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To the Editor.
—The editorial in the March issue of the Archives (87:243, 1972) entitled "Education, Not Legislation" makes the Rhode Island legislative act a precedent-setting bill. Fortunately, it is nothing of the sort and will, I am sure, be followed by all 50 states in due course.If Dr. Worthen will spend only a few minutes to study optometry statutes in a few states, such as New Jersey, Oregon, and even his own state of Florida, he will note that optometry already takes advantage of the available pharmacology to aid diagnosis.Why is it that ophthalmology always takes the paranoid position in public? Could you imagine this same uproar when the dentist administers a local anesthetic? Do the orthopedic surgeons publicly decry the podiatrist's use of an anesthetic to remove a bunion? Do all medical doctors have a seizure when an osteopathic physician performs surgery? (even eye surgery?)I