New Britain herald., 1923-11-09
He "Signed the Book Be- fore State Examinations Were Necessary and Is in Good Standing.

A retired bricklayer Living in this city who has never spent an hour in the study of medicine or surgery and
 who perhaps has never witnessed even 3 minor operation, is eligible to open an office today and enter general practice, it became known this morn ing.
 It is very unlikely that the person in question will embark upon a medi- cal career, those who know him say, but he is nevertheless eligible to prac- tice, having been registered as a phy- sician and surgeon in the days when registration alone was required of those who wished to practice and prior to the time that medical di- ploma mills" were first heard of.
 Before 1893 anyone could become q physician and surgeon without proof of educational qualifications or prac- tice. A registry book was provided st the office of each town clerk and anyone who planned to practice was required first to visit the clerk and sign his name on the book. The bricklayer in question called at the town clerks office to sign another book upon which certificate of own crship of property was recorded and through an error he was given the physicians roll He placed his sig nature on it and the book was filed away.
 In 1893 a state statute was passed which required physicians and sur geons to appear before an examining board and prove their qualifications before they were allowed to enter practice. A clause was inserted in the law that anyone who had been reg istered or was in the practice of medi- cine or surgery for period of six months prior to the passage of the law would not be required to submit to examination. A short time after the passage of the law. certifestes were mailed out from the state de- partment of health to all who had been registered for the required per iod, and among those who were made physicians and surgeons by statute was the local bricklayer. He did not, however, enter practice. His license not having been revoked for any req son, he staNds today on equal footing with graduates of the eountry's best colleges as far as eligibility to enter inc medical field is concerned.
 Some of the city's older doctors re- call the bricklayer incident and other equally as interesting. They say that one of tho most prominent doctors en- gagged in practice here today had no | college training and was tutored by | another doctor, now deceased, whose | medical and surgical training consist | cd Of six months service as an order | ly in the medical division Of the United States army.
 The former orderly enjoyed luera- | tive practice here for many years. He l treated some of the citys leading | families. One of the oldest city of- | ficials in point Of service recalled to- day having had this medical mans services during & severe attack of | rheumatism many years ago.
 In the olden days it was not un- common, they say, to have the young nan who drove an elderly physician's horse while he called on his patients, succeed the doctor in the practice of his art. No schooling was required. \ part of each day was spent as host Ter and the remainder in tho doctors office. After a short period the doc tor signed a certificate that the young man was, in his opinion, capable of medicine and surgery and the boy at once hung out shlngle and began to practice" his profess sion.