Chap. 169.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 1750 of the Code of Virginia,
regulating the practice of medicine and surgery in Virginia, as amended and
re-enacted by an act approved March 7, 1900.

Approved April 24, 1903.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That section sev-
enteen hundred and fifty of the Code of Virginia, as amended and re-
enacted by an act approved March seventh, nineteen hundred, ‘be
amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

§ 1750. Who prohibited from practicing medicine or surgery without
certificate; penalty for practicing illegally; what courts have jurisdiction
to inflict—No person who shall have commenced the practice of medi-
cine or surgery in this State since the first day of January, eighteen hun-
dred and eighty-five, or who shall hereafter commence the practice of the
same, shall practice as a physician or surgeon for compensation without
having first obtained a certificate from the State board of medical ex-
aminers and caused the same to be recorded as aforesaid, or a special
permit from the president of said board. To open an office for such pur-
pose or to announce to the public in any way a readiness to practice medi-
cine in any county or city of the State, or prescribe for, or to give surgi-
cal assistance to, or to heal,-cure or relieve, or to attempt to heal, cure
or relieve those suffering from injury or deformity, or disease of mind
or body, or to advertise, or to announce to the public in any manner a
readiness or ability to heal, cure or relieve those who may be suffering
from injury or deformity, or disease of mind or body, shall be to en-
gage in the practice of medicine within the meaning of this section:
provided, that nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to or
to limit in any manner the manufacture or sale of proprietary medi-
cines, or apply to, affect or interfere in any way with the operation of
any hospital now established in this State, or any person while engaged
in conducting such hospital, if there be a licensed physician resident
and practicing therein, or to any person who commenced the practice of
osteopathy in this State prior to January first, nineteen hundred and
three. It shall also be regarded as practicing medicine within the meaning
of this section if any one shall use in connection with his or her name the
words or letters “Dr.,” “Doctor,” “Professor,” “M. D.,” or “Healer,” or
any other title, word, letter, or designation intending to imply or desig-
nate him or her as a practitioner of medicine or surgery in any of its
branches; but this section sha]] not be construed to apply to non-itin-
erant opticians who are at this time engaged in the practice of optometry
in this State nor to professional or other nurses. Any person who shall
practice medicine or surgery in this State in violation of the provisions
of this section shall be fined not less than fifty nor more than five hundred
dollars for cach offense; and it shall not be lawful for him to recover
by action, suit. motion or warrant in any of the courts of the State, any
compensation for serviecs which may be claimed to have been rendered
by him as such physician or surgeon, ‘The county and corporation courts
shall have exclusive original jurisdiction to try offenses for violations of
the provisions of this section committed within their respective coun-
ties and corporations.
2. This act shall take effect from its passage.