Dr. Parks went on to explain that the program for medical care is budgeted, the money coming from the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The fact that salaries, food, medications, transportation and supplies must all come out of a limited budget, leaves very little money for medical consultation, he suggested that the local physicians could be helpful, first, at the San Xavier Hospital be being available for consultations in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics particularly, and send, by helping to arrive at an overall agreement as to consultation fees and ability to pay. He explained that most of the $600.00 appropriated for consultation this year has already been spent for obstetrical advice.
Upon being asked to his opinion as to why the Department of the Interior was giving so little money for this work, Dr. Parks explained that the Indian Service is very unpopular with Washington, and that efforts are being made to eliminate this service and place the responsibility for it in the hands of the Public Health Department. He stated, after inquiry, that he had many times made recommendations to Washington without result, and that local clubs are interested in being helpful, such as the Department of Anthropology at the University of Arizona, Quaker and other church groups, and Mr. Perry L. Stevens, the Indian Agent, since this seems to have narrowed itself down to a local problem and these Indians live here. He repeated that the greatest difficulty seems to lie in the fact that these people are very timid and very shy, and that while appropriations for education are much greater than those for medical care, it is his estimate that it will be the third generation of those who have gone to school who will be literate.
Discussion of Dr. Parks' talk led to the agreement that no definite commitment should be made at this time, that the Society should indicate its sympathy and understanding at present difficulties, and that it favors the setting up of a consultation program such as other agencies have; that in the past those Indians who have come under care of Society physicians at County Hospital have been cared for in an unselfish manner and that this policy will be continued.
The By-Laws Committee, in response to a request of the Board of Censors for an interpretation of Chapter IV, Section1, (c), of the By-Laws, which states
"Applicant must be resident of Pima County, State of Arizona and must have been actively engaged in the practice of medicine for a period of at least six months immediately preceding his election to membership, such activity to include resident training in a hospital following interneship",
reported to the Board of Directors as follows:
"We interpret 'practice of medicine in Pima county' to mean practice of medicine in Pima County within the jurisdiction of the Pima County Medical Society and of the Medical Practice Act of the State of Arizona."
The By-Laws Committee recommended that Chapter IV, Section 1, (c), be amended to read--
"Applicant must be a resident of Pima County, State of Arizona, and must have actively engaged in the practice of medicine in Pima County, within the jurisdiction of the Pima County Medical Society and of the Medical Practice Act of the State of Arizona [ "within...Arizona" underlined ], for a period of at least six months immediately preceding his election to membership..."
It was moved by Dr. Kent that the report and recommendations of the By-Laws Committee be accepted. Motion was seconded by Dr. L.E. Beaton and carried.
