The Washington herald., 1921-04-14
CITY CLUB GROUP
SAYS MEDICAL ACT
LAXLY ENFORCED
Charge Quacks Impose on
Residents; Score
Police,

Declaring that Washington Is
overrun with medical 'auacks" the
Health Group of the City Club last
night centered discussion on alleged
lack of proper enforcement of the
medical practice act. The situation
was described as "disgraceful" and
was permitted to flourish under the
eyes of the police. with apparently
perfect immunity from prosecution.
Members of the group explained
that in the enforcement of the law
the police regard as physicians only
those practitioners who prescribe
drugs. Others, II was explained
such as osteopaths, .chiropractors.
electrotherapists and physiother-
apists. can practice without holding
a diploma or a medical license. II
was the consensus of the group that
every practitioner who made a pre-
tension of diagnosing and curing
disease and OF accepting compensa-
tion for such services be compelled
to submit to a medical examination
and obtain license. A detailed re-
port on the situation will be pre-
sented at the next meeting of the
group.
o. X. sawyer's Plan.
Recent recommendations of Brig.
Gen. Charles A. Sawyer. President
HardinG's physician, for expansion
OF existing government hospitals,
particularly those in the District.
were strongly indorsed by the group
A resolution. introduced by DR.. d.
Percy Hickling, heartily approvinr
Gen. Sawyer's proposal for expan-
sion of present Army. Naval and
Public Health Service hospitals was
adopted.
This program will make Wash
ington the greatest medical center
In the United States said DR.. Hick-
ling. 1T will offer the city rare op-
portunities for medical research.
education. and treatment 1t will
put within reach of the medical pro-
fession thousands of cases for
special study"
Affects Walter Reed.
DR.. Hickling explained that under
Gen. SawyePs plan Walter Reed
Hospital will be developed into a
permanent 2.0O0-bed hospital
whereas under existing plans il was
to have reverted to a prewar basis
nf 200 or 800 beds. He said Gen.
Sawyer's plan also will mean the
material expansion of the Naval
Hospital here and particularly the
Government Hospital for the Insane.
Contamination of bathing places
in and near the District received
further condemnation from the
group, which appointed DR.. Cesar
| &. Hunter, assistant dean of the
George Washington University Med
ical School. a committee of one 20
urge the authorities TO prohibit
bathing in Rock Creek. which Is
practically an open sewer. 1t was
pointed out that the park authori-
ties have erected a bath house and
built a bridge to q swimming hole
| in Rock Creek Park and thereby
have extended an invitation to the
public to bathe in a sewer.
Fit for Sewage.
Government investigators some
time ago reported that the water in
the Tidal Basin could only be
classed as pretty good sewage" said
DR.. Hickling.
As a solution of the contamina-
tion problem. DR.. Hickling urged
that all water supplied to the basin
be pumped from the Potomac and
passed through a rapid sand Ultra
ton system, which would not be
very expensive.
DIR. Hickling said that the health
committee of the Board OF Trade
had sent questionnaires to every
physician in the city asking them
to report all cases of disease trace
able to bathing places.
| DR.. Hunter and Philip Herman
were appointed delegates to the So
cial Hygiene Society. Members en-
gagged in an extended debatsvs -tC
whether red plague prophylactic in.
formation, as well as birth control
information, should be distributed
freely.
Emile Berliner. the chairman OF
the group. who presided. will re-
port at the next meeting on effort,
to have Sunday deliveries of ice
this summer for the convenience OF
the public. and particularly to pre-.
vent sickness and suffering among
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