The Washington times., 1920-11-01
QUACKS GATHER IN
COIN OF IGNORANT
Head Of Pennsylvania License
Bureau Prepares to Prose-
cute Fake Heaters.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa, Nov. i.-"Innu-
merable" persons are illegally prac-
ticins medicine and various other
forms of healing In this city and
State, according to DIR. J. NJ. Badly,
president OF the bureau OF medical
vania-
Men with little education and very
little training hang out signs repre-
senting themselves as physicians.
osteopaths. chiropractors. and neuro-
paths. They claim to be able to
heal almost every form OF sickness
and. In many instances. instead OF
aiding the patient. they permanently
injure him, he said,
There are comparatively few H.
legal practitioners OF medicine In
this city, but the number who pro-
fess to be trained ,osteopaths. chiro-
practors, and neuropaths Is far
greater, Dr. Badly said, and he added
that the condition Is such that the
men and women graduates OF repu-
table schools and practicing their
profession are aroused and making
an effort to drive the takers out OF
business.
Investigations of these illegal
practitioners in the State are being
made all the timcy Complaints from
all sections of the city are received
by DR.. Badly almost daily. and last
Friday he received a report from
Pittsburgh that sixty men were IL
legally practicing IN that city and
vicinity as chiropractors and neuro-
paths.
The schools that claim TO turn
out skilled osteopaths. neuropaths'
and chiropractors in from three 70
six months are the chief obstacle
in the, path OF the bureau Of medical
licensure.
These schools award their grad
uate" diplomas certifying that they
had finished q course In whatever
form of healing they chose TO rac-
tice. The graduates" frame these
ornately engraved sheepskins' hahg
them in conspicuous places In their
offices and thus impress the ignorant
and the minimizing.
BY invoking the powers vested IN
the college and university councl'
of the state OF Pennsylvania Dr'
Badly hopes to close all sucn places
protesting to teach some form VI
healing almost overnight.
The law creating the council gives
II the power to pass upon the merits
from an educational standpoint or all
annIications for charters OF incor-
noration of colleges and universities
seeking to confer degrees. Doctor
pa,dv said that under this law, as IN
ternreted by the Attorney Generals
denartment. the establishing OF these
institutions can be stopped by the
simp,e process Of refusing charters 70
new ones and resembling those OF OLD
ones.
"PAPER, COLLEGES.
without the granting of degrees the
institutions cannot flourish. In deal
ing with the illegal healers. DR..
RaIdv found that many of them have
diplomas from inconsequential ana IN
many cases paper institutions III al
sections OF the country.
These men come into the state, DIS
regarding the laws regarding the
practice OF medicine and osteopathy
here, and begin practicing their pro
fession," In this city a considerable
number Of these fake healers nave
been found by DR.. l.. A. Saltzman, IN
vestigator for the bureau. number
of convictions have been obtained.
The fake medical man is especially
conspjcuous in sections mainly in
ha bited by aliens. In mnay IN
stances these "physicians" even go
to the extent of advertising in Tor
eign language newspapers. Some OF
the men practicing in this manner
are graduates Of medical schools IN
their native lands. Others attended
medical schools for some period.
while others are graduates of medical
schools but failed to qualify for the
practice Of medicine. For $40 or sou
these doctors" who are especially
active in the coal regions, promise
to cure almost any ailment.
Investigations are being conducted
by the bureau and many prosecutions
will be brought. DR.. Badly declared
Yesterday that the bureau, with the
CO. operation OF reputable physicians,
esteopaths, chiropractors. and neuro-
paths. hopes to obtain information