Evening star., 1898-11-02
THE MEDICAL SUPERVISORS
u
Formal Report Of Years Work Submitted to
the Commissioners.
Number of Licenses Issued In Several
series-Comment of Board on
Existing Laws.

District. thrt ugh IT'S president, DR.. J. B.
Gregg Eustis. today submitted to the Gem
missioners. through Health Officer Wood
ward. it's first formal report, with several
Tecommendatie rs, for which it asks the
cal eful consideration IF the Commissioners
The board vas organized in accordance
with the act of Congress approved June 3,
1896, entitled IAN act to regulate the prac-
tice of medicine and surgery, to license
physicians and surgeons and to punish per-
sons violating the provisions thereof, in
the District of Columbia" 1t held its first
meeting on July 2 of the same year. and
submitted rules for the approval of the
Commissioners, which rules, having receiv-
ed their Endorsement, have since governed
it's action.
Licenses to physicians have been issued
In three series. in order to comply with the
provisions of the act Licenses Of series A
have been granted to those physicians who
were registered in the health office prior to
the passage of the law. to the number of
1.074. Thirty-foGr applications were de-
cllned and two are awaiting action. The
board has received seven applications for
licenses under series B, which licenses are
granted only to physicians who change
their residences to the District of Column
ha from states and territories where med
ical laws and examining boards exist. pro-
vided that such medical laws and eXamin-
irs boards grant equal rights and recogni-
ton to the liCentiates of the board of med
ical supervisors of this District. So far as
1t has been possible to ascertain nc state
or territory has, to the present time com
piled with this requirement though this
board. in its correspondence with the Off
GERS of other examining boards has gen.
orally announced its willingness to recipra-
cate with any boards requiring an equal
standard; and 1t has also expressed its re-
gret that the laws under which majority
OF the board throughout the states are or
ganized have no provision for the exchange
OF certificates. The board believes the free
exchange Of certificates between the differ
ent boards would remove the only objec-
ton to the existence of local examining
boards. AMI would also elevate the stan
dard Of medical education.
Eighty-six applications for licenses of
series c, granted only after examination of
the applicant were received. OF this series
AZ licenses have been issued u failed to
meet the requirements, and 26 were certified
to the examining boards for examination in
July.
Practice of Midwifery,
Under the authority to grant licenses for
the practice of midwifery the board. in
order to meet the requirements of the law
has issued the licenses in two series, the
hrst to those who were registered at the
health office prior to the passage of the act.
| and the second to those who were examined
by the board. OF the first series 95 licenses
| We're issued, most Of them under protest
because Of the acknowledged ignorance of
Ictly VI luc dppllcillS, VINO could neither
read nor write, and, consequently, could
not comply with the rules found necessary
| in the registration of, vital statistics and Of
| the report Of contagious diseases. The
| for midwives, and the report from this has
| not been received at the close of the year
1t is the pleasure Of The board of super
visors, they state, toTcall the attention OF
the Commissioners to the perfect harmony
which has existed between the members of
| the examining boards appointed by the var-
| Gus schools represented. The board con-
graduates the citizens of the District in
| that they have secured the services of the
representative men of the profession to con-
| duct the examinations. They have faithful
| ly performed the work, often laborious, and
always at great sacrifice of time, without
| compensation. The value of their services
| in protecting the citizens from imperfectly
EDUCATED physicians and charlatans cannot
| be ho"er-estimated ana 1t is not in accerl-
anee with the dignity of the community to
receye such services without compensation.
The board therefore recommends that pro-
vision be made out of the appropriation for
the District for their payment at fixed
rate for attendance upon authorized meet
ings and for the conduct of examinations,
Provision for Meeting Place.
Further than this. the board is with
out a fixed place of meeting, or proper pro-
visions for holding its examinations it
would ask that room be assigned for its
official meetings, with facilities for the
preservation of it's records; and that the
Commissioners, in their official capacity
| make recognition of thu courtesy granted
by Georgetown University, which has gen
crously given the of a room for the
conduct of examinations. In this connec-
ton it is requested that provision be made
for apartments in which examinations can
be held.
1t is further recommended by the board
that provision be made in or more of
the hospitals supported in part by the
District of Columbia for the education of
| midwives. 1t is recognized that in the
present stage of social development their
services are necessary; but the fact that
an unskilful midwife is a danger to the
case which she is called upon to attend.
and her ignorance menace to the public
health, cannot be ignored, the more espe-
clally as II increases the dangers arising
from the spread of contagious diseases
among women and their offspring. If
means for their education were furnished
the board would be justified in forming
more axacting regulations governing their
practice.
Special officer Needed.