The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-02-16
THAT DIPLOMA Mill.
Ex- Judge R. B. Seymour
Defends Broughton's Al
legged Medical College.

The following letter from ex-Judge
Roderick B. Seymour is published not
because THE NEWS is convinced by its
arguments or has the least sympathy
with Broughton or his diploma milL It
is given In the interest Of fair play, In
recognition Of the right of every party to
be heard in its own defence.
THE NEWS believes in free platform and
full discussion of every public question.
Judge Sevmour's letter is interesting
reading anyway, Here It isl
To he Editor Of the Jersey city Nesos:-
Strange as it may seem, It is neverthe-
less q tact that in the great State of Ne W
Jersey, one of the original thirteen. not a
single academy or college of medicine
was ever organized permanently until
the New Jersey Medical and Surgical
College organized a faculty and proceeded
TO instruct students In the knowledge of
medicine. Although the allopathic doc
tors are numerous and strong in this
State, although the State Medical Society,
organized by them, is said to be the old
est medical society 10 the United ates,
no step was ever taken by these defend
ers OF the old school practice of medicine
to found school for the instruction of
students or to organize an institution
where the immense knowledge of medi-
cine and supreme wisdom possessed BY
the allopathic physicians could beam
upon aud enlighten the minds of the
youth OF this State who might desire to
follow in their illustrious footsteps.
Princeton and Rutgers have long
existed and enlightened the youth
Of our land to the glory and honor
OF this State. The Stevens Institute,
and other excellent academies of useful
learning have been established through
out the State. But no effort was made by
the members of the dominant school of
medicine to foun d even one academy in
this State where students might receive
proper medical education. and having
graduated erect their signboards and en-
danger the monopoly which the old school
doctors desire to preserve. Where In this
whole country is there a more suitable
location for medical college than in Jer-
sey Cityf
In this seaport town, this great manu-
featuring centre, this terminus OF numer-
oAs railroads, tnis great city with its large
population recruited from every nation,
the student of medicine can receive practi-
cal instruction in the treatment of every
variety and form of disease, and kDowl-
edge Of the most valuable methods Of
surgery. Yet, with all these advantages
at their very thresholds, neither the eel
ebrated Watson, nor any of the other fam
Gus professors aud defenders of old school
practice and monopoly in this city has
made a move in the direction OF making
available the great advantages for med
ical instruction which our city possesses
In the year 1870 several New York
gentlemen, interested IN the diffusion of
the knowledge OF medicine and perceiv-
ing the absence of any medical academy
in this State TO De aroused into jealousy,
and the great advantages for practical
instruction existing in this city, applied
~. II tel .F fnfa. ffr
charter. That Legislature, composed o (
Republican Senate and democratic
House, Incorporated "rhe Eclectic Ned
ical and Surgical College of the State of
New Jersey" That law was approved
by Democratic Governor The charter
Of said college was therefore endorsed by
the signatures of these distinguished
gentlemen, viz Theodore +. Randolph,
Governor; Amos Robins, President Of the
Senate, aud Leon ALBEIT. Speaker of the
House of Assembly.
ACTIVE OPPOSITION.
No active opposition was made to this
college until 1885, when the college
rented a suite of rooms in Jersey
City 1t costs money to establish
school, and the trustees of said
college were Obliged to practice economy,
and while their accommodations were or
limited nature, they would neverthe-
less compare favorably with the state of
of Yale or Princeton. This, too, notwfth-
standing the ridicule of certain allopatns
who have never contributed dollar
towards The education of their fellow
men.
1t was necessary to have some excuse
to put forth TO the public to account tor
their opposition. Not daring co avow the
secret and real cause of their antipathy,
they have proclaimed three reasons for
their opposition. The first reason Is that
Doctor Broughton, one Of the trustees, is
an advertising PHYSICIAN Ihe doctor,
who is Seotchman by birth and an
American by long residence and adop-
tion, is over sixty years old, and has been
practising medicine for over thirty years.
He was appointed a trustee by the Legis-
lature In 1870, and thereby declared lit
person for that position. surely, his con-
tinual practice of medicine i'll New York
city since that date, a period OF twenty
one years, has not rendered him less lit.
The second reason advanced has been
that the faculty was composed OF physi-
clans from New York, instead OF from
New Jersey. Is this valid reason? If
so, will the allopathic doctors in this city
explain why they are daily calling upon
New York physicians to aid their Jersey
City brethren with advice and assistance,
at a heavy expense to their Jersey
patients. Another reason given, is that
long, long ago, several OF the faculty
were students In cOllegeS, Hnlcn, suOse-
queutly TO their graduation, We're accus-
ed of improperly granting diplomas. 70
apply this rule TO business affairs would
require the repeal of the charter of any
bank which has among its directors any
man who was unfortunate TO have been
deposiror in the North River Bank, or any
other bank that has failed. The state
ment is sufficient to refure the claim.
without further argument
WILL THEY NOT?
But not one OF the allopathic opponents
of the college will dare claim that there
was single member of the faculty of
said college who was not fully
competent TO give instruction in
that, or any other college in this
county. Neither can anyone say that said
college ever granted a diploma TO any
person who was not fully qualified to
commence the practice of medicine The
list of names Of the faculty Of said coll
lege contains the names of physicians
who socially, morally and professionally
are the equal of any physician, OF any
school, old or new, in this State No
charge OF incompetency, or impropriety,
has ever been alleged against any gradu-
ate of this college. Why. then, IS there
this bitter opposition to the college on the
part of a few doctorss Doctor Gordon,
President of the Board Of Health. has
heen active in opposing the college. The
same energy and activity displayed by
4 RI frh