■""Airii:-.88''„""}  Editorial.  235 
EDITORIAL  DEPARTMENT. 
The  Diploma  Swindle — It  was  recently  reported  to  a  committee  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Legislature,  that  the  Massachusetts  Medical  Society  had  proof  positive  of 
the  following  so-called  colleges  and  universities,  selling  their  diplomas  without  any 
evidence  of  study  or  fitness  :  American  University  of  Medicine  and  Surgery,  of 
Philadelphia  5  Philadelphia  University  of  Medicine  and  Surgery  5  Physio-Eclectic 
Medical  College,  of  Cincinnati,  O.  5  Physio-Medical  College  (new  issue),  of  Cin- 
cinnati 5  American  Eclectic  Medical  College,  of  Cincinnati ;  St.  Louis  Homoeopathic 
Medical  College  5  St.  Louis  Eclectic  Medical  College  5  New  England  University  of 
Medicine  and  Surgery,  of  Manchester,  N.  H.  ^  University  of  Medicine  and  Surgery, 
of  Haddonfield,  N,  J.  ;  and  American  Vitopathic  College,  of  Cincinnati,  O. 
Whether  the  list  is  complete,  we  do  not  know  ;  but  we  remember  that  the  names 
of  the  notorious  Dr.  John  Buchanan  and  Wm.  Paine  were  connected  also  with  other 
concerns  besides  the  first  two  mentioned  above.  Although  the  charters  of  these 
Philadelphia  institutions  [})  were  repealed  by  the  legislature  for  gross  fraud,  the  busi- 
ness of  diploma  selling  continued  to  flourish,  until  on  February  28th  last  two  repor- 
ters of  the  Philadelphia  "  Record"  exposed  the  traffic,  having  obtained  for  the  sum 
of  ^25  from  the  dean  of  the  so-called  Philadelphia  University,  Rev.  T.  B.  Miller, 
a  certificate  that  they  were  entitled  to  practice  medicine,  and  the  promise  of  a  di})loma 
for  an  addiiional  consideration.  Two  other  ministers.  Revs.  Ingraham  and 
Major,  figured,  the  former  as  president,  the  latter  as  secretary  of  the  institution.  On 
March  i8th  Miller  was  expelled  from  the  membership  and  ministry  of  the  church  to 
which  he  belonged,  and  Major  was  svispended  from  the  ministry  for  one  year. 
It  seems  almost  as  if  the  law  was  powerless  to  reach  such  offenders.  Years  ago 
the  attorney-general  was  officially  requested  to  proceed  against  the  fraudulent  con- 
cerns. Notwithstanding  this,  they  have  not  been  molested,  and  it  may  be  assumed 
that,  although  the  shop  has  been  closed  for  the  present,  the  same  institutions  (:),  per- 
haps under  different  officers,  will  again  take  up  the  old  business  as  long  as  there  is 
any  money  in  it. 
The  Percentage  Business  and  Cipher  Prescriptions  in  California.  —  A  bill 
has  been  introduced  by  Mr.  Braunhart  into  the  legislature  of  California  making  it  3 
misdemeanor,  punishable  by  a  fine  of  from  $50  to  $500,  for  any  apothecary  and 
physician  to  pay  or  receive  any  money  or  property  as  a  commission  or  reward  for 
prescriptions.  At  a  meeting  of  the  California  Pharmaceutical  Society  this  bill  was 
endorsed,  and  amendments  were  proposed  making  it  a  misdemeanor,  punishable  bv 
a  fine  of  ^50,  for  a  physician  refusing,  upon  the  application  of  a  competent  pharm- 
acist, to  give  the  proper  name  or  formula  for  ' any  article  or  preparation  of  medicine 
which  he  may  have  prescribed  by  arbitrary  signs,  names  or  numbers,  and  for  a  pharm- 
acist refusing  in  like  manner,  if  he  has  knowledge  of  the  proper  name  or  formula. 
Every  reputable  physician  and  pharmacist  will  acknowledge  that  there  is  notliing- 
in  this  law  but  what  is  required  by  the  codes  of  ethics  of  the  medical  and  pharm- 
aceutical societies  5  yet  the  *' Western  Lancet "  opposes  the  measure,  as  we  learn 
from  a  pamphlet  by  Prof.  Emlen  Painter,  of  the  California  College  of  Pharmacy. 
To  what  extent  the  discreditable  practise  is  carried  on  will  be  seen  from  the  follow- 
ing extracts  from  Prof.  Painter's  reply: 
