Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-22
BILL MAY BE PAID
EXPERT TREATMENT OF AD-
MIRAL LAMBERToN's EYES.
Decision by Controller Tracewel Of In
terest to All Officers of
the Navy.

Controller Tracewell of the treasury has
rendered decision concerning Rear Adj
miral B. P. Lamberton, who commanded
the Boston In the Manila bay fight, that
will be of widespread interest to naval
officers all over the country.
Rear Admiral Lamberton recently sent
to the Navy Department for payment a
bill for s277, for treatment of his left eye
during the year 1904 in this city, with a
request also for the reimbursement Of ex-
penses incurred in travelling to New YORK
to consult an oculist of that city, $50, MAX
ing total of 1927. The Secretary of the
Navy transmitted the case to the controller
of the treasury, with request to know
whether the claim Is legal one The
Navy Department, in submitting the case,
stated that special expert skill was re-
quired. together with the appliances neces-
sary to expertism, and that naval medical
officers were 'constructively not availa :"
Facts in the Case.
The controller made some inquiries and
was informed that medical officers of the
navy were on duty during the period when
Rear Admiral Lamberton was under treat
men. but that they were not sufficiently
skilled to properly treat the case and that
treatment by specialists was recommended
by Surgeon General Rixey. The trouble
with the left eye of Rear Admiral Lamber-
ton began when he was In command OF the
South Atlantic squadron In January, 1904,
and survey Of medical officers pronounced
him unfit for service and ordered him home
He was granted sick leave for three months
from February 4. 1904. and placed himself
under treatment here at that time.
Controller Tracewell quotes Section 1886
of the Revised Statutes. which reads: "Ex-
penses incurred by any officer of the navy
for medicines and medical attendance shall
not be allowed unless they are incurred
when he was on duty, and the medicines
could not have been obtained from naval
supplies, or the attendance of a naval medi-
cal officer could not have been had"
The Controllers Opinion.
The controller says that this law plainly
and positively prohibits the allowance of
expenses for medical attendance to officers
of the navy incurred when they are not In
a duty status, and he is of the opinion that
so much OF the claim as is for expenses OF
medical attendance while on leave cannot
be reimbursed. He goes on to say that a
literal Interpretation of the statute would
prohibit such allowance when the attend
ance of navy medical officer could be had
but he does not believe In applying the stat
ute so literally, especially where the med
zeal attendance may not be had from the
medical corps Of the navy, and when 1t Is
the opinion Of the department that sufi
cient skill Is not to be had IN the medical
corps. He concludes that there was not
sufficient medical naval skill here. ana di-
reefs that so much of the claim as was ia
CURED while on duty status shall be paid.
He disallows the travel expenses to New
York, on the ground that Rear Admiral
Lamberton did not proceed there under Or
ders.
The controller further adds that expenses
OF this kind cannot be incurred and paid by
the government on the mere volition Of an
officer OF the navy who decides within his
own Judgment that the medical corps of
the navy Is not expert enough. but that
serious cases requiring medical treatment
outside the regular medical officers should
be under the orders and direction of tho
medical establishment of the navy, APP
proved by the Secretary of the Navy.