Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-17
SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT
STATEMENT OF THE BOARD OF
MEDICAL SUPERVISORS.
Exchanges Of Courtesies With Other
Boards Calls for Action Of
Congress.

The Commissioners received today from
DR.. ]. B. Gregg Gusts. president, the sixth
annual report of the board of medical SUI
pervisors The board renews the request
made In its estimates several weeks ago
that the sum of s., 500 be asked Of Congress
to compensate the members of the medical
examining boards at the rate of $40 each
for every meeting actually attended The
board does not feel that the important and
exacting duties required of the members
of these boards should go unrewarded. In
addition to the above request the board
makes a number of recommendations for
which it asks careful consideration. 1t is
stated that the recommendations are SUBJ
mitted with the full assurance on the part
of the board that their adoption will aid in
the fulfilment Of both the letter and the
spirit of the act of Congress which provides
sons desiring to practice medicine in the
District of Columbia.
THE year." says the board. has been
one of great activity. The board held four
teen meetings. At most of the meetings
every member was present. The subject of
reciprocity in the matter Of exchange of
licenses without examination has occupied
much time. Careful consideration has been
given to every application made for license
by virtue of the section of the law which
provides for possible interchange of cour-
tesy between the several boards. The
board has not seen its way clear to the
granting of these requests in any instance.
1t does not see how at the present time,
such reciprocity is possible without some
amendment by Congress of the present law
under which we are operating. The lack
of uniformity in the medical practice acts
In the several states is to be regretted, as
1t forms the chief barrier to the establish
ment of the much desired reciprocity. AS
we believe that the law under which we
are organized is the most practical of any
so far enacted, would recommend it
a model to the legislatures of the several
states.
from members of the Senate of the United
States and the House Of Representatives.
asking that exception be made In cases of
their particular constituents who were rep
resented to us as being especially desirable
as citizens and practitioners in the District.
All Of these requests were carefully con-
sidered and respectfully answered. but. as
the board is without discretion in such mat
tiers and has to be guided by the letter Of
the law, none could be granted.
Answers to Criticism.
TN view of the fact that there has been
some criticism of the board of supervisors
because certain licentiates who are practic-
ing by virtue of their registration prior to
the enactment of the law governing the
practice of medicine in the District are
openly using methods unprofessional and
dishonorable to a degree which is intolera-
BILE in a community which respects the or
binary requirements of morality and hon
esty, 1t will be of interest to the medical
profession to know that the board of med-
cal supervisors is not unmindful of the
fact that the law in positive language gives
full power to the board of supervisors, by
a vote of four members. to revoke the Ii
censes of these parties, but 1T did not make
clear the methods to be used to bring about
this rluch-desired result.
4 fhn Of ;rc1
and after several conferences, the board,
under date of June 13, in a letter set forth
a plan by which the police and law depart
ments of the District government may pre-
sent and prosecute such delinquents before
the board of medical supervisors. The rec
concentrations contained in this letter have
now been approved by both the corporation
counsel and the Commissioners, and we
have every reason to hope that before an
other report is made there will at least be
no more open and fragrant disregard Of the
time-honored rules of medical practice and
of the standards of morality as founded
by the medical profession.
Competitive Examinations.
"In compliance with the Commissioners
request. sent under date Of March %, the
board of medical supervisors presented a
plan for the competitive examination of
applicants for appointments as medical in
spectors of public schools and as phys-
greet that they could not undertake such
examinations themselves, but, as stated in
this communication, they did not feel that
they would be justified in asking men OF
the professional standing of those who
composed the boards of medical examiners
to assume the extra labor and responsible
ity involved in these examinations without
compensation. Because of the absence OF
a fund for such compensation, they recon-
mended that such examinations be con-
Quoted by the United States civil service
commission.
The board hopes that in the future ar
rangements may be made by which such
examinations can be held by this board, or,
at least by board Of practitioners in the
District whose interests are identified more
Intimately with the public schools and the
work of the board of charities.
1.-The board issued sixty-three licenses.
At the beginning Of the year they had
pending before them for action thirty-one
applications. They received during the
year seventy-seven applications. Two of
the applicants We're refused admission to
the examinations. Five withdrew their ap-
plicatiOns. Licenses, after examination,
were issued to sixty-three. At the end of
the year twenty-six applications were in
the hands of the board awaiting the result
of the examination held during the month
of July. OF those who appeared for eX-
animation fifty-fve passed and only eight
failed.
Suggestion of Compensation.
after careful consideration of the work
accomplished by the medical examining
boards of the District of Columbia the
great benefit which has accrued to the
District by the elevation of the standard
of medical education, and of the qualifca-
tons of the practitioners of the District
the board does not think that the examin-
ers should be asked to serve longer with
out adequate compensation. We there
fore, respectfully ask that the Commission
ers embody in their estimates for the COM
ing year the sum of $500, or as much
thereof as shall be required for compensa-
ton for the members of the various exam
lining boards of the District and of the
board of medical supervisors. who should