The morning call., 1893-07-08
A Dentist Who Would Paw
for a License.
FAILED IN THE EXAMINATION
His Handwriting Shows That He
Penned the Offer of Money
to DIR. TibbetS.

Meyer, who is charged with attempting to
bride State official. when the case was
called in Police Judge Campbelps court
yesterday, but it was hollow victory. as
the prosecution was permitted to file a
new complaint to conform with legal
verbiage. and continuance until next
Tuesday was granted.
The letter which the defendant is &C
cused of sending to DIR. Tibbets of Sacra-
mento, member of the State Board of
Dental Examiners, offering to pay him "a
reasonable sum" for license was printed
in The CALL yesterday The letter pur-
ported to come from DR.. William Water
ford, who gave his address as the San
Francisco Postoffice.
When this epistle. dated June %, was
received by DR.. TiDbets he sent it to DIR.
Assay of San Jose, president of the board,
aad the latter transmitted it to the secre-
tary. DR.. Hodgen of this city, with in
structions to inform the police and have
the writer arrested. DR.. Hodgen spoke to
Chief Crowley, and il was arranged that
DR.. Tibbets should write to the address
given by Waterford. When Waterford
called at the PoStoffice for the letter from
Sacramento he was 10 be taken into Gus
tody.
In the meantime a note, of which the
following is copy, was sent by the man
who was willing to purchase license:
SAN FRANCISCO, July l, 1898.
DR.. Tib6ets-DEAR SIR: l wrote letter TO
you about week ago, but have received no an
swer as yet, thet efore drop this note 10 you.
| taSr the supp0Sition that you received the
letter and Of course If you are not In favor of
the proposition which propose hope 1t will
be confidential.
But should you feel disposed TO look favor
able upon SAID agreement with me Pl pledge
my hoaor to you TO keep said business secrer,
for am more anxious than you are TO keep
such business quiet. l propose 10 do the
square and just thing by you whether we come
TO agreement or not. Please answer as soon
as possible. Respectfully,
DIR. VIM WATERFORD,
San Francisco Cali Postoffce.
On last Saturday letter to Waterford
was mailed by DR.. Tibbets, and he tele-
graphed that fact to Dr.. H0dgen, who at
once informed the Chief of Police. Detec-
tive Anthony was sent to the POstotfice to
watch for the unlicensed DENTS. On
Thursday the man arrested got the letter
at the box window. Anthony waited IN
til he opened and read it and then made
the arrest.
The prisoner was Meyer, who has been
practlcing as dentist for several years at
opt Sixth street. He said that he had not
written the offer to DR.. Tibbets. Water
and had authorized him to receive his let
ters and Oien them. He could not tell
where Waterford is at present.
The proof against Meyer Is sufficient,
however. He has been operating without
a license. in violation of statute. He
tried 20 pass the examination for certfi-
cate, last year, and failed. The secretary
Of the board preserved the examination
papers, and Meyers handwriting on them
is Identical with Wa;erford's.
Meyer will probably be prosecuted for
practcing without license. Several ar
rests for this offense against the INV hae-e
been made in this State, but only one con-
Angeles last March. when the party &C
cused was punished by the imposition of
the lowest penalty, fine of $50. An ar
rest had previously been made at MADEIRA
and another at Halfmoon Bay, but sympa-
thetic jurors prevented a conviction. The
MADEIRA practitioner had beer woOdchop-
per and a blacksmith. but thinking more
money was to be made pulling teeth, he
put out dentists sign. lie pleaded that
he was too poor to pay for license, and
the jury disagreed.
DR.. Hodgen said Yesterday that there are
about 600 registered dentists in the State
and about 800 who are practicing without
licenses. TIE reason that the latter are
not proceeded against Is that the board
has no funds. 1t does not receive any ap-
preparation from the State, and the re-
ceipts for issuing certificates and register
ing diplomas are hardly more than enough
to pay for stationery. The last Legis-
lature amended the law so as to provide
that half the fine shall go 10 tue infOrmers,
and this inducement is the principal one
the board has to secure proof against
illegal practitioners.
The branches in which applicants for
licenses are examined are anatomy, physi-
ology, pathology, histology, hygiene, ma
terra medica, therapeutics. chemistry,
metallurgy. operative dentistry. dental
jurisprudence and prosthetic dentistry.
Seventy-five per cent IL required in the
written examination, and in addition sat-
isfactory clinical work is required.
&"The list of studies looks quite large"
said DR.. Hodgen, "but the examination is
comparatively easy. In colleges of stand
ing term of at least three years is re-
qured for diploma. The examination
by the board could be successfully passed
by junior in a c0llege-that is. man
who has been studying two years: No
person who cannot pass the boards eX-
amin alton is fit to DE e dentist"
what harm can an unlicensed dentist
dO?" was asked.
every dentist should be familiar with
the effects of anesthetics and know how
to use them," replied Dr.. Hodgen. "The
charlatan is likely to do serious injury to a
patient with nitrous oxide or laughing gas
and cocaine.
Cocaine Is more dangerous than chlOro-
form. If a person has not sufficient skill
and knowledge to obtain a license be
should not be allowed to operate, because
be may damage patients teeth instead Of
making them better and may use anes--
thetics with fatal results. The educated
dentists want the profession licensed. be-
cause its standing is lowered when every
fellow is allowed to practice 1t regardless
OF his training and fitness. The diplomas
issued by recognized colleges are Endorsed
by the board without further examination"
1t would do Meyer no good to secure a
license in the name of Waterford. II DR..
Tibbets responded favorably to the offer
Meyer would then doubtless give him his
true name and have it put in the license.
This is the first case of the kind since the
board was established.