Evening star., 1942-08-12
Advocates Bill TO Commission
Pharmacists for Army Service.

Pharmacists for Army Service.
To the Editor OF The Star:
Recently DR.. A. Magruder Macdonald,
president Of the Medical Society OF the
District OF Columbia, addressed that
group on the subject of the shortage
Of physicians in our armed forces and
In the civilian population, and the dan
ger that might arise II an epidemic
should strike us. This problem is Of
such Importance that nothing should be
left undone to relieve the situation. At
a time Of great crisis, the health Of the
armed forces as well as those who sup
ply them with the tools of warfare,
should be given every consideration.
The health Of our Nation is safe
guarded by the members of the public
health professions; the physician, who
diagnoses, prescribes and operates for
our ailments; the dentist who takes care
of our oral hygiene and thus prevents
many complicated illnesses; the nurse
who helps us in our fight to overcome
illness, and the pharmacist who dis
covers prepares and compounds medi-
cine to combat disease. All these pro-
fessions are essential to our well-being
One cannot exist or operate properly
without the aid of the others.
There is no doubt that the members
of the medical profession are asked
to perform the impossible Thousands
of them are being requisitioned by the
armed forces, and many of them are
doing administrative and pharmaceutical
work, task that could very well be
performed by pharmacists who are
trained in administrative, business and
technical matters. Yet for some un-
the armed services cannot see that the
pharmacy profession could be helpful in
alleviating existing conditions.
Under the present setup in the armed
forces, our boys are receiving excellent
medical, dental and nursing care. How
ever, their health is being jeopardized
because the pharmaceutical service is
not adequate. The surgeon generals
are operating pharmacy in the same
manner that was practiced during the
Diploma Mill Era" Both the Army
and the Navy take inexperienced en-
listed men, send them to an Army or
Navy pharmacy school and in six weeks
to three months allow these youngsters
to handle and dispense such potent
drugs as strychnine, sulfanilamide, digi-
tails, morphine, etc. The improper
handling of drugs can void all the Won
derful work that the physician performs.
In civilian life the States see to it that
before any one may handle drugs he
must be trained in university for four
years and prove to the State that he Is
qualified.
There are thousands of badly needed
pharmacists who want to help in this
struggle, yet they are prevented from
doing so by military regulations. They
cannot enlist as privates due to depend
ents and cannot obtain commissions
because our present laws do not provide
for commissioning of pharmacists. The
young pharmacists without dependents
who are either enlisting or being drafted
are being wasted as far as the service
they could render is concerned. Many
are placed in the infantry, artillery, etc.
or in the medical department as hos
pital orderlies.
Up to the last war, the same con-
ditions existed with members of other
public health professions. Congress has
legislated to establish, besides q Medical
Corps. q Dental Corps and a Nurses
Corps. There Is now . bill before Con-
gfess H. j. 1887 to oStAhlish q phAr.