Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-10
ADHERES TO DECISION
MEDICAL SUPERVISORS DECLINE
TO GRANT A LICENSE.
The Case Of DR.. Armstrong; II
Which Senator Platt's Interest
Was Enlisted.

Dr. William G.. Woodward. as secretary
of the board Of medical supervisors OF the
District has informed the Commissioners
that at a meeting Of the board held July
81, it was decided to adhere to the de-
,clsion made at the meeting Of the board
July and refuse to grant Salina Arm
strong Hopkins. M. D.. license to prac-
tice medicine in the District on the strength
of the papers filed by her to show her
qualifications. without examination and
registration here.
The case of DR.. Armstrong Hopkins has
been before the Commissioners for several
weeks past, and has excited no little inter-
est because of the fact that the applicant
is the wife of a Methodist minister, and
served a medical missionary to India
for number Of years, and also by reason
of the fact that she appealed to Senator
Platt of New York, when first refused
license without examination in the D1str1ct,
to use his influence to secure the Issuance
Of a license.
Frcm the papers filed in the case 1t ap-
pears that Mrs. Armstrong Hopkins was
missionary for about seven years prior to
her marriage. and as such held the posi-
lions Of physician in charge Of the Lady
Aitchison Hospital, DiSpensary and Train
ing School for Nurses at Lahore, Punjab.
India, and of physician in charge of the
Woman's Hospital, Dfspensary and Train
ing School for Nurses at Hyderabad, Sindh,
India, under the English government.
The long service in India seriously at
fected Mrs. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. health.
and on coming to the United States with
her husband she located in Syracuse, N. Y,
and entered upon the practice or her pro-
fession. She states that the climate or that
section of the country is too rigorous for
her health, however and that her husband
was endeavoring to effect an exchange with
a minister in this city. Before coming here,
however, she desired to take the necessary
steps to insure her the practice of her pro-
fession in this city. She wrote to DR.. Wood
ward. secretary of the board Of medical
supervisors, and received in reply blank
form to fill out, showing whether she was
a practtcing physician in the state of New
Yor, etc.
Complies With Requirement.
DR., Armstrong Hopkins filled out this
form and secured a certificate from the
county clerk Of the county In which she re-
sided. showing that she had been practicing
York. etc.
This she returned to DR.. Woodward and
shortly after received reply In which was
contained the information that statements
contained in the form filed by her were not
sufficient to warrant the issuance OF
license without examination, and that,
therefore the board of medical supervisors
would have to refuse to issue the license.
DR. Armstrong Hopkins then appealed to
Senator Plat, to whom she stated the
case, and the Senator wrote letter to the
Commissioners requesting them to do what
they could for her. The letter Of Senator
Platt and a long communication from the
applicant herself were referred 10 the poaro
for action, and at the last meeting IL was
decided to adhere to the original decision.
In stating the case to the Commissioners
Dr. Woodward said that the regulations Tor
the practice of medicine in the District pro-
vide that license may be issued free OF
cost and upon application, without exam
nation. to physicians who may change
their residence to the District from the
states and territories of the United States
where medical laws and examining boards
exist the presentation Of certificate or
license from q medical examining board, If
found upon due inquiry to be true and gen.
uine, being sufficient evidence OF the right
to registration and certifcation. The medi-
cal licensing board OF the state OF New
York Is the University Of the State Of New
York, and DR.. Armstrong-Hopktns pre-