New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-12
WANT DEGREES GUARDED
Doctors Ask Protection Against
Cheapened Title.

At the annual dinner OF the Society Of Medical
Jurisprudence last night at the Hotel Astor, DR..
D. B. ST. John Roosa made a plea for the safe
guarding of the medical profession against in
vasion of people who were trying to obtain legal
right to the title Of doctor without the years OF
study and labor by which a regular physician OBJ
tanned his degree There was room for cooperation
between the physicians and lawyers IN preventing
this, he said. Opticians, massage persons and
osteopathists." he declared. mad no claim 10 the
physicians distinctive title"
The country was all wrong on its educational
system he went particularly as to physicians
There seemed to be conspiracy among the heaoS
of educational institutions to drive physicians from
all mart in college life, he said, because Of the
length OF time necessary to pass through college
training as the intended physician could not afford
to take four years for college and many other years
for medical training and hospital work The Eng
lish academic system should be abolished he sug-
gested and the German training substituted. He
went on
a physician must have a degree conferred on
him by recognized institution. and then must pass
fore he is allowed to practise. If these people are
allowed to assume the TUE Oh Goee9T " %s tI
and labor which have had what viii become Of
cause he knows about the hitting OF glasses thinks
ne ought to be called doctor. Yet there never was
a discovery made about the treatment of the eyes
which was not made by an oculist There are our
friends. the massage artists and the osteopathsts
who has mystical healing power. or the man who
q
seconds. You lawyers owe something TO our pro-
fession-stand with us in this; see that what We
have acquired bv hard work and study-the right to
practise medicines not taken away from US.
Dr. Carl Beck president of the society. was toast
master At the table with him sat the other speak
ers, the Rev. Thomas r. Slcer, Congressman
Sulzer Frank P Foster, of The Medical Journal
John s. Wise, Charles F. Moore, Of Virginia. and
Timothy Goodfriend. Of Utah
The Rev. Thomas R. Slcer was to give "A Pulpit
View Of Physicians and Lawyers" He thought, he
said that the men or both professions should get
into closer touch with thar souls and the ideal
side OF life" There never was a lawyer CT physs-
clan who amounted to anything who did not have
a philoSOphc mind he said, and did not study man
kind more than his books. He, too. thought II took
too long to make man, too many years to get
ready for work. and said that the educa tional
system would lop of few years Of academic train
ing time.
Congressman Sulzer declared that nine-tenths OF
the men who represented the citizens at State and
national capitals were honest, charitable; self
sacrificing If they did labor under the title CT
virtuous a bad reputation. he said. He hoped that
every citizen would become politician in working
for the country's Welfare-rewarding the honest
office holder and casting out the dishonest. Poll
ticians were good hearted and charitable In their
personal dealings, while in service for the country
there were in Washington men of great reputation
working hours each day in committee rooms for
$500 year who in business for themselves would
have an income ten times as great.