Editorial


Such a comprehensive questionnaire bears an eloquent testimony to the whole-hearted earnestness of the Punjab Government in dealing with public demand for a State Medical Faculty of Homoeopathy, and it would not be otherwise than pertinent for the homoeopathic Medical practitioners in Bengal to ask if the Advisory committee her touched all the points envisaged in the Punjab questionnaire.


The Punjab Government and Homoeopathy. The Punjab Government have appointed a Committee on Homoeopathic System of Medicine, with Col. P.B. Bharucha, I.M.S., as chairman, and with the following Terms of Reference:.

A. What steps, if any, should be taken to set up a Register of practitioners of Homoeopathic Medicine?.

B. What steps should be taken to improve the medical education of practitioners of Homoeopathic Medicine?.

C. Whether any legislation is necessary for either (A) or (B), and if so, what?.

The Committee has drawn up a questionnaire containing 41 queries and circulated same to solicit public opinion.

As it is of vital importance to practitioners of Homoeopathic Medicine, we reproduce the questionnaire here:.

QUESTIONS RELATING TO PART A

1. Do you consider that practitioners of Homoeopathic Medicine should be controlled?

2. If so, with what objects?

3. What measures of control do you suggest?

4. Would registration of practitioners of Homoeopathic Medicine effect the control you have in mind?

5. If so, how?

6. If you are in favour of Registration:.

What responsibilities would you attach to Registration, such as adherence to a high code of Ethics, as between (a) Practitioner and State, (b) Practitioner and Public, (c) Practitioner and Practitioner, (d) Any other?

7. What privileges, if any, do you consider a Registered practitioner should enjoy such as,.

(a) Facilities for professional practice? (b) Entry into Government or Local Body service? (c) Appearance as expert witness in courts of law? (d) Issuing of certificates of fitness or unfitness? (e) Realisation of fees through court of law? (f) Issuing of certificates for life insurance? (g) Signing of death reports? (h) use of poisonous drugs? (i) Any other?

8. What restrictions, if any, would you impose on Registered practitioner, such as, (a) Advertisement, whether-.

Personal, or.

Of remedies and cures, or.

Of Publications?

(b) The use and prescription of poisonous drugs?

(c) Association of Registered practitioners with Organizations and Businesses for the manufacture and sale of drugs?

(d) The use of secret remedies or the concealment of their formulae?

(e) Any other?

9. What penalties, if any, would you render Registered practitioners of Homoeopathic System of Medicine liable to, such as, – (a) Removal from Register? (b) Restriction on practice? (c) Any other?

10. Do you consider that there should be a Provincial Body constituted to control the Registration of practitioners of the Homoeopathic System of Medicine?

11. If so, what should be its constitution and powers, if any?

12. Should such practitioners of Homoeopathic Medicine, if Registered, be allowed to practise any other system than that for which they have qualified?

13. Do you suggest prohibition or restriction of practice by non- registered practitioners?

14. If so, to what extent?

15. Do you consider that if Registration is adopted those practitioners of Homoeopathic Medicine who have been in practice for a certain period of years should be admitted to the Register or to a separate section of it, upto a certain date, without fulfiling the full conditions which would be imposed on a new entrant?

16. If so, should their admission to the Register be subject to any examination test?

17. If you are in favour of two classes of Registration, as suggested in the preceding question, do you consider that any difference in privileges is necessary between the classes?

18, If so, what?

19. For the purpose of Registration, what do you consider should be the minimum acceptable qualifications in (a) Preliminary education? (b) Training in Basic Science? (c) Training in clinical subjects?.

QUESTIONS RELATING TO PART B.

20. Do you consider that any improvement is required in the medical education of practitioners of Homoeopathic Medicine?

21. If so, what minimum standard of general education do you suggest for admission of students to a training institution in the Homoeopathic System of Medicine?

22. Do you consider the basic science subjects of chemistry, physics, botany and zoology should be taught to all students?

23. If so, (a) What standards do you suggest? (b) Do you consider these subjects should be taught to the students before or after admission to the training schools of Homoeopathic Medicine?

24. Do you consider that the subject of Anatomy and Physiology should be taught in the training schools of Homoeopathic Medicine?

25. If so, what standards do you suggest?

26. What other subjects do you consider it essential to include in the curriculum?

27. In the teaching of medical subjects, both clinical and non- clinical, do you consider that students should be given facilities to have a comparative knowledge of the Homoeopathic systems of Medicine?

