74 An Ottoman Jew, who qualified in medicine at the Constantinople Medical School during the war, was pressed by the Turkish authorities to enter the Turkish army. He demurred, whereupon his diploma was made out bearing an Osmanli name instead of his real name, and he was mobilised. In due course he arrived in Egypt and applied for permission to practise his profession; on examining his documents, it was found that the name on his identification papers dillered from that on the diploma. After long inquiries the above facts were elicited.

A Persian diploma, stated in the first instance by the consular authority concerned to be valid, was subsequently stated by the same authority to be not valid.

A diploma issued by the “Anthropological University of St. Louis,” Missouri, U.S.A., dated 1896, was submitted to the consular authority concerned for opinion as to its value. In 1898 it was declared invalid, but on being submitted again in 1903 was stated to he good and to confer on the holder the right to practise medicine in the United States. Finally, in 1916 the same consular authority stated that the institution in question was fraudulent, and had been closed since 1885. The diploma about which all the discussion had taken place had therefore been issued eleven years after the closure of the institution referred to. The person presenting the diploma, a European, was prosecuted for fraud, but his consular authority dismissed the case on the ground of insufficient proof!

Other cases have occurred in which the original name on a diploma has been changed after the death of its owner by the person into whose possession it has come, with tlie object of converting the diploma to his own use and obtaining permission to practise as a doctor on the strength of it.

Again, as a result of the peculiar conditions arising from the state of war, members of the various professions under notice, refugees from their own countries, have been unable to produce their original diplomas or other necessary documents, but have been able to prove that they are fully and properly qualified. In these cases the Administration has granted temporary permits to practise, with the proviso that the original documents must be produced as soon as the state of affairs allows, otherwise the permit to practise will be withdrawn.

The new law on the practice of dentistry, which is on the point of being promulgated, gives power to the Administration to insist that the holders of doubtful diplomas who apply for permits to practise should submit to an examination by a board of examiners appointed by the State. It is intended to insert the same powers in the projected new laws on the practice of medicine, midwifery, chemistry and pharmacy.

(15.) Sanitary Laws and Enactments.

The following is a record of the action taken under the various legal enactments administered by Sie Department:— Total prosecutions ... ... ... ... 14,181 Convictions ... ... ... ... ... 12,248 Acquittals ... ... ... ... ... 213 Filed 626 Under consideration ... ... ... ... 1,094 A law for the regularisation and better control of the practice of dentistry has been prepared and will be promulgated early in 1920. Similar laws for controlling the practice of medicine, midwifery, pharmacy and chemistry are under study and discussion.

45. Quarantine.

The diminution during the war of passenger, animal, and cargo traffic resulted for the International Quarantine Board in a heavy loss of dues, and in 1917 the Egyptian Government was obliged to furnish financial assistance to the Board. A new lazaret suitable for the accommodation of first-class passengers is to be built at Port Said, and extensive repairs to lazarets and quarantine stations are now in progress, notably at the Gabbari lazaret in Alexandria.

The pilgrimage has been greatly interfered with in recent years. In 1914 a fatwa ” of the G'rand Mufti of Egypt advised intending pilgrims to postpone their journey, and in 1915 there was no pilgrime. In the following year 1,700 Egyptian pilgrims journeyed to the'Hedjaz, but visited Mecca only. The pilgrimages of 1917 and 1918 were very small, and though there was a revival in 1919 the high cost of House of Commons Parliamentary Papers Online. Copyright (c) 2006 ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.