OFFICE OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH, 202 STATE STREET, Chicago, November io, 1877. To the Medical Profession of Illinois fact by affidavit, or otherwise. Your Board may, with propriety, issue in return some proper certificate, which will show their right to prac- tice under that proviso of the law. " All therefore who claim exemption from the penalties of the Act, in consequence of the fact of their having practiced medi- cine in this State for ten years previous to July 1, 1877, and who have not procured Certificates, will be called upon by the Board, after December 31, 1877, to make affidavit to that effect, and file the same with the Board, thus establishing their status legally. In regard to practitioners of medicine who have been practicing in this State less than ten years, the law requires that those who are graduates in medicine, or who have licenses from legally chartered medical institutions in good standing, must actually pre- sent, for verification, to the State Board, their diplomas or licenses, and, in addition, such other satisfactory proofs as may be necessary. Affidavit must be made that the person presenting the diploma, or license, is the lawful possessor of the same. Graduates may present their diplomas or licenses, and affidavits, by letter or proxy. The affidavit should mention date and place of graduation, and name of medical college; length of practice in this State, as well as present place of residence. The fee for Certificates of Graduation is fixed by law at one dollar. Certificates of Graduation must be recorded in the office of the County Clerk. In fact, it is better that all Certificates issued by the Board should be so recorded. It is required by law that all persons practicing medicine less than ten years in any of its departments, who are not grad cater.- in medicine, or licentiates, shall be examined direct]; by the Bcv'd; < then Certificates will be issued to those pase>vg the examnia .-.m. The Certificate is to be recorded in the ofl'ii of the County O'-:k. Candidates for examination are required to ty ;\»jeoi ivc <'oi advance-to be returned to them if a Certificate be refused. Examinations may be, in whole e- partt jn wrjtin„ or O1 and shall be of an elementary a'• b. practical character, but sufficie strict to test f "fications of the candidate as a practjti Meetings o for the examinations of e<1P van* ' dipion ab licenses, and ti ts»are appointee, rtnefollowing dau. and places ■. CAIRO-Tin. , -<ovember 15th, beginning at 9:30 A. M., at the office of Dr. Wardner, No. Ill Commercial avenue. Galesbij.rg-Thursday, December 6th, beginning at 10 A. M., at the Union ll'jtel. Champaign.-Thursday, December 20th, beginning at 10 A. M., in the parlors of the Industrial University. Springfield-Thursday, January 10, 1878, at 10 A. M., at the State House (the regular annual meeting). Meetings for Examination will also be held at Charleston, Chicago, and other points, the location to be determined by the proximity of applicants, as the Board does not wish to cause any unnecessary loss of time to candidates for examination. The dates of these meetings will be duly announced. Practitioners who are required by law to be examined -namely, those who have neither a diploma or license, and have practiced medicine in this State less than ten years, must present themselves in person before the Board. No examination papers can be sent out to individuals; and no examination can be limited to any one or two special topics, or branches of study or practice. The examinations will be conducted by the entire Board, and upon all branches usually taught in medical schools. Questions relating to special methods or forms of practice, or thera- peutics, will be referred for examination to the various individual members of the Board, as may be indicated. A proper and reasonable regard and respect will be paid to the personal and peculiar views of practice, if any such there should happen to be, of the candidates presenting themselves for examina- tion. Candidates for Examination must fill out a blank form, which may be obtained on application. This must be sent to the office of the Board, and, if approved, they will|be notified to appear forexam- ination. The forms pertaining to the State system of registration of births, deaths and marriages, are now prepared, and on and after Decem- ber 1st, registration will be enforced. It is to be hoped that there will be a prompt and cheerful compliance with this, one of the most important sanitary and civil measures ever inaugurated in this State. Much time and correspondence may be saved by applicants stating their cases clearly and succinctly. No Certificate will be issued until the fee of one dollar is paid in advance. It will also be remembered that the finances of the Board are exceedingly limited, and correspondents will please see that the postage is fully prepaid on their communications. It is much better that diplomas sent to the Board for verification be forwarded by Express than by mail. The office of the Board, for the present, is at Chicago. To facilitate the obtaining of the Certificates for Practice issued by this Board, and the registration of births and deaths, required by State law, the following information is furnished: All persons, (whether male or female,) practicing medicine, in any of its departments, in this State, are divided into two classes. First, practitioners