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THE ALUMNI JOURNAL. 



pharmaceutical dignity on medicine re- 

 fused 1o pharmac}^ herself. No wonder 

 one of her brilliant professors waxed 

 warm in his denunciation of ' 'the legal 

 degradation of a pharmacy diploma" by 

 exempting the doctor and examining the 

 pharmacist. In his condemnation of this 

 injustice we heartily concur; but we 

 hold that it is no degradation to the 

 holder of a diploma to be given the privi- 

 lege of showing, to intelligent judges, 

 liow much knowledge that diploma repre- 

 sents. This is a much more uncertain 

 quantity than the friends of pharmaceu- 

 tical education desire. The Juniors from 

 some colleges not infrequently pass far 

 better examinations than graduates of 

 other institutions conferring the same 

 degree. Here is the great advantage a 

 thorough school enjoys in having its 

 work passed upon by unprejudiced ex- 

 aminers, not connected with the institu- 

 tion,. 



Of course, we recommend to young 

 men applying to us, not the school that 

 is cheapest, nearest, or has the largest 

 number of students, but the one that 

 sends us the best prepared men. Thus 

 an opportunity is afforded for us to dis- 

 tinguish between the teaching schools 

 and the diploma mills — and how else 

 could this be obtained except by a com- 

 pulsory examination ? 



Another cause that has largely influenc- 

 ed me in forming my opinion is the pres- 

 ent status of the medical profession in 

 Georgia. Here a diploma from any 

 chartered college, and a $io professional 

 tax, is a license to practice medicine; and 

 what is the result? There are four 

 medical colleges where one would be 

 sufficient; and they have almost degener- 

 ated into diploma mills that vie with each 

 other in grinding out the most graduates. 

 These schools confer degrees on over 95 

 per cent, of the second-course men, and 

 on practically all the third-course men. 

 So great has become this evil, and the 

 fact that Georgia is becoming the dump- 

 ing ground for rejections from other 

 States, and the Paradise for quacks, that 

 the better element of the entire profession 



are now favoring a bill to create a board, 

 similar to the Pharmacy Board, to review 

 the work of the medical colleges, and to 

 protect the public. 



Four years ago, three of the medical 

 colleges issued prospectuses for pharma- 

 ceutical adjuncts, and, with one additional 

 instructor, lecturer or professor, were 

 preparing to grind out Ph.G-'s, as well 

 as M.D.'s; but, unfortunately tor these 

 conceptions, the pharmacy law was 

 changed, so that no diploma is recogniz- 

 ed, and only one has gone full term and 

 been delivered of a class of Ph.G.'s. One 

 of the colleges, finding she had miscar- 

 ried with Ph.G.'s, is now bringing forth 

 LL.B.'s. 



Now, while we oppose registration on 

 diploma, we heartily favor reciprocity 

 among the State Boards, where the candi- 

 date has made 5 per cent, over the re- 

 quirement to pass the examination. This 

 may seem paradoxical or inconsistent, but 

 that it is not can easily be proved. 



I St. Any four or five men can secure a 

 charter for a college and confer degrees, 

 but no State has more than one Board, 

 except New York which is the proud 

 pos.sessor of four.* 



2nd. There is greater uniformity in 

 State examinations than in college, and 

 less inducement to pass inefficient men. 



3rd. Requiring 5 per cent, above the 

 average to pass enables a Board to dis- 

 criminate between those whom they think 

 would be safer in other sections, and 

 those whose horizon is as limited as the 

 oyster's. 



To sum up the foregoing briefly, not 

 recognizing diplomas, is to the interest of 

 the public, in that it protects them from 

 incompetent men, to the college, by pro- 

 tecting them from diploma mills and 

 making manifest their good work. It is 

 plainly to the interest of the profession, 

 because nothing lowers professional 

 standards more rapidly than having a 

 large number of poorly equipped colleges 

 turning out ignorant men armed with a 

 degree that carries with it license to prac- 

 tice that profession. 



* Texas practically has no pharmacy law. 



