Letter from Mr. John Snell, Executive Secretary of the Pima County Chapter of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis was read. This was in reply to recommendation #2 contained in the Society's letter of July 15th, 1953, that the members of the Medical Advisory Board for the Pima County Chapter of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis should be appointed yearly by the President of the Pima County Medical Society. Mr. Snell advised that this would be in conflict with regulations specified by their Chapter Manual, which states that the local executive board shall appoint members of the Medical Advisory Committee, with the approval of the local Medical Society. The Secretary was directed to reply suggesting that, when committees are appointed each January, a list of names be submitted by the Pima County Medical Society from which the local executive board of the Foundation might choose or appoint the Medical Advisory Board.
A communication was received from the Professional Board of the Arizona Medical Association requesting that the contents of Dr. Royal W. Rudolph's report on the Public Health Program in Arizona be read at the first Fall meeting. This is to be done.
The question of automatic transfer to Service Membership, according to new By-Laws on membership, was discussed. Dr. R. Robert Bates has been transferred to Service membership.
A letter was received form the Board of Medical Examiners of the State of Arizona, requesting the viewpoint of the Society on the shortage in the specialty of Pediatrics in this area.
Discussion:
Dr. Manning--I talked with Dr. Farness about this, and the Board of Medical Examiners wants to know if the majority of men in a given specialty agrees that an emergency exists. If so, they will go ahead and issue a temporary license.
Dr. Kent--If the Pediatricians think there is an emergency and have signed a petition to that effect, is not that indicative?
Dr. Manning--When I worked on my petition, I hade to get three-quarters of the members of the Society to sign it.
Dr. Harry Thompson--I wonder if we are in apposition to accept all these future applicants.
Dr. Manning--I do not see why we should be asked for our viewpoint.
Dr. Harry Thompson--There is certainly no emergency, and yet all the pediatricians say there is.
Dr. Fraser--This is something that will happen every time. Why do we not direct a letter to the Board of Examiners to find out if this is going to be the policy, and if the Society is going to be responsible for such temporary licenses?
Dr. Costin--This would make it easy for all the new men to get temporary licenses.
Dr. Beaton--A man can get a State license, and still not be acceptable in the Society. This is not our business.
Dr. Manning--We feel that the Society is not a position to volunteer a point of view for the simple reason that licensure is not in our jurisdiction, and we do not wish to set a precedent.
The secretary was instructed to call Mr. Robert Carpenter to find out what is wanted and to ask if this procedure of asking the Society for opinion is to be followed each time there is an application for temporary licensure.
Letter was received and read by the Secretary from Colonel R.F. Kirk, Air Force Hospital at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, concerning an article which appeared in the Tucson Daily Citizen on 15 August 1953, which referred to studies having been conducted there on Desert Fever. Colonel Kirk stated that this article had been published without his knowledge or approval and that he has taken very definite steps to prevent such a recurrence in the future.
