Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-30
xBD1c1L EDUCATION
Ard IL, rro,s..s Errupsiss Of virginia stu.

| To the Editor Qfthe Dispatch
We were surprised to hear that
the Committee on Propositions and
Grievances had reported bill exempt
| ing the graduates Of the Medical Col
| lege of Virginia and those Of the Uni
versity Of Virginia from examination
By the State Board Of Medical Ex-
aminers. We had not hoard that such
bill had been introduced, and GER
| .ainly did not suppose 1t would meet
with favorable consideration at the
hands Of an intelligent committee, and
we can only account for their action by
the supposition that they have heard the
purports Of the Board argued only from
one stand point. For twenty years the
profession Of Virginia has been striving
without. so far as we know, dissenting
voice, TO obtain the establishment OF
this Board, and with but one object in
yiew---a good one--that Of eleyating the
standard of medical education. OF fur
nishing better educated physicians, and
thereby benefitting suffering humanity.
There is, / find, very general mis-
taken idea as to the object Of this Board
of Examiners. Many think 1t an Or
ganization Of the regulars to exclude
the irregulars, and many do the homn-
paths the injustice to include them
among this latter class. There never
was q more mistaken idea. The Board
has higher mission in life than that.
We care nothing for the quack who is
next door to us to-day aud in some
other city tomorrow, but we do care
for the quacks in our own professional
ranks, and it is to stop the mandatory
of all such by putting down the brakes
on the cheap educational institutions OF
the land that the Virginia State Board
and like boards in twenty-nine other
States in the Union have been created
with power.
The medical profession is not the di-
rect recipient of the benefit accrues
to the sick people. We care nothing
for it except so far as we desire to ele-
yate the standard Of medical education.
and in doing SO dignity our calling. All
over the length and breadth Of this land
the cry for a reform in medical educa-
ton has been strong, and not
few congratulations were extended
to the profession in Virginia when
it was known that they had Sc
cured means Of placing medical edu-
cation upon higher plane. No medi-
cal school favoring high standard and
progress can afford to antagonize the
bill creating the Examining Board, no
intelligent medical man can afford to
admit that he fails to see the good to
result from this examination without at
the same time admitting that he is un-
familiar with the progressive medical
thought Of his age. This question
is not new; it has been thought
over in twenty-nine States, and North
Carolina has received the benefits
from such Board for many years.
To amend that bill by exempting grad
yates from the State schools does away
with its efficacy. Who asks it:
Neither the University Of Virginia and
the Medical College can afford to take
such a step. On the contrary, they
have both expressed their unqualified
endorsement OF the good resulting
from the high standard required
by the Board. The Medical Society
of Virginia is the patron Of the resolu-
ton creating the Examining Board.
Four or five hundred Of the representa-
tive physicians Of the State asked for
it, and surely it cannot be that the
Legislature will undo this work which
years of effort on our part have been
necessary to bring about without a
more careful consideration.
We have but one personal allusion to
make. A writer in a recent issue of
the State claims that tbs law should be
repealed because it keeps students from
coming to the Medical College Of Vir-
ginia. 1t has had no such effect in
either school. The Examining Board
has only been in existence about
eighteen months. What has kept the
students from the Medical College Of
Virginia hitherto? Five years ago they
had thirty or forty, to-day they have
fifty or sixty. The class at the
University is 80 per cent. larger than it
was last year.
The requirements for graduation at
the University and Medical College Of
Virginia have been made higher since
the organization of this Board, and if
we are let alone we will make it higher
in some of the northern, western. and
southern schools. Good has resulted,
and must continue. Doctors are not
scarce. England, France, and Ger
many have about one physician to every
$500 or 1000 people. America, rich
in quantity if not in quality, in all
things, has one to every 800.
At all events we hope the bill pro-
yiding for this amendment will be re-
committed to the proper committee in
order that representatives from the two
schools and from the profession Of the
State at large may be heard upon its
merits. We feel perfectly well satisfied
that the members of the committee will
then view the subject in different
light. The certificate Of proficiency
given young doctor by this Board
arms him with a passport Of profess
sional credit which will serve him
wherever he goes much better than a
college diploma.
IIUGH NJ. TAYLOR.
Delinquent Lands.