Chap. 65.—An ACT to regulate the practice of Medicine and Surgery.
Approved January 31, 1884.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
there shall be for this state a board of medical examiners,
consisting of three members from each congressional district
in the state, and two from the state at large, whose term of
office shall be four years, or until their successors are ap-
pointed and qualified. The term of office of the board first
appointed, shall commence on the first day of January, eigh-
teen hundred and eighty-five.

2. The said board shall consist of men learned in medicine
and surgery, and shall be appointed by the governor on the
first day of November, eighteen hundred and eighty -four, and
every fourth year thereafter, from a list of names to be re-
commended by the medical society of Virginia. Vacancies
occurring in such board for unexpired terms, shall be filled in
the sume manner. Such recommendations shall be by the
votes of a majority present at some meeting of the said society,
and the same shall be certified to the governor by the prosi-
dent and secretary of such meeting: provided however, that
in case the governor shall consider any of the persons so re-
commended unsuitable, he may decline to appoint such per-
son or persons, and communicate the fact to the presiding
officers of said society, and such society shall within ninety
days thereatter, make other recommendations in the manner
hereinbefore prescribed, which shall stand on the same foot-
ing in all respects as those first made: and provided further
that if such society tail to make such recommendations prior
to the time of appointment, or within ninety days aforesaid,
then the governor shall appoint such board, either in whole
or in part, without regard to such recommendations. If any
of said examiners shall cease to reside in the district for
which he was appointed, it shall vacate his office.

3. The members of said board of medical examiners, shall
qualify and take the usual oath of office betore the county
or corporation court of the county or corporation in which
they shall respectively reside. The officers of said board
shall be a president, vice-president, and secretary (who shall
also act as treasurer); such officers to be members of and
elected by said board. The first meeting of the same shall
be at Richmond, at such time as the governor shall notify the
members by mail to assemble. Subsequent regular mectings
shall be at such times and places as the board may prescribe,
and special meetings may be held upon the call of the presi-
dent and two members, butt there shall not be less than one
regular mecting per annum. Five members of said board
shall be a quorum; said board may organize at its first meet-
ing, and may, at its first or any subsequent meeting, prescribe
rules, regulations, and by-laws for its own proceedings and
government, and for the examination of candidates for the
practice of medicine and surgery by its individual members.

4. It shall be the duty of said board, at any of its mect-
ings, and of the individual members of said board, at any
time, to examine all persons making applications to them,
who shall desire to commence the practice of medicine or
surgery in this state. When the examination is by an indi-
vidual member of the board, he shall report the result of the
same to the president thereof; and when an applicant shall
have passed an examination satisfactory as to proficiency,
before three individual members of said board, or before the
board in session, the president thereof, shall grant to such
applicant certificate to that effect. A fee of five dollars shall
be paid to said board, through such officers or members as it
may designate, by each applicant before such examination
is had. In case any applicant shall fail to pass a satisfactory
examination before the board or before the three individual
members to whom he shall first apply, he shall not be per-
mitted to stand any further examination within the next
three months thereafter, nor shall he have again to pay the fee
prescribed as atoresaid: provided however, no applicant shall
be rejected upon his examination on account of bis adherence
to any particular school of medicine or system of practice, nor
on account of his views as to the method of treatment and
cure of discases.
5. The fund realized from the fees aforesaid shall be ap-
plied by the board toward its expenses, including a reasona-
ble compensation to the president and secretary.

6. Any person who shall obtain a certificate as atoresaid
from the president of said board shall cause his name to be
revistered in the clerk’s office of the county or corporation
court for the county or corporation in which he shall reside ;
and it shall be the duty of said clerk to register the name of
every such person, describing such certificate, together with
the date thereof, and the name of the president of the board,
sieening the same in a book kept for the purpose, as a part of
the records of his court, which shall also give the date of
each registration, and his fee for each registration shall be one
dullar, to be paid by the person whose name is registered.

7. No person who shall commence the practice of medicine
or surgery after the first day of January, eighteen hundred
and eighty-three, shall practice as a physician or surgeon for
compensation without having first obtained a certificate and
caused his name to be registered as aforesaid. Any person
violating the provisions of this section, shall pay a fine,of not
less than fifty nor more than five bundred dollars for each
ottence, and shall be debarred from receiving any compensa-
tion for service rendered as such physician or surgeon.

8. Any person wko shall have been assessed with a license
tax asa physician or surgeon by any commissioner of the
revenue in this state at any time prior to the first day of
January, cighteen hundred and eighty-five, shall be taken as
having commenced the practice of medivine or surgery prior
to that date; but any person who shall not have been so
assessed, shall be taken as not having commenced such prac-
tice prior to that date.

9. Any physician or surgeon who shall commence to prac-
tice after the first day of January, eighteen hundred and
cishty-five, and who shall reside in an adjoining state within
ten miles of the boundary line of this state, shall be entitled
to stand the examinations and receive the certificate herein-
before provided for, and such certificate shall be registered as
hereinbetore provided, in that county in this state, which is
nearest his place of residence, and such certificate and regis-
tration shall make it lawful for him to practice medicine and
surgery.

10. Nothing in this ‘act shall be taken as including or
affecting in any way the practice of dentistry, nor shall it in-
clude physicians or surgeons residing in other states and
called in consultation in a special case with a physician or
suryreon residing in this state. Nor shall it be construed as
affecting or changing in any way the laws in reference to the
license tax to be paid by physicians, surgeons and dentists.

11. Provided, the provisions of this act shall not apply to
any midwife.