THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 983, 25 November 1910, Page 6

THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

A REGISTRATION BILL. A Bill intituled tho Medical Practitioners' Bill was introduced in Parliament yesterday. It provides for the establishment of a medical board of not less tlinn seven nor moro than ten members, of whom the Inspector-Geiioral of Hospitals shall be one. Three of the members are to be appointed 011 the recommendation of the Nett Zealand Medical Association. The term of appointment is three years. _ Under the heading "Registration" it is provided that every person shall be entitled to be registered uiidor the Act who satisfies the board that he is: (a) A graduate in medicine and surgery of the University of New Zealand; or (b) registered on tho register kept in accordance with the .provisions of the Acts regulating the registration of medical practitioners .in the United Kingdom; or (c) eligible for registration 011 such last-mentioned register; or (d) tho holder of a diploma approved by the board, and granted by any university or institution other than tno University of New Zealand or than a university or institution'situated in tho United Kingdom, after a course of not lees than five years' study of the subjects pertaining to a medical and surgical degree or liccnse. A proviso is added as under:—Provided that the board may refuse to approve any foreign diploma for the purposes of the Act, unless it appears to the board that the graduates in medicine and surgery of tho University, of New Zealand are by virtue of such graduation, and without further examination, entitled to bo registered as medical practitioners aud to practise medicine and surgery in the country in which is situated the university or other institution ,by which that diploma has been conferred. No person shall bo entitled to bo registered under tho Act if, in the opinion of the board, he is not a (it person to bo so registered by reason of tho fact that—(a) Ho has been at any time convictcd of'an indictable offonco; or (b) he is otherwise not of good fame, or character. There are various machinery clauses in Tegard to the register, and the Supreme Court may order the removal of any name from the register if the medical practitioner is'guilty of gravo misconduct or an indictable offence. / There is a penalty, for wrongly using tho narao or title of medical practitioner. This will bar "quacks." There is also a provision that ail unregistered person cannot suo for fees. Tho Act is not to affect tho lawful occupation, trade, or business of any pharmaceutical chemist, registered dentist, registered midwife or registered nurse.