Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-27
MIXED MEDICAL
BOARD PLAN IS
DENOUNCED
"lrreguIars" Claim "ReguIars"
Might Tyrannize Profession if
Proposed Bill Becomes Law.

A bill to be fought out in the Legis-
lature creating a composite board of
medical examiners for the State OF
Georgia, framed by the American
Medical Association, has brought
storm Of protests from a large num-
Der Of physicians not only in Atlanta,
but throughout the State.
The bill provides for a board of
eight members, composed of eight
practicing physicians Of integrity and
ability, who shall be residents of, and
have ben duly licensed to practice
medicine in this State, and who shall
have graduated from reputable medi-
cal schools and have been engaged in
the active practice of their profess
sion within this State for at least
period Of five years. but none of
them shall be connected in any way
with any medical college"
Five members of this board shall
be regular" physicians, two shall be
eclectic physicians and one shall be
a homeopathic physician, all to be
appointed by the Governor.
Ard here comes one of the greatest
issues: Five out of the eight mem
bers are to be regular or allopathic
physicians, two eclectic and one
homeopathic. 1t is the contention of
the physicians outside the ranks of
the regulars" that If the examiners
saw fit-and they might-only allo
paths would be permitted to practice
n
lectics and one homeopath constitute
a small minority of the board as
provided in the bill.
Regulars" Might Get Jobs.
A president, vice president and sec
rotary treasurer are to be selected by
the board, and salaries shall be paid
out OF the funds of the board. The
supposition is that these officers will
be selected from the ranks of the
regulars" as they have the majority.
These funds are provided further on
in the bill.
Applicants must pass examinations
as prescribed by the board and must
be graduates of colleges recognized
by the board. The board also has
the right to revoke the license Of any
physician at any time, for causes as
adopted by the board.
Each applicant must have his GER
tificate recorded by the clerk in the
county where he resides and prac-
tices his profession, the applicant to
pay fee for the lime.
Under this act the board has the
right to pass upon the good stand
ing of any medical ollege. Only such
medical colleges will be considered
in good standing as possess a fun
and complete faculty for the teach
ing of medicine, surgery, obstetrics
in all it's branches, afford their
students adequate clinical and hos
pital facilities. require attendance
upon at least 80 per cent of each
course Of instruction. etc.
Section s provides for eXamina-
lions and requirements by the board
and a fee of 81 shall accompany the
application, and a like amount shall
be paid by the applicant for each
separate subject upon which he may
be required to be examined.
A fee of $40 is required Of each APP
plicant, which. shall accompany the
application. A fee of $50 shall be
paid for Issuing a license by reel
procity No part Of any fee is re-
turnable under any circumstances.
May Revoke License.
The board may refuse to grant, or
may revoke any license to practice
medicine for a score or more rea-
sons. one of which is advertising.
The penalty attached to violations
of the act is a fine of from $500 to
81 900, or by term of two to five
years in the penitentiary, either or
both
"The claim of the regulars that
five of the eight members Of the
board shall be from their ranks is
that the relative number engaged
in the practice of medicine in the
State is greater" said a prominent
physician who opposes the passage of
the bill.
"The board could, by a majority
vote, refuse to grant a license to
any but a regular or revoke the
license of any practitioner who does
not observe the ethics of the pro-
fession."