The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-11-26
CAROLINA DOCTORS AT OUTS.
STATE BOARD TO TEST THE "PET
INSTITUTION" LAW.


DR.. j. G. Moon of Marlboro Arrested
for Practising without n License,
He IL One of the Recent Gradu-
ates of the Charleston Medical
College for Whose Benefit 1t Is
Claimed the Law Enacted at the
Last Session of the Legislature
Was Passed.
Columbia. S. c.. Nov. PA ripple of
excitement was created throughout the
state on Wednesday when it was
learned that DR.. James c. Moore. a
prominent young physician, had been
arrested in Marlboro county, charged
with practicing medicine and surgery
without a license. He was arraigned
before Trial Justice Grassland for a
preliminary hearing, but on account of
extra judicial statement made by the
Justice the case, upon affidavit of the
defendant, was transferred to Justice
fostering, who proved to be a relative
of the accused and was thus debarred
from hearing the case.
DR.. ]. L. Napier, chairman of the
State Board of Medical Examiners,
was the one who swore out the war
rant and it was he, who at this Juno
ture, went before the grand jury and
made a formal complaint A special
preSentment was made to the court
which was then in session, and the
next morning Solicitor j. NJ. Johnson
gave out a formal bill of indictment.
This week the young man was to APP
pear in court to answer to the indict-
ment.
Apparently this was simple case.
but behind it all there is a. story which
is of intense interest to the entire med
zeal fraternity in this state.
The General Assembly, of South Car
DINA, at its last session, passed an act,
a part of which reads as follows:
Nothing in this sectlvn shall apply to
regular graduates holding diplomas is
sued by any college of established rep
utation in this state which has a four
wars course of instruction and stan
dard of not less than IS per cent. on
examination, and make satisfactory ev-
idence of their standing to the State
Board of Examiners
There is only one medical college in
South Carolina, and it is known as the
Charleston Medical College, located at
Charleston. This law was enacted in
behalf of this particular institution,
which was regarded by many as being
on it's last legs" The faculty in
duced the General Assembly to pass
this act, knowing that it would
be the means Of attracting
students to come to them. who,
under other circumstances would seek
other colleges outside this state. A
long, bitter fight was made against
tha hill h1If 1ar~
jority. Dr. Moore was a member of the
class of 1901, which graduated from this
pet" institution and he and the other
thirty members claimed exemption
from examination before the state
board of medical examiners and inn
mediately entered upon the practice of
their profession. One member, how
ever, DR.. Miahoe of Sumter, appeared
before the board and stood a creditable
examination but the others ignored it,
This matter came up before the
Medical Association. which met at
Florence last summer, and the action
of the General Assembly was severely
criticised by nearly every member
save the former graduates of the
Charleston Medical College
This is a test case, and the am.
biguity of the wording of the act
makes it difficult to comprehend The
state hoard has no means of ascertain
ing the fitness of graduates save by
an examination, and the public demand
that their lives shall not be endangered
by incompetent practitioners, and see
no reason why the Charleston College
graduates should thus be favored.
The class has employed ex-Gov. John
c. Shepard to defend them whenever
prosecuted. and he is now in Benefits
vile to aid Z. w. Boucher. Esq, who
is also employed by Dr.. Moore The
State Medical Board has retained Col.
Knox Livingston to aid Solicitor John
son in the prosecution. If DR.. Moore
is convicted then the other members of
the class stand liable to indictment on
the same charge.