Evening star., 1901-07-30
COMPLIANCE WITH RULES
POLICE AND FIRE SURGEONS MUST
DO THEIR DUTY.
Case Brought to Attention of Commits
sioners by Chief Dutton Of
Fire Department.

The District Commissioners have decided
to invite the attention Of the members OF
the board of police and fire surgeons to the
rules and regulations governing their work
and to call for a stricter compliance with
these rules. Some days ago c. r. Kuhns
of Engine Company No. reported to the
Commissioners through Chief Dutton OF
the fire department that he was unable to
secure the services of a police or fire sur
geon to attend Watchman Willig OF the
company. DR.. F. P Vale was called, but
could not be reached Then DR.. Chiffon
Mayfield was summoned, but refused TO at
tend because 1.-The case was outside his dis
trict." The Commissioners called Tor an
explanation and DR.. Mayffeld replied that
he did not consider Willig's case an emer-
gency one, and also said that the pay OF
the police and fire surgeons was small
they could not afford to give the depart
ment service any greater place of promi-
nence than their private practice. He said
he understood it to be the duty of the sur
geons to protect the department from
fraud, and incidentally" to attend sick
firemen. The Commissioners yesterday
unanimously approved the comment and
recommendations made on the subject by
Chief Dutton, as follows:
THE rules quoted were duly approved by
the Commissioners, and so far as this de-
partment Is informed have never been re-
pealed or amended. If this be SO, this de-
partment cannot agree with the board of
police and fire surgeons that, as stated by
Dr. Mayfeld its duty is primarily to pro-
tect the department against fraud, and
incidentally to attend sick hremen. On the
contrary, the department believes it to be
the first duty of the members of the board
to render medical and surgical care and
aid to members OF the police and fire de-
partments in need of it, and does not be-
lieve that the rendering of such assistance
is secondary matter or mere incident
of the duty imposed upon the surgeons by
the above-quoted rules.
Matter Of Compensation.
THE pay, states DIR. Mayfield. of the
surgeons to the department is SO small that
the surgeons must, in their own interests,
give the work of the department at least no
more prominent place than their private
work The salary of a member of the
board of police and fire surgeons, $40 per
annum, Is, perhaps, small, but that Is a
matter with which this department has
nothing to do, though it feels that the sur
geons should in all fairness be much bet
ter paid.
Indulgence in eatables' caused Watchman
Willig's illness, or whether 1t was caused
by something else. If the man was i'll, it
is believed he deserved and that, under the
bers of the board of police and fire sur
geons, he was entitled to the services Of q
member of the board of surgeons
THE interests of the department, and no
less those of the community, 1t Is re-
spectfully submitted demand that when a
member of the fire department becomes i'll
he shall be restored to health at the earliest
possible moment for a sick or disabled
fireman Is of little. If any, real value to
the department or to the community.
Therefore, I have the honor to recommend
that the attention Of the members Of the
board of police and fire surgeons be invited
by the Commissioners to the rules and
regulations quoted, and that they be ad-
der medical and surgical care and aid to
all members of the fire department in need
of such care and aid, and that they shall
not permit private work to interfere with
their prompt performance Of such duty