May 2, 1949
Board of Directors Meeting.
The meeting was called to order by President, Harry E. Thompson, M.D.
Members present were: Dr. Harry E. Thompson Dr. Edward M. Hayden
Dr. William B. Steen Dr. Earl Brown
Dr. Harold W. Kohl Dr. W.R. Hewitt
Reading of the minutes of previous meetings was dispensed with, in order to save time.
The Secretary proposed the matter of inviting the medical officers from Davis-Monthan Airbase to the Society picnic, as suggested by Dr. Littlefield. It was decided that this matter should be turned over to the Entertainment Committee.
The subject of the new Osteopathic hospital was discussed, with particular reference to the procedure for members of the P.C.M.S., when called upon to attend patients already in the hospital. One case was cited, when a local surgeon was called in to do an emergency appendectomy, and found a lack of facilities for surgery. It was decided that the Secretary, Dr. Steen, should draft a letter setting forth the principles and recommendations of the Society in this connection. Dr. Kohl suggested that the Secretary might call the Secretary of the Maricopa County Society, for briefing on their procedure in a similar situation recently. It was also suggested that the Secretary find out the stand of the Nurses' Registry and the Red Cross Blood Bank in regard to the Osteopathic Hospital.
A copy of the action of the meeting of the Governing Board of the Pima County General Hospital on April 26th, with special reference to the community psychiatric problem regarding patients committed to the State Hospital directly from the County Jail, was read by the Secretary, the point being made that the hospital facilities for such cases are available and are not being utilized. Dr. Kohl made a motion that the President of the Society appoint a committee, including one or two Psychiatrists, to confer with the Board of Supervisors and with the County Attorney on this problem, and formulate a Resolution to be presented before the Society at a letter meeting. Dr. Hewitt seconded this motion and it was carried.
The Secretary read a proposed Resolution of the Pima County Medical Society in regard to compulsory health insurance, which was discussed and amended.
The applications of Doctors Henry G. Atha, Hiram Dee Cochran, Joseph Gertner, and Myron E. Veseth were examined, and will be placed before the regular meeting for election to membership.
Dr. Hayden stated that Mr. Donald Law, of Arizona Blue Shield, had had a proposition from the Strategic Air Forces to set up Davis-Monthan Airbase, along with certain stations in California and Texas, as an experiment under the Blue Shield plan to take care of the dependents of Army men, because, at the present time, the Army medical facilities are unable to take care of wives and children of enlisted men. It was proposed that this experiment be in the form of a blanket policy in both Blue Cross and Blue Shield, giving complete