who have been practicing medicine ten or more years, within this State. Second, those who have been practicing medicine in this State for a period of time less than ten years, from July 1, 1877. This second class is divisible into two sections: First, those who can furnish satisfactory proof of having received diplomas as gradu- ates in medicine; or licenses, from some legally chartered medical institution in good standing. Second, those who are practicing medicine in any of its depart- ments, who have neither a diploma or license, (and who are required by law to undergo examination by the State Board, for its certificate entitling them to practice medicine and surgery in the State of Illinois.) Section four of the State Board of Health Act, requires that all physicians and midwives, without any exceptions, practicing in this State, shall register their names and post office address with the County Clerk of the county where they reside. This is now being enforced. Physicians are likewise required to have recorded in the office of the County Clerk, the Certificate which may be received from the State Board of Health; and, in case of removal to another county in the State, to have the Certificate recorded in that county also. In case a physician practices in another County, or Counties, in this State, adjoining the one in which he lives-he having recorded his Certificate in the County in which he lives-it will not be required of him to place his Certificate upon record in the other County or Counties; but he must register his name, also, in the County or Counties in which his practice extends, and make his returns of births and deaths occurring in those Counties to the respective Count y OlerKs. No such reglstx.vtioir . eguii'ed in cases of professional consultation with resident physicians. Physicians residents of adjoining States, who practice in: r;s State in Counties adjoining the one in which they reside, are required to take out Certificates of Practice, as required of resi- dents of this State, and record the same in the office of County Clerk of the County or Counties in which their practice extends, and to make returns of births and deaths in those Counties to the County Clerk, and in every respect conform to all the require- ments of the law upon residents of this State. Certificates will, when desired, be issued to non-graduates of ten or more years practice in this State, on their affidavit ot such practice, supported by evidence of good standing in a medical society, or the recommendations of reputable professional or other men, who have known them during their term of practice. These Certificates are different from those granted to graduates, and are issued at the discretion of the Board. Applications for Certificates, or for blank affidavits, or for appointments for examinations, may be made to the President, Dr. J. H. Rauch, 202 State street, Chicago. Diplomas, or licenses, and affidavits properly filled out and acknowledged, together with the fees for certificate, may be sent to the same office. For convenience, diplomas, licenses, affidavits and fees may be sent from their immediate neighborhood to H. Wardner, M. D., Cairo; W. M. Chambers, M. D., Charleston; J. M. Gregory, LL. D., Champaign; N. Bateman, LL. D., Galesburg; and A. L. Clark, M. D., Elgin. A special form of blank affidavit has been prepared for those who have lost their diplomas or licenses -by fire or otherwise, and may be had upon application. It is not that the ten years of practice in this State shall be consecutive years; but the sum total of practice in this State must amount to ten years, from and before July 1,1877. No allowance is made for the time in practice in any other State, or service in the army. Certificates of graduation will be issued to graduates who have practiced medicine ten or more years in this State, upon their making an affidavit to that eftect, at the same time giving name of College, place and date of graduation, without their being required to send diploma to the Board for verification, by paying the usual fee. It is not obligatory upon this class of practitioners to take out a Certificate. ' In view of possible legal questions in practice, it will, no doubt, be better for all who can obtain Certificates to do so. Owing to the fact that many of those who have been in practice over ten years supposed that nothing at all was required of them, the Board addressed a communication to Hon. J. K. Edsall, Attorney Gen- eral of the State, asking what construction the Board should put upon this part of the Act, and their duty. His reply was as follows: "The proviso in question is in these words: * Provided, that the provisions of the Act shall not apply to those who have been prac- ticing medicine ten years within the State.' I have no question that the effect of this proviso is to exempt all persons who fall within its terms, from the penalties imposed by the Act in question. But, con- tidering the entire scope of the Act, I am of the opinion that the duty >.s incumbent upon your Board to ascertain, as far as practicable, the lames of all those who are entitled to the benefits of that proviso; nd that it is the duty of those who have thus practiced medicine ten ears within the State to furnish you, on request, evidence of the JOHN H. RAUCH, NEWTON BATEMAN, R. LUDLAM, ANSON L. CLARK, W. M. CHAMBERS, J. M. GREGORY, HORACE WARDNER, Members of the Board.