Mr. Straus to Mr.
Hay.
Legation of the United States,
Constantinople, November 7,
1898.
No. 17.]Sir: As frequently young men who have graduated
at some medical college in America come to Turkey to practice medicine,
I have the honor to report:
Shortly after my arrival here last month Dr. Jesse K. Marden, a young man
who had recently graduated at the medical department of the University
of Michigan, and who is in the employ of the American Board of
Commissioners for Foreign Missions, reported that the authorities had
declined to admit him to the colloquium, which the regulations provide
one must pass before being admitted to practice medicine in this Empire.
I learned the reason for the refusal was because Dr. Marden could not
produce a certificate showing he had a right to practice in his country.
He only had a diploma of his graduation from the medical department of
the university and a certificate from the dean of the studies he
pursued.
In order to facilitate Dr. Marden and to prevent delay, as he was waiting
to go to the interior, I gave him a certificate that the University of
Michigan is a State university and that its diploma admitted the bearer
to practice medicine, as these facts were in my personal knowledge. The
authorities accepted this certificate in this special case out of
respect for me, but make the very reasonable and proper request that
applicants should produce a certificate from competent authorities, as
from the board of regents of the State, that they are entitled to
practice their profession.
I inclose herein a translation of regulations governing the practice of
medicine in Turkey. These regulations were adopted in 1863, and have
been supplemented by a practice which requires in addition such a
certificate as above stated, in order to protect the authorities, who in
the past have been imposed upon by fraudulent diplomas and by diplomas
issued by alleged medical schools whose curriculum was a myth and
consisted in the purchase and sale of elegantly engraved diplomas.
I have the honor to be, etc.,
[Page 1102]
[Translation.]
Regulations Governing the Practice of Medicine
in Turkey, Sanctioned by Imperial Decree.
section i.
- Art. 1. No one can practice medicine
or one of the branches of medicine in the Ottoman Empire unless
he is provided with a diploma delivered by the imperial faculty
of medicine of Constantinople or by one of the foreign
faculties.
- Art. 2. No one can take the title of
doctor of medicine or of surgery unless he is provided with a
diploma, as stated in the preceding article.
- Art. 3. Doctors of medicine or of
surgery from foreign faculties who arrive in the country after
the publication of the present regulation are required: First,
to register their diploma at the Imperial School of Medicine.
This registration will be made only upon the production of a
passport duly viséed by the Constantinople authorities of the
country of which they are citizens; second, to undergo a
colloquium.
- These formalities having been complied with, a permit to
practice will be delivered to them at a charge of 500 piasters,
which should be paid on its delivery.
- Art. 4. All doctors of medicine or
of surgery practicing in Constantinople before the publication
of the present regulation should present themselves at the
Imperial School of Medicine for the registration of their
diplomas.
- Art. 5. Every doctor of medicine or
of surgery practicing in the provinces should send to the
Imperial School of Medicine, through the agency of the
governor-general of the province, a legalized copy of his
diploma. This legalization will be made, for Ottoman subjects,
by the great council of the province, and for foreign subjects
by their consulates.
- Art. 6. No doctor of medicine or
surgery can furnish medicines, except in those places where
there is no pharmacy legally established.
- Art. 7. Midwives from foreign
faculties, in order to practice the art of midwifery in the
Ottoman Empire, should conform to article 3 and pay a fee of 100
piasters. Midwives practicing in the provinces should conform to
article 5.
- Art. 8. Midwives can not, in any
case, use forceps or any other obstetrical instrument, or
perform the operation of version (pratiquer la version). The
administration of ergot (seigle ergoté)
and of all other active drugs is absolutely prohibited.
section ii.
Provisional disposition.
- Art. 9. Are allowed to practice:
- First. Health officers received at the imperial
faculty of medicine at Constantinople.
- Second. Persons who practice by virtue of a permit
delivered by one of the former chief physicians or by a
director of the Imperial School of Medicine.
- Art. 10. Physicians and surgeons of
these three categories can not perform important operations (ne
pourront pas pratiquer des grandes opérations).
- Art. 11. Every person practicing one
of the minor branches of surgery by virtue of a permit delivered
by the competent authority, or who has been employed as a
surgeon in the Ottoman army, will be authorized to practice the
minor branches of surgery. He should present himself at the
Imperial School of Medicine to be registered anew.
section iii.
Penal disposition.
- Art. 12. Every person disobeying the
provisions of articles 1 and 2, whether a foreign or an Ottoman
subject, will be punished by a fine of from 2 to 7 medjidiehs in
gold. In case of a second offense the fine will be doubled and
the guilty parties will, in addition, be subject to imprisonment
for a period of from two to six months.
- Art. 13. All persons guilty of
disobeying any of the provisions of articles 4, 5, 6, will be
subject to a fine of from 1 to 5 medjidiehs in gold.
- Art. 14. Persons disobeying the
provisions of articles 8, 10, 11, will be subject to a fine of
from 3 to 7 medjidiehs in gold.
section iv.
Supplementary dispositions.
- Art. 15. The present regulation goes
into force three months after publication in Constantinople, and
one year after publication in those places where there are
authorized physicians.
- Art. 16. A list of all physicians
registered at the Imperial School of Medicine will be prepared
by the school, published in all the newspapers of the capital,
and sent to all pharmacies.
- Art. 17. The Imperial School of
Medicine will add, at the end of each year, the names of those
doctors of medicine or of surgery registered daring the year. As
soon as a new doctor is enrolled the Imperial School of Medicine
will make it known to all pharmacies.
The direction of the Imperial School of Medicine is charged with the
duty of furnishing physicians to those provinces which have none, in
order that the present regulation may receive, as soon as possible,
general application.
Constantinople, 7 Rebi-ul-Ewel 1278
(1863).
