New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-06-11
RELTCENSING PHYSICIANS.

An embarrassment under which many ply
sicans in this country labor is pointed out by
American Medicine" with view to securing
its removal Existing legislation or established
usage in most States requires doctor from
one to pass a fresh examination before he can
practise in another. This requirement makes
trouble in a variety Of ways. Specialists In the
METROPOLIS who have neglected this Formally are
not at liberty to respond to a call to meet local
practitioners in consultation in Connecticut or
Rhode Island. 1t not infrequently happens that
doctor and some of his own patients will 90 TO
the same summer resort, but one in another
State than that in which they spend the greater
part Of the year. Many NewYork people make
prolonged stays at Lenox and Newport Phila-
delphia people patronize Atlantic City, and Bos-
tonians visit the White Mountains. In some
of these cases the physician may not attend
his regular patients while they are away from
home. Under such circumstances, and others
that can be readily imagined, the restriction
works double injustice. Both the patient and
the practitioner suffer. Rarely can the situa-
ton be foreseen long enough for the latter to
60 through the formality Of examination.
Travel TO another State, days and weeks in
advance merely for the sake of qualifying ones
self to practise there, and without definite ex-
pectation of a request to do so, looks like
waste Of time, convenience and money To
man Of established reputation, too, or to
medical officer retiring from the army navy
and desiring to engage in private practice, that
step involves q real or imaginary loss of dignity.
1t has been suggested that the difficulty could
be met by having n national licensing board,
whose certificate should entitle q man or woman
to practise anywhere in the United States To
this scheme there areseveral objections. It makes
necessary denomination and perhaps journey
to the national capital If the examining board
should be itinerant its members would doubt
less find their duties irksome. Perhaps it would
not be easy moreover, to fix dates that would
be equally satisfactory to different sections of
the country. The most serious drawback to
the plan, though, is that it is too much of an
invasion of State rights. The desirability of
uniform regulations of business and social
usases has led to propositions for national food
laws national divorce laws, national control of
medical practice and no end Of kindred meas
ures. For some of these constitutional justi-
fication exists. But it is exceedingly doubtful
whether any can be found for the project to
let the federal government prescribe the quail
fcations of physician. The power has hitherto
been exercised by the States, and it ought to
remain with them.
Another and much better principle is recon-
mended by American Medicine That period
ical wants more of the States to exercise reci-
procity in the matter each accepting as salts
factory the standards set up by another. To be
sure. these vary considerably. Some States
demand more than others from a candidate.
One whose requirements moderate, of
course should be willing to recognize as ade-
quate those which ere more strict The only
hesitation would be felt when the conditions
were reversed. Even then any reluctance might
vanish when the advantages Of the whole broad
scheme were carefully considered, and when