Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-01
DOCTORS WANT LAWS
That Will Speedily Weed Out the
Incompetent Practitioners.
A STATE CONVENTION CALLED
To Meet This Month, at Which Immediate
Action Will Be Advised.
A STRONG LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPArcH.1
PHILADELPHIA, July 31.-A conyen-
ton Of the leading physicians of the State
will be held either at Cresson or at Bedford
Springs early next month to take action
against incompetent and rascally practl-
tioners. Every county medical society in
the State will be represented, and it is ex-
pected that the convention will recommend
the passage of law establishing State
Board of Medical Examiners, whose duty it
shall be to examine every person wishing to
practice medicine, whether a graduate of
a medical college or not, and pass on his
competency.
An effort will be made to secure the en-
forcement of the proposed law by an amend
ment. For number of years past there
has been a persistent effort made by leading
physicians to reach by legislation the unre-
liable men who work on an unsuspecting
and credulous public.
THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.
DIR. John B. Roberts. of this city, has Ia
bored zealously to get passed satisfactory
measure but without success. The problem
seemed at last to be solved when DR.. Nc
Cormick, at a recent session of the State
Medical Society at Pittsburg, offered
resolution to the effect that the President of
the county medical societies entitled to rep
resentation in the State society shall be
known as the Legislative Committee, and
the President of the State society shall call
meeting Of the committee as soon as pos
slble to take action against incompetent
practitioners.
By enlisting the interests of the Presi-
dents of the county societies, She State
society believes it has hit the nail squarely
on the head. Each one of these gentlemen
being leading physician of his county and
man of wide influence, it is believed that
7 when he returns home from the convention
and tells the representative of his district
what the people speaking through the med
loal fraternity want done, the desired legis-
lation will be speedily brought about.
THE MEN AT THE HELM.
DR.. W. B. Atkinson, Secretary of the
State Medical Society, who has been hard at
work completing the details Of the coming
meeting, announces the following named
physicians as constituting the Legislative
Committee from the counties of the State:
Adams, A. P. Beaver; Allegheny, W. s.
Foster; Armstrong, J. A. Armstrong;
Beaver, H. M. Shellenberger; Bedford, S.
b. Gump; Berks, S. L. Kurtz; Blair. g.
Bucks. j. N. Richards; Butler, N.
M. Hoover; Cambria, ]. O. Sheriden;
Carbon, W. L. Kurtz; Center, T. Tobin;
Chester, j. K. Evans; Clearfeld. s. J.
Miller; Clarion, ]. F. Ross; Clinton, ]. H.
Hayes; Columbia, Plus Zimmer-
man; Crawford, J. x. Rob-
erts; Cumberland, j. K. Kosser;
Dauphin, W. Fl. Beane; Delaware, William
B. Ulrich; Elk, S. s. Smith; Erie, A.
Thayer; Fayette, j. W. Worrell; franklin,
G. F. Palmer; Greene, j. T. Iams;
Huntingdon, J. G. steever; Indiana, W.
a.asae B; Ansley; Jefferson, |. J. W: Faust;
Ulrich; Lehigh, W. H. Hartzell: Luzerne,
G. w. Guthrie; Lycoming, A. G. McCor-
mick; Mercer, NJ NJ. McGofin; Milf
fin, T. H. VanValsah; Montgomery,
Alice Bennett; Montour, W. N.
Voorhees,; Northampton, j. W. Moore;
Perry, w. R. Cissna; Philadelphia, W. w.
Keen; Schuylkill, W. T. Williams; Snyder,
A. NJ. Smith; Somerset. S. S. Good; Susque-
hanna, G. A. Johnston; Venango, G. w.
Coulter; Warren. o. s. Brown; Washing
ton, @. G. Farquar; Westmoreland, j. s.
Long; York, j. G. Cabel.
ALL EAGER FOR ACTION.
DrAtkinson states that not one of the
presidents of the county medical societies
has refused to serve on the committee. He
sayt many wrote him that they were will
ing to devote not only their time but also
the money to the proposed law, which they
believe will be great benefit both to them
selves and the public. DR.. Atkinson is
very enthusiastic over the coming meeting,
and has great confidence of the success of
the work it will do.
Speaking OF the matter tonight he said:
"lt is an outrage how any tom fool nova
days is allowed to practice medicine. All
he has to do is put out a sign and that seems
to constitute him doctor. In Prussia if
man was not registered he would not dare
show sign. The police would pull it down
for him without any ado. Pharmacists and
druggists even are better off at present than
the medical men, for they have to be regis
tered every three years. What we want is
a law giving us State Board of Medical |