Middletown transcript., 1909-04-24
0ELAWARRs oPfoMErKY rAR

Fl 10 TIE EDITOR An optomesry Bill
which Eas prepared at lhe Request ol th,
Delaware State Optical Society vas passed
6y Che Legislature at tie session recenll,
adjourned. The bill was signed by Gov.
ernos PennsSiIl March 22d and has thu,
become . law. This law will be boom
10 the eye.Riass wearing public as ii pro.
tects them against false opticians and
travelling optical qhacks. Herewith sub.
NIT few Of the most important sections
| of she new law
j An act TO define optometry and to reg.
ulate the practice thereof in this State.
Be it enacted BY the Senate and House Of
Representatives Of the State Of Della
ware in general assembly met:
SECTION l. The practice Of optometry
is hereby defined to be she employment
OF any means, other than the Use Of drues
or surgery. for the measurement Of the
powers Of vision and the adaptation Of
lenses for the aid thereof.
SEc 2. Il shall be unlawful for any
person 10 practice optometry in size State
Of Delaware unless he shall frat have OBJ.
tained=a certificate Of registration and fled
the same, or certified copy thereof, With
the clerk Of the peace OF the said county
Of bis residence, all as hereinafter pro.
yided.
SEc. 5. Every person, before begin
ming to practice optometry in this State
alter the passage Of this act, must be
twenty-one years of age, OF good moral
character, have preliminary education
equivalent to at least two years in high
school, and have also studied at least
three years in an optometrist's Office, or
have graduated from a school OF optom-
etry maintaining q standard satisfactory
to- said Board Of 0ptometry, end slIall
take an examination before said Board Of
Examiners 70 determine his qualifications.
Such examination shall be confined to
such knowledge as il most essential to the
practice of optometry. Any person hay-
ing signifed to said board his desire to be
examined by them shall appear before
them at such time and place as they may
designate, and before beginning such ex.
animation shall pay to the secretary Of
said board, for the use OF said board, the
sum Of $40. All persons successfully
passing such examination shall be regis
tered in the board register, which shall
be kept by said secretary, as licensed to
practice optometFy. and shall also receive
certificate Of such registration, TO be
signed by the president and secretary of
said board, which shall be fled as herein
after provided. If an applicant Be re-
jected, be shall be entitled to be admitted
to another examination, occurring not less
than three months thereafter, without
further payment, but for ell subsequent
examinations, which shall not occur at in
teryaia Of less than three months, be shall
pay an examination fee OF SIS.
SIC I3. Said board shall have power
to revoke any certificate of registration
granted by it under this act for conviction
Of crime, habitual drunkenness for elk
months Immediately before charge TO be
made gross incompetency or contagious
disease; provided that before any}ceEtifi.
cate shall be 60 revoked the holder
thereof shall have notice in writing of
charges against him, and at day specified
10 said notice, at least FIVE days after the
service thereof, be givena public hearing
md have opportunity to produce testi.
nony in bis behalf aud confront the wit
lesses against him. ANY person whose
certificate has been 80 revoked may, after
be expiration Of ninety days, apply TO
rave the same regranted, and the same
hail be rsgranted him upon satisfactory
howing that the disqualification has
,eased..
SIC. Il. Any person who shall violate
my Of the provisions Of this act shall be
leemed guilty of misdemeanor, and
lpon conviction shall be fined not less
n0n PSo ktOt uAOAc bbau SAVUf OHS-u1iA VI
which shall be paid to the person who
hall give the information leading to con.
'iction and the other half to the State,
nd in default Of payment of said fine
hall be imprisoned in the county Jail at
be rate Of one day for every two dollars
{ the fine 80 imposed.
SRc. 10. Any justice Of the peace in
be State OF Delaware shall have jnrisdic.
on of violations OF this act.
SIC. II, This act shall take effect and
e in force from and alter It's passage.
That this law viii be of benefit to the
ublic cannot be doubted as il requires all
hose who would examine eyes and fit
asses to be graduates Of q recognized
,ilege Of Optometry. AS the eye is the
lost imp0fiant organ Of the human body,
. can we'll realize that il should not be
mpered with. Il the eyes are defective
icy should be carefully examined only
I one who is skiIlfnl in the delicate
fence OF ocular refraction.
Respectfully submitted,
DR.. M. B. BuFstan,
0ptometFist member OF the Executive
"a ~ s,f nolarn,nv,s csnta 0,Nssoal cao.oas,