Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-12-01

reciprocity can not apply. III the ques-
ton of registration by courtesy Is to
be taken UP, 1t must be considered
on its own merits. We cannot register
by courtesy on the same basis as by
| reciprocity.
While much has been accomplished
| in recent years, there is no uniform-
! ity in the minimum requirements for
graduation from medical schools. And
there is much less uniformity in the
qualifications that practitioners have
| developed in the course of five or 10
years after graduation. Many men
\ do not progress as they could after
graduation.
| Our medical laws do not fulfill their
purpose unless they result in the Sc
lection and development of the most
competent and best qualified practi-
TONERS and through them the continued
| Improvement of health conditions.
| When these results are realized, the
profession and the laity are alike ben
| efted And there need be no other
aim in the medical law than this to
develop the highest medical standard.
| If the profession is composed of ed
ucated men of high ideals the best
| and wisest health laws will be passed
and enforced.
Laws Should Not Exclude.
| "Therc is always human ailment
enough TO busy every competent ply
stefan. no matter how crowded the
profession. And our laws should never
be so constructed and construed as to
exclude any competent, well trained
pra ctitioner but they should keep out
as great percentage of incompetent
men as possible. That general reci-
procity would result in the registra-
ton of many more men of inferior
qualifications is very evident to one
who has had experience on one of our
examining boards.
"There is always from 10 to L. per
cent of applicants who have been reg
istered in other states, whose examin-
ion manuscripts show that they lack
Woefully in the elements of common
English, as we'll as the fundamental
and practical branches of the medical
curriculum. Such persons we at pres
cnt exclude by requiring a written
examination. They have certificates in
states having good laws, but they are
not able to pass very elementary eX-
aminations. OF course they have not
been numbered among the good ply
sicians of their states, and we do not
need them in ours.
I'VE may cnumerate the several
classes of physicians desiring to To-
cate in these states as follows: Grad
yates of the earlier two or three year
courses with or without hospital train
ing: licentiates of various states by
prior practice clauses; graduates of
four year courses ignoring preliminary
requirements with or without hospital
training, aud recent graduates Of col
leges maintaining a high standard for
. both matriculation and graduation and
these with or without hospital expert
ence. The best practitioners are not
all in any one of these classes, and
many of those with little early advan-
tages have become, through continued
study and observation, post graduate
work and above all by working at their
profession, the very best of genera
practitioners.
$ Advocates Reciprocity.
Il so, while the early training may be
; Il criterion to ones qualifications and
= | the certificate of state having good
! medical laws may be considered some
: evidence, the requirements of a writ
ten examination have materially aided
these states in excluding those most
{ evidently lacking the qualifications oil
u good practitioners The required eX-
u aminations of these three states the
t past j. years have certainly resulted
in a higher medical status than an,
II other method obtaining among oul
: states.
. while general reciprocity NIGH
. no wbe of some advantage to thes,
states, we cannot lose much in medi.
" cal standards by delay. When thi:
general question is finally solved i
'. must provide for the elimination, il
~ the future. in some manner of those
10 applicants of every state. These tire,
states can solve this question at al
early date among themselves by pass
. ing d uniform law in each of the state:
% and the action on reciprocity can b.
& construed to meet their needs. | d.
not mean that this law should be sec
tional in spirit. Provisions should b.
made for all methods of treatmen
of human ailments. the definition
should be clear and definite, the penal
r. ties adequate, and the appropriation
sufficient 10 maintain the law. A singl
board can more economically and sue
J. cessfully enforce the law.
III Uniform Laws.
II This question of a uniform medi
~ cal law has been discussed since GU
earliest state laws were passed, an
in a great majority of physicians wi
- in conversation outline much the sam
jf plans for a law that can be apple
- to medical practice in all the states
rSe Several national societies have bee
% formed that have for one OF their aim
ut the unification of medical practice acts
M So great majority of physicians wan
such "a law that we should have i
ID There is no objection on the part @
az the public to improvement in our medi
ne cal and health laws. But the ques
II, ton as applied to the United State
tss in general is Of such magnitude tina
nothing practical has yet been don
ut or even attempted The unifornt.
Ia If ever realized. must start some plao,
" and this progressive northwest Is III