Evening star., 1900-10-04
MEDICAL SUPERVISORS
REPORT OF BOARD SUBMITTED TO
COMMISSIONERS.
Number Of Applicants for License to
Practice the ProfessfOn-Estt-
mates of Expenses.

The board of medical supervisors. through
| its president, DR.. John s. McLain, today
submitted to the District Commissioners
report of it's operations during the fiscal
year ended June so, 1900. together with an
estimate of it's expenses for the fiscal year
ending June 80. 1902. .-.....-
During the past year ninety-five applica-
tions to practice medicine In the District
were received. In eight instances the ap-
plications were based on registration at the
health office prior to the passage of the law
now in force regulating the practice OF
medicine, and In one on a state license. In
the remaining cases, eighty-six, the appli-
cants sought the right to practice in this
District through examinations to determine
their qualifications. Licenses to applicants
of the class first mentioned (oHcially desig-
mated as class Al are issued on the mere
establishment of the fact of registration
prior to the passage of the current law.
The number of applicants represents the
number of licenses issued. In order to Sc
cure license by virtue of certificate
issued by a state medical examining board
{this class of applicants being designated
as class b it is necessary that the state
which issued such license recognize the
licenses issued by the board of medical su-
pervisors to the extent of issuing to the
holders thereof licenses to practice medi-
cine in such state, without fee and without
examination. In the single instance which
came before the board during the past year,
and. in fact. In all Instances previously sub
mitted to it, the state law did not provide
for the necessary recognition of the licenses
of this board. This application was, there
FORE rejected.
The Qualifications Prescribed.
By far the largest number of applicants
for licenses to practice medicine are those
who neither were registered prior to the ex
;e4a nf ~ Sfa aft1to nnr hnl CT tQ
licenses, all of whom must submit salts
factory evidence as to age, moral charac-
ter and previous medical education, and
demonstrate their qualifications by means
OF written and oral examination. At
the beginning of the year thirty-one appll-
cants of this class {Class c., whose appll-
cations had been filed in the latter part of
June, 1899. were awaiting examination.
During the year fifty-ftve applications nave
been received, of which, however, thirty
six were filed in the latter part of June,
1900, and therefore. necessarily held over
for examination in July. The total number
of applicants entitled to examination DUR
ing the year was therefore fifty. For the
examination of such applicants examina-
tions were held in July. October and Janu-
ary. No applications were pending at the
time fixed by law for the April exam-
nation. and. therefore, no such examlna-
ton was held. OF the applicants Just men
toned thirty-seven passed the required ex-
aminations, eleven were unsuccessful, one
did not appear at the appointed time, and
one formally withdrew his application of
the candidates examined. therefore. 22s.g per
cent failed. This percentage of failure was
greater than during 1S9S-99 when 1t was
but I55 and about equal to that of 1897 -9S,
when ii was 22-2
Licenses to Midwives.
Nine applications were received for IL
censes to practice midwifery, based on
registration al the health office prior to the
passage of the act now regulating the prac-
tice of medicine. All such applications were
favorably acted on, their issue depending,
as in the issue of corresponding licenses to
practice medicine, merely on the determ1na-
ton of the question whether the applicant
was or was not registered. Three such IL
censes not included among those referred
TO in the preceding sentence, were issued 10
replace others which had become invalid
by reason of the failure of the lcentiates
to record them within the time allowed by
law.
Women desiring to become midwives, and
willing to submit to examination now re-
quired by law in order to demonstrate their
qualifcat tions for such work. appear to be
scarce. But four applications have been
received for licenses involving examina ton
of the applicant. OF such applicants three
received licenses.
Receipts and Expenditures.
With the report was transmitted a state
ment of the receipts and expenditures of
the board. from which it appears that the
compensation of the seventeen officers act
ing as members Of the board of medical ex-
aminers or Of the board of medical super
visors, in three instances of both. for twelve
months work was $236. 40. OF this amount
the two lay members of the board of medi-
cal supervisors received by order of the
Commissioners $25 each. The distribution
of the balance in accordance with law re-
suited in the payment to the board OF med
ical examiners of S17S.6S, practically equiva-
lent to $50, IA per member; to the board of
homeopath medical examiners of S,1t,
representing the payment to each member
Of approximately Sl.5J. The board OF &C.
lectic medical examiners received nothing.
In view of the large amount of work de-
volving upon the several members of the
boards of medical examiners, and of this
board, the board of medical supervisors be-
lieves that some arrangement should be
made whereby q reasonable compensation
can be paid for their services. 1t renews
the recommendation made last year that
an appropriation Of 81 eco be asked for this
purpose. The law requires four examina-
tions to be held every year, and every ex-
animation may involve two meetings OF
each of the four boards-that Is, eight meet
inss At each such meeting, 1t Is stated. nVe
members should be present. Five members
are therefore required to attend eacn OF
thirty-two meetings, so that tne amour.
asked. 81 800 It is thought. would be just
sufficient to provide for the compensation OF
each member Of each board OF examiners
and of the board of medical SUPERVISORS at
the rate of $40 per meeting.
The board takes occasion to express It's
appreciation of the kindness OF the Law
School of the University of Georgetown,
which has granted, without compensation
the use of a room in which to hold exam
nations.