New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-16
WANT PHYSICIAN IN THE CABINET
REASONS FOR REPRESENTATION OF MEDI-
CAL PROFESSION AMONG PREsI-
DENTS ADVISERS
To the Editor of The Tribune


CAL PROFESSION AMONG PREsI-
DENTS ADVISERS.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Recently there fell into my hands
small periodical entitled THE Journal of Public
HEALTH which announces that II Is devoted.
among other things. to an agitation for the per-
manent appointment Of a medical representa-
tive in the Cabinet of the President of the
United States.
I greatly doubt If many Of your readers have
heard OF this journal" and still more II many
have ever given a thought to the remarkably
anomalous position in which the profession
stands in relation to our Government Among
the official advisers of our Chief Executive
an Attorney-Genera and a Secretary of Agri-
culture. while. the medical profession and the
public health, far more important because
touching the welfare of our citizens more
nearly. both individually and collectively
than either Of these, are ignored. There is in
deed a Surgeon General in Army whose
residence is at the capital and who has the
quasi distinction OF being an appendix had
almost said appendix vermiformis-of the Ad-
jutant- Generals Department Without authori-
ty (for he is subject to the orders OF the Secre-
tary Of War expressed by his chief of staff
yet bearing a great responsibility, in time of
his door all the natural casualties Of camp and
field or the extent of his actual control even
over the medical officers in the Army. when
once they have been assigned on the STATS of
general officers. the unhappy condition of our
troops before Santiago and on our transports
in the war Is sufficient evidence
The present Surgeon General did his duty to
the extent OF his power. and sent drugs and
other equipments enough. as he has testified,
but that was a different thing from getting them
to the front. We must not forget that the Sur
geon- General himself is only a staff officer, and
that generals commanding in camp and field do
not hold themselves bound to carry out his
wishes Wness enforced by direct order from
the Secretary of War; II these do not coin
eide with their own opinions or convenience
Moreover in the selection of sites for camps I
have yet TO hear Of single instance where the
eligibility of any situation left to the final
decision Of the Surgeon General, who Of all
men, by virtue Of his position as chief military
surgeon. should pronounce ultimate judgment
on such subject. In time of peace he is prac-
tcally nonentity, merely doing routine de-
partment work, never heard Of by the general
public except on the few occasions when he
makes reports and offers suggestions in regard
to the general health of the community, which
nobody needs since they are without authority.
When we realize that the food we eat, the
water drink, the air breathe. are not a
daily source of pestilence; that the whole coun-
try is not yearly swept by terrible epidemics;
that so universally incucated the laws of
hygiene that even the poorest uneducated citi-
zen cannot plead ignorance: when realize
that all this is due to the constant vigilance
and devotion of medical science alone is it not
a shameful absurdlty and an anachronism that
the sole recognition by the people of these
United States OF the value Of the medical pro-
fession consists OF one political appointment in
the Adjutant-General's Department? Will the
profession ever wake up to sense of self-re-
spect? viii 1t ever realize that 1t has corporate
needs we'll corporal ones? We believe
firmly that it will do so eventually, else we
would save our words. And here surely Is an
object worthy of our enthusiasm, worthy OF
little unselfsh working for the common good
AS a corporate body of citizens the medical
profession has right to representation in the
highest councils Of the Nation, for to what
other body OF citizens do the individuals, the
cities, the States of this country owe so much?
Upon whom are they so dependent for that
which makes life possible or living endurable?
Are the wheat fields Of the West and Of Texas,
or the Russian thistle. the dredging Of harbors
and widening of channels. or the internal reve-
nue. tax the United States Postal Ser
vice. Of greater value to the community at large
than the absence Of universal epidemics OF
smallpox typhoid and typhus fever. of yellow
fever and Asiatc cholera, Of filth and squalor
and attendant infant mortality? Yet the farm
ers have placed a Secretary OF Agriculture at
the Presidents elbow. and there are Secretary
of the Interior and a Postmaster-General in
the Cabinet.
The medical profession should be represented
by a Surgeon-Genera Of the United States.
member of the Cabinet whose appointment
ought not to depend upon political patronage,
but should be made upon the recommendation
Of the medical profession, either from the State
medical societies separately, or through con-
vention of delegates from each State society,
such convention to be called by the President
Of the United States and each set Of delegates
to be in proportion. numerically, to the popula-
ton of the State represented.
In time of war the Surgeon General should
have absolute authority not only over the medi-
cal department. but in all matters affecting d.
rectly the health and wellbeing of the Army
subject only to the orders Of the COMMANDMENTS
Chief the President In time of peace, with
large and efficient department under him, he
should be empowered by Congress to safeguard
the public health. He and MS assistants should
constitute a National Board Of Health, with
which all State Boards should affiliate. while
preserving their independence of action within
their own territory. Yet. In all cases OF general
menace where two or more States are involved
or the safety OF the country at large is threat
ened the Surgeon General should have the right
TO enforce efficiency and uniformity Of action
by the State Boards.
This is what the country needs and what the
profession needs. But 1t will never come to
pass unless make IL come to pass The sub
ject must be constantly agitated by physicians
individuality and most OF all by the medical
press through whose united efforts, with the
valuable support Of the general press. alone can
VIZ J. D. EMMETT. NJ. D.
No. 91 Madson-ave, New-York City.
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