122 C. U. C. P. ALUMNI JOURNAL August, 1918 



THE REGULATION OF DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORIES* 



By Frederic E. Niece 



During the past year and the early part of the present one, the New York 

 state legislature, in co-operation with botli the state and New York City health 

 departments, has been exceedingly prolific in a legal way. The Federal gov- 

 ernment has likewise been active, so that diagnostic and analytical laboratories 

 are obliged to comply with certain provisions that appear foreign to rheir calling. 

 In the latter case, certain specified ingredients, used in many analytical methods, 

 v/hich are classified as components of explosive compounds, require lor their use 

 w^iat is termed an "analyst's license." Our state and city health boards have 

 caused to be enacted into laws several important and timely bills. Some of espe- 

 cial interest to privately owned and publicly conducted laboratories devoted to 

 examinations of specimens involving the diagnosis of communicable diseases. 



These various laws, being in the. form of statutory resolutions and regula- 

 tions, have primarily emanated from a desire on the part of health officials to 

 curb or otherwise control the work done in laboratories of this calling, since it is a 

 matter concerning the public health, which it is their duty to conserve. 



Heretofore, the health departments have had no supervisory power over labo- 

 ratories performing clinical examinations for diagnostic purposes. It is well 

 known to the department, that this line of laboratory work has been running loose 

 and careless, both with those connected with public clinics, and, as we have been 

 advised, flagrantly so with a few private ones as well. So bold in some respects 

 in the latter had the unscrupuluous become, that reports have been formulated so 

 far in advance of the actual examination, by mutual consent, it has been said, 

 that the examination per se was really unnecessary. It has become common talk 

 amongst the help of a large concern in the city of New York, which maintains a 

 laboratory in conjunction with its other business, that a printed form, embodying 

 the results of an analysis, only requires the name of the patient and physician at- 

 tached to the specimen to make the examination complete. How true this is can 

 only be vouched for by those making the statements. 



But in short, it is such things as these, be the facts true or false, that cast im- 

 proper reflections upon legitimate laboratories, who endeavor to conduct an hon- 

 orable and highly professional business. Thus it behooves honest laboratories to 

 seek vindication ; and such vindication may be theirs in the license granted by the 

 health department, since it is next to impossible to get a permit to coriduct a labo- 

 ratory of this type in the city of New York, unless the standing of the laboratory, 

 its equipment and staff, is above reproach, and fully capable of properly perform- 

 ing all the various tests incumbent upon such laboratory. 



By virtue of the power now vested in the state and municipal health depart- 

 ments, an inspection of a laboratory can be made at any time. Its equipment, its 

 facilities, the personnel of its staff and qualifications, as well as records pertaining 

 to the examination of specimens from cases of communicable diseases; are all 

 subject to health inspection on demand. 



*Read at the Annual Meeting of the N. Y. S. P. A. 



