect the practitioner rather
than the people. But all honorable ply
sicians scorn such views, and if a
properly drawn medical-practice act drives
from the State the quacks and charlatans it
is certainly in the interests of every resident
of Indiana. In 1877 Illinois created State
Board of Health, charged with 'the general
supervision of the health and life and the
interests of the citizens of the State" and the
Toe ,icIa nod tbo of
the executive of the medical practice act.
Under the operation of this act so many
quacks and unqualified practitioners have been
driven from Illinois into adjacent States that
these have been aroused to the necessity of
self protection, and several of them have taken
steps toward securing the necessary legislation.
Over half the States have such laws. The
health and best interests of the people of In
diana have been jeopardized by the neglect of
lege diplomas are but poor certificates of med
ical character; the people have no way of tell
ing the reputable colleges from the diploma
mills which graduate students on one or two
short terms of study, or even sell diplomas to
students" they have never seen. One
of these Colleges was recently sold out
at Fort Wayne, and its total assets
and apparatus for instruction sold for fifty
dollars while in Louisville an old and we'll
known college, in sharp competition for stu
DENTS resorted to disreputable methods that
would prevent any board of health from rec
ognizing their diplomas.
In this city there are five medical colleges.
Any disgruntled medical man OF clique desir-
ing cheap advertising and professional attach
ments to the simple title of doctor can buy
skeleton, rent few third floor rooms, issue a
tri-colored catalogue with couple of pages of
trustees, officers and professors, and gravely
assert that the demands for higher medical
education" have forced them into existence.
The only way out is to have licensing board,
irrespective of all medical colleges. The re-
sponsible schools and physicians will gladly
welcome such board; the fttest will survive
and the refuse go West or South-at least out
of Indiana. The State can secure potential
force in sanitary science and public hygiene
in no more efficient way than to foster we'll
trained and thoroughly educated medical pro-
fession, and this is the object contemplated
by the proposed medical practice act.