EXECUTIVE ORaANIZATION 215 



tection of tlie health and lives of animals and men 

 upon the competency of the practitioners of both 

 classes. The detennination of this fitness is there- 

 fore a normal portion of the work of a health de- 

 partment. This is generally determined either by 

 the registering of a diploma from a recognized 

 school, or by an examination before a board. When 

 it is simply a registration of a diploma it is a 

 purely executive act, and needs no special organi- 

 zation. An examination is a quasi-judicial act, 

 though performed in an executive department. 

 Competent examiners are not generally such men 

 as are fitted for ordinary executive business. It 

 happens, therefore, that examiners are generally 

 chosen from the ranks of the profession into which 

 the applicant seeks admission. They must each 

 be a man of judicial temperament, and specially 

 qualified according to the most advanced knowl- 

 edge of some particular portion of professional 

 knowledge. A board of surgeons is not competent 

 to examine a man's knowledge of medicine; nor 

 one of eye specialists to decide as to a man's com- 

 petency in obstetrics. The board should there- 

 fore be made up so that each field of the practice 

 will be covered by some member who is well edu- 

 cated in that field. ( ^ § 30-38. ) 



Examiners should not be connected, either di- 

 rectly or indirectly, with an educational institu- 

 tion granting diplomas in that profession. Such 

 men, even when honest in intention, are inclined 

 to unduly favor certain schools. 



Examiners should be paid for their work for 

 the public good. This does not mean that they 

 should be paid large fees, but that they should 



