Year: 1878

The English Government are Just now
engaged in medical legislation, and as
the evils they are seeking to remedy are
intensified on this Continent and the
special bane of this coast, it may be in
structive to draw attention to the remedy
proposed.


Here, as in England, the family doc
tor occupies much the same position as
the father confessor in some others, and
his discretion and integrity, no less than
his professional skill, are matters of
great and general concern. Whatever,
therefore, will improve his professional
knowledge and raise his esprit de corps will
make him a more valuable public SER
want and more trusted friend. In En-
gland there is Public Register of med
ical men authorized to practice, and the
right Of registering is obtained by Sc
curing degree license from one or more
of nineteen corporations, some of whom
derive large incomes from this source,
and are consequently tempted to confer
their diplomas upon persons of INSULT
cient education. Many Englishmen, for
example, go to the University Of Aber-
deem because they can there procure the
title of Doctor on easier terms than at
their own universities. In America
there are some hundreds Of rival schools
and universities, the professors of which
derive large incomes from the granting
of diplomas-some after examination
and few without; and it is common
for the native of one state to GO to: an
other for his diploma, and then return,
foistlng upon the public an instrument
of which the value is utterly unknown,
and which affords no guarantee whatever
that he has been thoroughly tanght or
that life is safe under his hands. To
remedy such defects, the English Parlia-
ment are about to enact a law constitute
ing public examining board, which
will examine every practitioner as to
his knowledge of medicine and surgery,
and no medical corporation will be per-
mitted to confer their diploma or title
upon any person who has not already
passed this state examination, the
standard of requirement being the same
in every division of the kingdom. Two
important points will thus be secured
first, that every doctor will be properly
qualified in all the departments of pro-
fessional knowledge, and, secondly, that
no medical character or title can be as
sumed without due authorization. 1t
will be observed that there is no attempt
to legislate for the protection of fools.
Heaven born doctors and women with
second sight are permitted to practice if
they can find patients, for, as Lord
Granville said, legislation cannot pre-
vent a man from consulting black
smith. if he thinks fit TO do SO. Such
legislation is, however, death to quacks,
for the green grocer will not be at liberty
to call himself doctor or obtain patients
under false titles or pretense. In this
country it would be necessary 10 estab-
lish a representative medical council for
the United States. This council would
appoint examiners to visit the various
States and issue the common license
The medical schools and universities
would be compelled to prepare the can
didates efficiently for this examination
whilst their own degrees and diplomas
would be preserved for the promotion Of
medical education and the distinction oi
pupils having the highest attainments
tits impossible to doubt that the public
would be great gamers from some such
plan,