The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1909-10-09

phate IN equal proportion applled,
$50 pounds to the acre; then culti-
waited four times to the row with
Perry cultivator.
AFew Facts About OptOmetry Legislation
Optometry Top tom ct ry),
Greek, oposseen x metron a
measure.) The science and art Of
employing the various methods for
measuring the range of vision.
The following twenty four States
now have optometry laws in force
New York. Vermont. Indiana. Ten.
nessee. Minnesota. North Dakota.
West Virginia. Rhode Island. Mich.
igan. Utah, Oregon. Washington,
California, Florida, Kansas, Idaho,
Montana, Arizona. New Mexico,
Iowa, Nebraska, Maine, Delaware.
North Carolina, and judging from
reports received from these States
the law is an unqualified success.
If such be the case. why should it
not be the same in this State?
The opticians profession is about
the only one of which the members
are not required to pass any form
Of examination to prove their pro-
ficiency. This is what we are try
ing to remedy by the optometry
law.
The incompetent class or so-call-
ed fakirs are being driven out of
those States where optometry law
prevails, and naturally drift into
those States which as yet are un-
protected by the law.
The bill to be brought up at the
next Legislature is. with few ex-
|ceptions. an exact copy of the law
passed by the State of New York.
and which is now in force.
Gov. Hughes, of New York, in
signing the optometry bill, luali-
fies his act by the following words:
"The fact remains that the prac-
tice of optometry. as herein defin-
ed, exists, and will continue to ex-
ist. and therefore forms proper
subject for regulation. .
Optometrists are not asking for
any privileges in the present law
which they do not already possess.
We simply want a Board of Exam
iners: appointed from our own pro-
fession who shall have power to
pass upon the proficiency of those
desiring to practice optometry.
Objection is made to the optom-
|etry law; that it establishes new
profession. Optometrists have
been practicing their profession for
twenty-five years, and the public is
entitled to know who and what an
optometrist is, and to be guaran-
teed that they at least have an edu-
cation sufficient for the proper per-
formance Of their duties.
Prior to 1887, when the dental
laws went into effect, all kinds of
people were practicing dentistry.
The improvement in the practice Of
dentistry since that law went into
effect is a matter Of common
knowledge. The, medical profess
sion opposed that bill at the time,
on the ground that it established a
new profession. and people would
go to dentists and not to the doc
tors for this class of work.
The optometry law seeks the
same kind Of recognition for OPP
tometry that the dental law gives
to the dentists, and we maintain
that a relative improvement will
follow in the profession of opt0m-
etry by the passage Of this bill.
This bill does not put any man out
of business, but requires that all
new applicants shall have a certain
amount of education and are versed
in those studies necessary to q
proper practice of their profession.
This certainly is no hardship; but
rather big benefit to the public.
Practicing optometry is not prac.
ticing medicine. It is the use Of
mechanical means to determine the
y@ofracfi0v1 of ovoc xx,EsoI, o;,,,y,lx,
need glasses.
The great majority of people who
need glasses are not afflicted with
any disease of the eye.
Optometrists have instruments to.
examine both the internal and ex.
ternaI Of the human eye. If any
disease is found to exist the case is.
recommended to physi-
clan.