Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-13
THE PRACTICE, OF MEDICINE
Suggestions In the Annual Report Of Board
ofSupervisors
President Custfs Calls Attention to
Urgent Need fos Faxid En-
fOrcements II kaw.

In submitting the aHnuaa- report OF the
board Of medical supervisors. DR.. ]. B.
| Gregg Custis. president of the board. in
vited the attention of the District Com
| missioners to the advisability and need for
making special provision for the rigid en-
forcement Of the laws regulating the prac-
tice Of medicine, dentistry and pharmacy
in the District He requested that in maxi
ing up the yearly estimate provision be
made for an officer to be detailed for the
special duty Of enforcing the laws. stating
that the various boards have been en-
barrassed by the difficulty in obtaining
prompt and intelligent service at the hands
of the police department.. and have been
unable to Judge accurately of the effect
of the laws because of the uncertainty
concerning their thorough enforcement.
Explaining that membership on these
boards entails an amount OF labor far in
excess Of what was expected when they
we're organized, and the positions are now
held by active men Of the profession, whose
time is too valuable for the District to
accept without remuneration, DR.. Custis
recommended that fixed compensation for
the members Of the board of medical su-
pervisors be established.
Special Detail.
Dr. Custis was informed by the Commits
sioners that a man has been especially de-
tailed to assist the assessor in the matter
Of licenses, and arrangements had been
made whereby the assistant could give his
entire time to the matters referred to. The
Commissioners asked him to inform them
as to the work the detailed officer was per-
forming. and whether 1t would be neces-
sary to appoint additional officers, and he
was also requested to suggest an amount
deemed sufficient for the compensation of
the members of the medical board.
In reply DR.. Gusts stated that he is cog
infant OF the fact that an officer connected
with the assessors Office has at different
times been detailed to report on cases re-
ferred to him by the boards of medical ex
aminers, but such special duty took the
form Of a special assignment, and such as
signment carried with it no responsibility
to care for infractions Of the law.
Our object in requesting that a special
officer be detailed" he continued, lis that
he could watch the signs and advertise
ments which appear. and investigate any
suspicious persons or circumstances. We
believe that the enforcement of the three
laws, that is. those relating to the practice
Of medicine, dentistry and pharmacy,
would occupy all Of one officers time. and
as he became conversant with the practi-
TONERS Of the District, and familiar with
the laws, he could soon detect any effort on
the part Of any individual to ignore them.
Matter of Compensation.
LAS to the matter of compensation for
the members of the medical examining
board" the doctor writes, 1--WE recommend
that provision be made for the payment of
$40 to each member of the medical exam
lining boards and the board OF medical sup
ervisors for each meeting actually attend
ed and that this compensation be in addi-
ton to that now received, which is depend
ent upon the number of applicants exam
ined and the amount received from such
examina tons"
The Commissioners have referred the
matter to DIR. William c. Woodward, the
health officer, with a request for his opin
ion as to the value and Importance of hav
ing an officer detailed for the purposes set
forth, and for opinion as to the amount
of compensation asked for the medical ex
aminers and supervisors.