MEDICAL DIPLOMAS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4807, 18 August 1876, Page 3

MEDICAL DIPLOMAS.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE NEW'ZEALAND TIMES. SIR,— A short time ago there appeared in the Wellington papers a telegram, from Dunedin, stating that Dr. Cpughtrey, of the Otago University, was empowered, under the Scottish Universities Act j to: examine candidates for medical diplomas. Having ascertained that such a statement was incorrect, will you kindly allow me to draw attention to the subject, and point out the unfairness of the existing Medical Practitioners Act ? That Act prohibits any one . practising as a surgeon without registering a diploma from some recognised college. .It does not afford any means of procuring a diploma in the colony, and does not allow the option ,of an examination, no matter how well qualified one may be to pass the same. Suppose, for instance, that a young man who has been educated, for a surgeon at Home, under the beat tuition and advantages, and who may have passed all his examinations, and excepting the final one for a diploma, comes to New Zealand under the impression that he can become qualified here, it is rather hard to be told he cannot practise without a diploma, no matter what his knowledge or. skill may be, and that he cannot get a diploma without returning Home for it. If there is no University in this colony in a position to confer medical degrees, there might at least be a board of medical .examiners to examine advanced medical students of other Universities. A diploma in any case is of only honorary value.—l am, &c., Cantab.