Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-02
AMERICAN MEDICAL
ASSOCIATION.
By Frederic J. Haskin.

| The National Medical Association OF
| America is this week holding its seventh
annual conference in Chicago. Immediate
tly preceding this conference was the
gathering Of the National Confederation
of State Medical and Licensing Boards,
which gave special consideration TO estab
fishing reciprocity in the recognition Of
physicians licenses in the various states,
and kindred subjects bearing upon state
requirements for licenses.
! The medical association is not an or
ganization selfishly devoted to the inter-
ests of the profession. On the contrary,
| its efforts are largely altruistic and for
the public good. 1t aims to suggest MODEL
laws governing public health. medical
| legislative laws and kindred topics. which
may be adopted by the individual states
with whatever local notifications seem
needful. One of Us objects Of the asso-
citation is to raise the standard of medical
education and to unity the grades through
out thu country. Recent Investigations in
the stAtus of various colleges made by
Abraham Fletcher, PHI. D.. of New York,
in connection with the work OF the An
drew Carnegie Foundation Fund for the
l
some surprising conditions in some of the
colleges granting medical diplomas. "
Under the auspices Of the American
Medical Association a more complete in
veStigatjon of medical colleges has been
, made and full reports prepared. 1t was
found that there are medical colleges
| with absolutely no hospital connection.
| and some in which the students do not
| have the privilege of dissectng in anat-
| orny work. Others are entirely lacking in
| laboratory equipment and in other essen
| tials to modern medical science. The
| graduates of such institutions cannot be
properly qualified for their work, SO the
public suffers through them il they be
permitted to practice. The medical as
ISOLATION is endeavOring to secure
| higher but uniform standard of grades in
all the medical colleges of the country.
At least two years Of college work are rec
commended as a preliminary preparation
for admission to the medical school The
| extension Of the medical course from four
years to five years is under cOnsidera
| ton. as Is also the essential equipment of
| laboratory and clinic.
x x
! ,The association is also working toward
| uniformity in the medical practice laws
| A man disquali-
Seeks Uniformity fled for the prac-
in Practice Laws. in nn'e o 1l m stste
should not be permitted to practice in
| another. No one should be permitted to
practice any healing art who cannot pass
an examination showing that he has
sufficient education along professional
| lines to permit him to work intelligently.
The association opposes discrimination
regarding any sect or class of healers.
There should be uniform qualifications
for all who desire a license to treat the
sick. After securing the license man
should be permitted to practice healing
after any system he prefers.
| The matter Of state licensing and the
| subsequent registration of physicians
| bears directly upon the welfare Of the
general public. It should be possible for
| any citizen to ascertain without difficulty
| the qualifications Of any physician who
practices medicine. Under the system of
county registration existing In most OF
| the states this is difficult, If not impos-
sible. A case recently brought before
the medical association was that of
woman who died after having been treat
| ed for rheumatism for some months by
other state. Whether her death was
| caused by the disease or the medicine
seemed uncertain, but, as the physicians
Of her town had not been called in to
attend the patient, not one Of them could
| sign the death certificate. 1t was sent to
| the physician who had treated her by
mail and he signed it. The certificate
| was accepted and the burial permit
granted. A later Investigation regarding
the qualifications Of the advertising ply
| stefan could produce no registration OF
| his license either in his own state or any
| other, and his qualifications for the prac-
| tice of medicine seemed extremely doubt
full. If a registration is made with the
state examining board license can easily
| be located. This plan now prevails In
| New Jersey and is recommended to the
| other states.
England has very creditable system of
registration Of physicians which the med
ical association would be glad to see
adopted in America. Every year list
Of licensed physicians in the country is
printed at the expense of the govern
| ment. A copy of this list is supplied to
every court and police station and to any
other place likely to require it, so that
the identification of any physician Is
| simple matter.
PeciprOcity in medical licenses is a mat