Evening star., 1942-12-10
Enough Doctors
For Civilians
Promised
Procurement Chief
Addresses D.C.MedicuI
Society Meeting

Despite requirements of the armed
forces. there will be an adequate
supply of doctors for civilian needs.
members Of the District Medical
Society were told last night by DR..
Frank II. Lahey of Boston, chair
man OF the Directing Board of the
procurement and Assignment Serv-
Ice for Physicians, Dentists and
Veterinarians.
The granting of Army commits
sions to every physician in the
country under As, with some then
being assigned in uniform to de-
tached service on the home front
to care for civilian ills was sug-
gested as means of persuading
doctors to remain in essential civil
ian positions,
A past president of the American
Medical Association, DR.. Lahey was
the principal speaker on a program
commemorating the 125th anniver-
sary OF the District society.
Basing his estimates on armed
forces totaling 100000 men, the
procurement service chief estimated
that 10000 doctors will be left to
treat civilian ailments after needs
OF the services have been met and
medical men not in regular public
practice have been subtracted from
the Nations total of $4,000 doctors.
One for Each 1,500 Civilians.
This, he said, would represent one
doctor for every 1900 civilians, Civ
Ing the United States a greater
number of doctors per person than
any other country in the world
England has only one physician for
every 2,700 persons and Germany
is believed to have only one for
every 10000 population, he said,
DR.. Lahey warned, however, that
''if we are reckless in our eating,
living and other habits, the supply
will not be enough Doctors should
not be called to treat every minor
ailment. nor should illnesses be left
unattended until they become Sc
rious, he said.
"We must realize that in the past
We, have been most wasteful," he
declared.
Reviewing the movement of med
tcal men into the armed services,
DR.. Lahey called accomplishments
so far under the volunteer system a
credit to the medical profession"
Years Quota Met.
Obtaining enough doctors to meet
Army, Navy and Air Corps medical
needs has not been problem so far,
he said The number set as needed
during 1912 was reached by the first
week in November. ...
The major problem for the
Procurement and Assignment Serv-
ice has come from the depletion of
certain areas, particularly in the
South, where, according to Dr.
L.ahey, doctors appear to have been
more patriotic in volunteering"
Rural doctors have entered military
service in greater proportion than
medical men in large cities, Dr..
Lahey further declared. He pointed
out that New Mexico has gone 204
per cent over its quota for the year,
while New York City is 1000 short
Of the number of doctors expected
to enter the armed services. The
District is slightly over its quota, he
said.
To meet the shortages of doctors
q in al,
planned, the service, which has de-
tailed data on every doctor in the
country, is evaluating the needs of
the various communities and ask
ing medical men to move their prac-
tices into the districts where Short
ages occur.
DR.. Christie Speaks.
While many medical practitioners
went into uniform this year, by
next year we may be "scraping the
bottom of barrel to get doctors
for the Army, Navy and Air Corps,
he said. He predicted that if the
war goes on for several years" the
Army and Navy will "be willing to
cooperate by reducing organization
tables on an equitable basis" re-
quiring fewer doctors in proportion
to the number of men in service.
Also speaking on last nights an
niversary program, held at the Dis
trict Medical Society's headquar-
tiers, 1718 M street NV, was DR..
Arthur C. Christie, past president
of the society, who reviewed the his
tory of medicine here since the local
medical association was founded in
1877.
Efforts of the society toward OBJ
tanning pure water and milk sup
plies for the District, made during
the 1905, were among its greatest
achievements, he said.
DR.. Christie pointed out that 1874
members of the local society now
are in the armed services
DR.. A. Magruder Macdonald,
president of the society, presided
over the meeting and musicl num-
bers were presented by the George
Washington University Glee Club
under direction of Dr. Robert H.
Harmon. A buffet supper followed
the program.