The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-05-01
Regular Practitioners Make
Some Serious Charges.
.FHE DECEPTIVE TACTICS
1t is Alleged That One Man who Processes
to be Regular PrSotiOlnG Physician
PsddIes His Treatment From Door to
Door.

The physicians of town have become
with which quacks and other illegal prac-
titioners of medicine are allowed to ply
their vocation in town and meeting is to
be held to officially call the attention of
the authorities to the matter.
Some of these illegal practitioners, one
of the medical profession says, take
shelter behind color of authority given
by license issued by the Prothonotary.
One Of them registered upon making an
affidavit that he graduated from q medi-
cal college in Europe and that he had lost
his diploma. This, it is claimed, is an
injustice to the profession as the law
provides that certificates of registration
shall be issued only upon the presentation
of diploma endorsed by the faculty of
one Of the Pennsylvania medical colleges.
IL Is not the opposition or competition
which has caused the mem bers OF the
profession to complain, but the unpro-
fessonRl tactics and deception to which
the illegal practitioners have resortad.
For instance, one OF the men complained
of has made practice of going from door
to door and inquiring If any occupant of
the house desired vaccination or required
medical attend6nce-peddling treatment.
1t is also claimed that the regular prac-
titioners are injured by the destruction
of the faith of people through the unpro-
fessional conduct of the illegal class.
AS in the case of man who was charged
$40 for a small vial of liquid on the posi-
tive assurance that he would be cured.
The guarantee failed and when the man
called for the return of his money the
quack drove him from the house. "a
man called upon me the other day." said
one of the physicians, yesterday, land al.
though he was sorely in need of treatment
and called for that purpose, he said he
had been deceived so much by DR. so
and so, DR. this and that, he had lost all
faith in doctors. Thus it is that the regI
ular and legally practicing ply sicians
must suffer, especially among the poor
classes of foreigners who are not intelli-
gent enough to discriminate and see that
they have been victims of imposters.
"This movement is by no means new
one in Shenandoah. On the contrary, the
attention of the county medical societies
was called to the matter some time ago,
but the complaints have been neglect ed
and no action has ever been taken. The
meeting which is to be held will decide to
again call the attention of the county
authorities to the matter and if they fail
to act, then the state authorities will be
called upon.
Some who have heard of our COM
plants have asked why we do not prose
cute these illegal practitioners. The
answer is that should any of us bring a
prosecution we would at once be charged
with making the fight personal one.
The proper method is to report the case to
the county society which, after receiving
due notice and all proofs, prosecutes the
offenders through its agents and counsel -
Another complaint made is that the
quacks, in trying to secure patients, make
argument that the physicians who gradu
ate from foreign medical colleges are
superior in ali respects TO those who
graduate from American colleges because
the former must study several years
before they can secure diplomas, while the
latter graduate in a few months 1t is
not only the falsity of the assertion to
which makes the profession idignant, but
also the fact that the assertions come
from people who do not produce diplomas
from any medical college.
Careful data of all the illegal practi-
TONERS together with some of the cases
they have treated and a summary of their
past records ia being made, and as soon as
complete the meeting for action will be
called.