Evening star., 1942-10-30
Doctor Supply Here
Cut 80 Per Cent by
War, McGovern Says
Warns Any Further
Recruiting Will Peril
Health of District

BETTER HOURS AND PAY held
key to adequate nurse supply
here. Page B-1
Reporting that 428 doctors
have gone from the District to
the armed services, leaving 991
in private practice here, the Pro-
curement and Assignment Serv-
ice of the Manpower Commission
warned today that "if extensive
further recruitment becomes
necessary from the remaining
supply of private practitioners,
the effects of their withdrawal
will be acutely felt"
This report, made public by DR.. F
K. McGovern, chairman for the pro-
curement and assignment service
here. was based on a survey made
by the United States Public Health
Service.
There is at present no acute
shortage of physicians in active
practice in the District" empha-
sized DR.. McGovern. In his state
ment, however, he made public nu-
merous data from the United States
Public Health Service survey here
and made four recommendations as
to steps considered necessary to pro-
tect the civilian population here as
the war continues to threaten to
deplete further the supply of pri-
vate practitioners. :.
Health Emergency Reported.
The District situation was disclosed
officially for the first time today
following an even more alarming
warning yesterday by a Senate sub
committee, which had charged that
there was a dangerous health
emergency" throughout the Nation
because of doctors going to the
armed services through "unplanned
recruiting"
DR.. Morris Fishbein, editor of the
Journal of the American Medical
Association, meantime, in the West
today denied the situation was as
serious as the Senate committee
warned.
Charles P. Taft, assistant director
OF Defense, Health and Welfare
Service, sounded warning of emer-
gency yesterday in st. Louis and
proposed that the Army leave as
many doctors as possible at home to
practice until they are needed by
the Army.
Or. McGovern in his report today
said there were 991 physicians in
private practice here September /.
OF which Is per cent were colored
O1 the total number, As per cent de-
scribed themselves as general prac-
titioners. In most cities about two.
thirds OF the doctors are in general
practice and the remainder are spe-
cialists.
Change In Policy Urred.
The report warns that there is
need for "a careful reconsideration
OF policy relative to the further
selection of practitioners for the
armed services from the District Of
Columbia"
II recruiting Is limited to men
under 35," the report continued
"the maximum number that could
be obtained from Washington is
100. It Is known that. among these
. certain proportion has already
been turned down by the Army for
physical and other reasons. Aside
from any question o. availability
not more than 50 to go more could
be recruited from. this age group.
Then, too, the small proportion
OF general practitioners now Re.
makes 1t advisable to di-
rect future recruiting away from
this age group. The danger of at
tempting to restrict the military
selection to q specialist Is empha-
sized because Of the need Of q hieh
proportion Of such men In the med
ical schools and hospitals"
There have been licensed to prac-
tice In the District OF Columbia
about 2,l00 doctors, but 1t. was ex-
planned that not all Of them have
practiced medicine here. Many are
engaged In ONCE research In Gov
eminent services or have moved out
Of the city.
Members Of the committee, In ad-
dition 70 Chairman McGovern and
secretary Wiprud, are: Drs. James
a. Cannon, Henry n. schreiber.
James Alexander Lyon, william q.
Davis, Luther II. ReicheldGrfer, 4.
Mac0ruder Macdonald, Casimir
l6ss 666f6ll6. faSe z-6J