PREFATORY NOTES CONCERNING THE OFFICIAL REGISTER OF 1886. There are embraced in this-the fourth edition of the Official Register of Physicians and Midwives in Illinois, revised up to February 10, 1886-the names, postoffice addresses, and other data necessary for the purposes of identification of 5,915 physicians to whom certificates have been issued by the STATE BOARD OF HEALTH under the act to regulate the practice of medicine. To this number are to be added some 150 practitioners, who are exempt from the provisions of the law by reason of having practiced ten years in the State prior to July 1, 1877. So that the total number engaged in the practice of medicine in Illinois at this time, is 6,065 of all classes.* Of the 5,915 certificated practitioners there are 5,107 who hold certificates from the STATE BOARD OF HEALTH, based upon satisfactory proof of having received diplomas or licenses from legally chartered medical institutions and licensing bodies in good standing; 145 others are practicing under the certificates of the BOARD issued after satisfactory examination; and 663 are non-graduates who have taken out certificates based on years of practice, although not required so to do by the law. A number of the 5,107 certificated graduates and licentiates are also exempt by reason of length of practice before the passage of the act, but have obtained certificates from the BOARD for the purpose of establishing their professional status. In the first Register published by the BOARD, June 14, 1880, there were the names of 5,979 physicians; in the second, published December 20, 1881, there were 5,987; in the third, published December 1, 1881, there were 6,098,the number of those engaged in medical practice during the last six years being nearly the same, notwithstanding a marked increase of population. For purposes of comparison the following totals, from each of the four Registers, are here presented: *The 150 practitioners who are exempt from the provisions of the law are composed of both graduates and non-graduates who have no certifleates. From the above tabular statement it will be seen that, while the aggregate number of practitioners has not materially varied, there are some notable changes in the numbers of the different classes. Thus, there has been a gain of 779 graduates and licentiates— these now forming over 87 per cent. of the total number, as against about 77 per cent. in 1880; the number of licentiates upon examination of the STATE BOARD has been largely diminished-mainly by their transfer to the number of graduates, very many of them having, subsequent to their examination, attended lectures and obtained diplomas. Both classes of exempts show heavy losses, due to death, graduation, abandonment of practice and removal from the State. Of the graduates 421 were registered as pharmacists on December 1, 1884, at this time there are 529. The following summary, from the first REGISTER, and corresponding figures from the present volume, exhibit these changes for the whole period since the Medical-Practice Act went into operation: 13. Percentage of graduates and licentiates in 1877.. Percentage of graduates and licentiates in 1886.. Percentage of non-graduates in 1877. Percentage of non-graduates in 1886.. During the period of its existence or up to February 9, 1886, the BOARD has issued 8588 certificates to physicians To graduates and licentiates of medical institutions. 7223 To exempts, on years of practice... 1141 To licentiates upon examination, STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.. 224 * Of this number 36 have graduated since their examination, but have not taken out certificates to that effect. Diplomas or licenses have been presented by those now in practice in the State from 145 medical colleges and licensing bodies in the United States; from 19 in Great Britain; 16 in Germany; 11 in Canada; 6 in Switzerland; 4 in Russia; 3 in Austria; 2 in Sweden; 1 in Denmark; 1 in Norway; 1 in France; 1 in Italy; 1 in Africa; 1 in Spain; and 1 in South America-making a total of 213 different graduating or licensing bodies represented. The subjoined list shows the number of representatives of these various bodies in Third and Fourth Official Registers: MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS REPRESENTED IN THE OFFICIAL REGISTER OF PHYSICIANS. Medical College of Ohio LOCATION. Certificates of Examination, Illinois State Board of Health Illinois. ISTER, 1884..... OFFICIAL REG-| No. OF GRAD 852 298 320 Chicago 270 276 Keokuk 233 236 217 201 180 Chicago 166 180 Cincinnati. |