Excelsior Medical College (Boston, Massachusetts)
From Kook Science
| Excelsior Medical College | |
|---|---|
| Dissolution | c. 1883 |
| Purpose/focus | Mail-order medical degrees |
| Headquarters | Lowell, Massachusetts |
| Key people | Alfred Booth |
Excelsior Medical College was a Massachusetts-based scholastic enterprise (diploma mill), incorporated by Alfred Booth, who was earlier involved with the Bellevue Medical College of Massachusetts. The college was in operations, legally, until 30 June 1883 when the Massachusetts legislature passed laws forbidding the conferring of medical degrees by corporations unless authorised by the state. Despite this, diplomas continued to circulate, even a decade later, as Booth was convicted in 1893 by the state of New York for illegally peddling the Excelsior diplomas from his small New York City apartment.
Press Coverage
Foundation (1882)
- "EXCELSIOR MEDICAL COLLEGE, Lowell — Charted as a school of advanced ideas. Further information of Dr. BOOTH, President. 45* d16", Boston Globe (Boston, MA): 4, 20 Dec. 1882
Booth in Lowell, Mass. (1885)
- "EXCELSIOR MEDICAL COLLEGE teaches all essentials in short time; allopathic or homœopathic; 40 years' observation in both modes condensed. Dr. BOOTH, Lowell. eod4t* n11", Boston Globe (Boston, MA): 6, 17 Nov. 1885
Booth in Springfield, Mass. (1890)
- "EXCELSIOR MEDICAL COLLEGE — Highers grade instruction. Address Dr. BOOTH, Springfield, Mass.", The Sun (New York City, NY): 10, 15 Dec. 1890
Booth in New York City, N.Y. (1892-1893)
- "EXCELSIOR MEDICAL COLLEGE — Highers grade instruction. Address DR. BOOTH, 236 East 24th st.", The World (New York City, NY): 2, 29 Apr. 1892
- "DR. BOOTH. Run Out of Bay State Ten Years Ago. Turns Up Again in New York. Bogus Diploma Mill the Charge. Reporter Tried to Get Degree, M.D. Declares He Bought One for Fifty Dollars. Warrant Sworn Out and an Arrest is Made. Excelsior Medical College in a Cheap Hotel Room.", Boston Globe (Boston, MA): 4, 16 Feb. 1893, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/428536140/
- "'Doctor' Booth Gets Six Months.", Times Union (Brooklyn, NY): 1, 7 Apr. 1893, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/555777556/, "Dr. Alfred Booth, nearly 70 years old, proprietor of the alleged 'Excelsior Medical College' in New York, was sent to the penitentiary for six months by Judge Fitzgerald in the Court of General Sessions today. Booth was charged with selling for $50 each bogus medical diplomas which made the purchaser a full fledged physician."