28. If so, to what extent?

29. In the teaching of medical subjects do you consider that a minimum standard of instruction should be prescribed?

29. In the teaching of medical subjects do you consider that a minimum standard of instruction should be prescribed?

30. Do you consider that minimum standards of qualifications should be laid down for teachers in each subject taught?

31. Do you consider that the existing institutions training students in the Homoeopathic System of Medicine are imparting efficient and sufficient instruction at present?

32. If not, what improvement do you suggest?

33. Do you consider that necessary improvements in the medical education of practitioners of Homoeopathic Medicine can or should be financed by private agencies or that some form of Government aid is necessary?

34. Is it desirable in your opinion (a) To have model Government institutions for the training of practitioners of the Homoeopathic System of Medicine? (b) That Government should air existing institutions and regulate their control? or (c) To institute chair of Homoeopathic System of Medicine in Government Medical Institutions?

35. Do you consider that a uniform standard of medical education for all students in training institutions of Homoeopathic System of Medicine in the Punjab is desirable?

36. If so, do you consider that a Provincial Faculty should be established to draw up and enforce such uniform standard?

37. If so, do you consider that this Faculty should be the same as the “Body” suggested in question 10 or should it be a separate one?

38. Do you consider that the Provincial Faculty envisaged in question 36 should also be an examining body?

39. What other functions, if any, would you assign to this body?.

QUESTIONS RELATING TO PART C.

40. Do you consider that any legislation is necessary to bring into effect the suggestions you have made in your answers to this questionnaire under Parts A and B?

41. If so, what do you suggest?.

It is interesting to know that the Homoeopathic Post-Graduate Association of Bombay have forwarded their answers to the above questionnaire to the chairman of the Enquiry Committee. The answers are given below in serial order corresponding to the questions:-.

(1) Yes. (2) To prevent quackery and promote Homoeopathy. (3) Government legislation (4) Yes; in course of time (5) By penalising homoeopathic practice for gain by persons holding unregistrable qualifications (6, a,b,c,d.) The same as applicable to allopathic practitioners. (7.a) They should be allowed to hold appointments in Government institutions (7, b.) Yes. (7, c,d,e,f,g,h,i.) Practitioners should be divided into two classes, viz. (i) Registered and (ii) Listed, as is done by the L.A. Bill X of 1938 of the Bombay Government (clauses 16 and 18). Out of these only registered practitioners should have the facilities from (a) to (i). (8, a and b.) Same as with the allopathic practitioners. (8.c and d). Same as with the allopathic practitioners (8,e).

A person can have a share in a firm so long as he does not make use of his degree for the advertisement of the firm. (9, a). Yes. (9,b) Should not be allowed to hold a responsible position in Government aided institution. (10) Yes. (11) Same as constituted by the L.A. Bill X of 1938 of the Bombay Government excepting that the word homoeopathic should be substituted for Ayurvedic and Unani (12) Yes. (13, 14). Persons holding registrable qualifications though not on Register should be allowed and secondly persons not holding registrable qualifications should be allowed if it is not for personal gain. (15) They should be listed as is done by the L.A. Bill X of 1938 of the Bombay Government. (16) Yes. (17) Yes. (18) The same as given in reply to question 7. (19, a) Matriculation. (19, b.c.) Same as for the Bombay L.C.P.S. course (20) Yes.

(21) The same as for the present L.C.P.S. standard. (22) Not necessary if the above condition (21) is fulfiled. (23, a) Does not arise. (23,b) Does not arise. (24) Certainly (25) Same as L.C.P.S. standard. (26) Full course of L.C.P.S. except Therapeutics. 27. Yes, but it should be optional (28) Does not arise. (29) Yes. (30) Yes. (31) Not to our knowledge. (32, 33) There should be Govt. institutions. (34, a) Yes (34, b)No. (34, c) As a beginning, yes. This is the least that Govt. should do. (35) Yes; it is desirable. (36) Yes. (37) Yes, the same. (38) For the beginning, yes. (39) The same as assigned in L.A. Bill x of 1938 of the Bombay Government. (40, 41) On the same lines as L.A. Bill X of 1938 of the Bombay Government.

N C Bose
DR. N. C. Bose, M.D.C.H
Calcutta
Chief Editor, Homeopathic Herald