Waterbury Democrat., 1902-03-31
DR CALLAGHAN's CASE.
Stands Ready to Prove He Made the
 Necessary Percentage to Pass.

|
 Necessary Percentage to Pass. To the Editor of the Democrat:
 An article in Saturday evenings is- 1 sue of your paper headed 'Dr Calla- | ghan's Case" setting forth an inter- view your reporter had with MT Hoad- ley, county health officer, in which he | stated that the state health board had | notified Prosecuting Attorney Brad street. to bring the adjourned case of | Or Callaghan for practicing medicine without a license to speedy trial, and that the case was adjourned to l give the doctor an opportunity to take the examination before the state board of examiners, but he failed to | pass.
 1 This does me a serious injustice as It conveys to the general public who are not familiar with the law regulat- Ing the practice in this state the inn press1on that l am not a qualified physician and surgeon. l will quote rom the rules of the state board of medical examiners:
 | Rule z. All candidates must be graduates of some reputable medical college, and must present their di- plomas for inspection to the secretary or the comnlitteen You will there Tore concede that I must have passed 9 successful examination in all the branches of medicine and surgery be- Tore faculty empowered by the state Ill winch the college is located to pass on my qualifications. Those gentle men after rigid examination de- clared me qualified to practice medi- cine and surgery, and in testimony thereof gave me a diploma entitljng
 me to all the honors and privileges of the institution
 graduated in March, 1892, and To- cated i'll this city immediately after l am engaged in the practice of medi- clne Tor ten years, and while consent Ing to take the examination before your connecticut state board. was aware or the fact that no matter what per cent 1 made was to be sat on in oruer 10 Justify their prosecution of me, and l venture to say that there is not physician in active practice in tnls city today who would make 4O per cent of the . necessary to pat a certificate. Dr Futile. secretary of lne examining committee, admitted to
 ne ana 10 others that the examina- tlon III Which 1 competed was the
 most dlfhcult ever submitted to a class or applicants since the law went into enecl. Tn other states a physician Who has practiced ten years is allowed .o practice upon making 60 per cent. m this state 75 per cent is ren,irad l LOOK the examination with men frasb rom college after being subjected to examining process on technical snh- Jects, and yet several of them failed
 l made the necessary percentage and stand ready to prove it in conrt if the legal machinery can compel tbe slale board Of examiners to produce tnelr questions and my answers in court. When first located in Wa. terDury there was no law regulating the practice of medicine. and at anv time prior to October 1, 1893. any nor son, whether they knew the difference between opium and pepper. who claimed to be engaged in the practice of medicine, could forward $2OO to pr Llndsleyy secretary of the state board of heath, and procure a certificate: and subsequent to October l, 1s93 fine three schools of medicine had the right to name colleges the graduates of which could come into this state and practice without taking the exam nation. This law remained in force until 1897, when an amendment was made making it necessary for all grad uates of no matter what college to take the examination This is as it should have been at first, but it is not generally known that out of the 60 or more practicing physicians in this city, not one of them has taken the examination.
 r. J. CALLAGHAN, NJ. D