New-York tribune., 1913-12-27
DIR. MORTON MAY
PRACTISE SOON
Amendment of Medical
Law Thought Best Plan
to Aid Physician.
FRIENDS RALLY
TO HIS SUPPORT
Board of Regents and Many
Prominent Men Favor
PardOned Man.

The chances are very good, II was
learned Yesterday. for an amendment to
the state medical law. which will enable
Or William J. Morton, the neurologist,
and son of the discoverer Of ether as an
anasthetic. TO resume the practice oi
medicine in this state In accordance with
the terms OF the pardon granted to him
by President Wilson on December 10, sub
scquent 20 Dr. Morton's return from the
federal prison in Atlanta, where nc serN ed
a short term. after a conviction growing
out of alleged participation in mining
frauds.
After Dr Morton received his pardon
il was discovered. as told exclusively III
Thursdays Tribune. that the state medi-
cal law contained q provision which pro-
hibitcd any physician practising his pro
fcssion who had ever been convicted OF
q rclony," thus thwartinS the PPesidcntiaI
clemency. This state of facts. II Is uh-
derstood. will he used as an cEterihs
wedge In correcting several defects IN
tho medical profession arc highly in favor
OF ha ing pr Morton return TO his pIdc-
tice, il is said there will DC little or no
opposition to any measure that VIII ihsure
that result Some Of the foremost meH'
both among lawyers and physicians arc
behind the movement to have )r. MOT
ton regain his position.
Tho petition for his pardon was signed
hv Alton Il. Parker. George Gordon Bat
III, Ioscph II. Choate. Charles f. Brown
former Judge Of the New York Court %
Appeals; William -. Guthrie and Cnarles
f. Mathewson. All Of these mcn eA-
ucCted that the pardoned phNsician WouI'
resume his practice forthwith ana me
following physicians. who had the same
idea: DE- lanes +. McKernou. Dr.
Graeme NJ. Hammond. Or. Royal whit
man. Dr Allen NJ Thomas. Dr SamHe!
I.Ioyd and Dr. Beverley Robinson.
Dr.. John A Wyoth, = former president
OF the New York academy of Medicine
the head Of the PolvclnIc Hospital, said
Yesterday that nothing would stand IN
the way Of Dr Morton, restoration. Dr.
Wyeth saw Prcsidcn; Wilson and htIoi-
nev General McRcvnolds personally IN
behalf Of the pardon. and was largely in
strumental in it's being granted.
DR.. McKcruou Of 80. 81 Vest sd street.
am cX-prcsidcnt Of the county Medical
Society and a leading man in the POST
Graduate Hospital. where IN Morton Iad
a clinic for nervous diseases for many
wears i, confident that DT Morton VIII
have his right to practise restored.
The plan to amend the state medical
lsw will. it was said Yesterday. sdperscde
the special legislation which some OF Df.
Morton's supporters have proposed. ~
first IL was thought best to ask the Legs
E,ilrc to pas law relating ~o',ly 10
Dr Morton. IN which ij would hc provided
that the disduaifcatipns obtaining Lud sr
the medical law should no, apply 10 90"
hardened physician. This. IL Was pointed
out. might prov. a bad precedent AZ IN
worthy membcr, of tn' IN dlca. pI0iss-
sion might resort 10 the same method
through corrupt political connections. Jo-
s.uh t. Choat,. jr.. Dr. Norton attorney O.
said Yesterday that he realized that there
was disadvantage 20 spccidl legislation,
i'm view Of its abuse IN the past
II was said yesterday mat "a, state
Board Of Regents, which erauts the IL
ccases to physicians. had proposed lcgis-
lation In the past that would have Gov
cred Dr Morton's case, put that the
phy sicau- had opposed a change through
n fear of weakening the law. This fear.
ii is thought. will not bc Of 80 much
weight in view of the standing OF the
men now 1chiud q reasonable change in
the law.
Aimuth 60 Nandivcr, counsel 4" tn.
Medical Society Of the Comfy Of New
York. said nc could not sec any objection
80 IN amendment OF the law which would
give to the Board of Regents the power
to grant a license 10 4 physician VINO nad
been convicted and pardOned.
DR.. John Van Doren Young secretary Of
the County Medical Society. said that
there would be no objection 10 an amend
m,nt to the medical law II it were not
that the temptation to open 1t 10 abuse
was so great lie said that there was
no doubt that something would be done
, that would result in Dr. Morlons return
TO the practice Of medicine legally