The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-08-26
DIR. CURTIS COMPLAINS.
Controversy Over His Authority to
Sign Death Certificates.

Sign Death Certificates.
Thomas Ryan, Acting Secretary of the
Interior, has transmitted to the District
commissioners copies of the correspond
ence which has passed between DR.. Wood
ward, the District health officer. and DR..
A NJ Curtis, the surgeon-in-chief of
Freedman's Hospital, relative to the COM
mission of the latter accompanied by a
request that directions oe given to the
health officer to honor all certificates
signed by DR.. Curtis.
1t appears from the correspondence
that DIR. Curtis exercised what he seemed
to think was his authority in signing the
death certificates of the deceased of
Freedman's Hospital. The first assistant
| surgeon signed them previous TO August
| II. but in his absence DR.. Curtis exercised
| the prerogative.
Mr.. Curtis was recently Informed, ne
states, over the telephone, that any death
| certificates signed by him would not be
honored by the health department.
DR.. Woodward claimed that he took
| this action because he did not think that
DR.. Curtis could practice medicine in the
District until he had passed the regular
medical examination and qualified for
registration.
DR.. Curtis maintains that in accord
ance with the act for the regulation of
the practice of medicine and surgery in
the District of Columbia, approved June
3, 1885, he. as surgeon-in-chief of the hos
pital, has the right to treat all patients
and sign all death certificates of the in
stitution.
He states further that on last Monday
the health officer absolutely refused TO
honor a death certificate, thus delaying
4 funeral and requiring the remains TO
he examined and a certificate issued by
the coroner, telling the people that he,
DR.. Curtis had no right TO sign certifi-
Gates of death. In his letter TO the Sec
rotary of the Interior, DR.. Curtis says:
My position IS very embarrassing. I
cannot dispose Of the dead occurring here
and 81 Is. therefore very urgent that my
position be defined at once
DR.. Curtis inclosed with his letter 10 the
Secretary of The Interior a copy of the
letter received by him from the health
officer, directing him that no bodies be
moved from his institution. except upon
presentation at ilne health office OF such
death certificate as is required by law.
and stating that the authority which
had been heretofore given him of issuing
transfer permits was thereby revoked.
In transmitting to the Commissioners
the letter Of Dir. Curtis, Acting Secreta-
~ RYAN states that "Dr Austin NJ Cur
It's of Illinois, was commissioned as sur
geon-!n-chief of Freedman's Hospital and
asyllfm on the Sth day of March 1895
Upon certifcation by rhe civil service
commission and after an examination I'M
der 1lle supervision Of that body 10 de-
termfne his qualifications as a physician
I have the honor. therefore, TO request
that directions be given the health off,
| Ger Of this District 20 honor all deafh
certificates signed by DR. Curtis as sur
geon-in-chief of Freedman's Hospital ana
| Asylum -
! The matter was REFEREED to the health
! officer of the District, who handed a
! statement 10 the Commissioners, which
I in part read as follows:
Upon summing up t2le entire matter, IL
means TO resolve Itself into the following
THE surgeon-in-chief OF Freedman's
! Hospital is not registered at the health
| department as required by section II of
| the act of June 3, 1896. There is, there
fore, no authority for the recognition OF
death certificates issued by him, but, on
the contrary. under section of the act
of January %, 1898, they cannot be re-
ceived as a basis for the issue of burial
permits.
! ..If the surgeon-in-chief of Freedman 5
Hospital undertakes TO determine the ma
/ ture of the ailments from which those
brought TO that institution are suffering
and to treat such ailments-that is, If he
! is engaged in the practice of medicine
without having been licensed, and having
registered at the health department as re-
/ quired by the act of June 3, 1896, he is do
ii ing so in violation of the provisions of
! that act, and death certificates issued by
him should be very properly vised by the
coroner If, however, the treatment of
patients is intrusted to other physicians,
known as the attending staff, as is the
case in other institutions, the death GER
tifcates cannot in any case be properly
issued by the surgeon-in-chief, but mus
| be issued by the physician having had
| charge of the particular case"
Attorney Thomas will be asked to rem
der an opinion on the matter before fur
Their action is taken.