Status  of  Legislation. 
(Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
(    February,  1920. 
basis,  but  without  the  requirement  that  they  serve  longer  than  neces- 
sary for  organization.  Of  course,  the  details  must  be  more  thor- 
oughly developed,  but  the  opportunity  is  offered  pharmacy  to  es- 
tablish itself  in  the  Army  on  the  highest  possible  plane,  and  Dr. 
Ireland  is  very  willing  to  cooperate  with  pharmaceutical  leaders  to 
that  end. 
The  situation  in  the  Navy  at  this  time  is  as  follows :  The  Bureau 
of  Medicine  and  Surgery  is  entirely  in  harmony  with  the  principle 
represented  by  the  D arrow  Bill,  and  have  done  all  within  their 
provinces  to  advance  this  legislation.  Of  course,  it  is  understood 
that  naval  officials  cannot  personally  advocate  legislation,  but  can 
only  recommend  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  what  they  believe 
would  be  to  the  best  interests  of  their  Departments.  However, 
on  January  30th,  Dr.  Braisted,  the  Surgeon- General,  appeared  before 
the  House  Committee  on  Naval  Affairs  concerning  the  annual  ap- 
propriation, and  this  opportunity  was  taken  to  secure  his  testimony 
concerning  the  Darrow  Bill.  He  gave  the  members  of  the  committee 
his  hearty  endorsement  of  the  principles  involved  in  this  bill  and  ex- 
plained the  subject  in  detail.  Every  member  of  the  committee  had 
previously  been  interviewed  and  promised  to  give  it  their  careful 
consideration. 
The  Darrow  Bill  has  recently  been  submitted  to  the  Bureau  of 
Navigation,  which  must  pass  upon  all  suggestions  for  new  com- 
missions, and  some  opposition  has  been  encountered.  It  is  hoped 
that  this  may  be  overcome,  as  Dr.  Braisted  has  sent  a  comprehensive 
brief  to  Admiral  Washington,  Chief  of  the  Bureau  of  Navigation, 
setting  forth  the  importance  of  establishing  permanent  commissions 
in  the  Hospital  Corps,  and  presentations  have  been  made  by  others 
to  Admiral  Washington,  and  he  is  giving  the  matter  his  considera- 
tion. It  may  become  necessary  to  enlist  the  personal  interest  of 
every  Congressman  in  this  bill  and  pharmacists  of  the  country 
should  urgently  write  at  this  time  to  their  representatives  urging 
that  they  support  the  Darrow  Bill. 
In  a  conference  with  Admiral  Washington,  several  alterations 
in  the  original  draft  were  found  to  be  desirable,  but  these  can  readily 
be  incorporated  in  the  committee.  They  consisted  of  the  change  in 
rating  so  that  instead  of  Captain,  the  highest  rating  authorized 
would  be  Lieutenant  Commander.  It  was  also  suggested  that 
"required  sea  duty"  be  introduced  into  the  bill  and  also  that  it  be 
distinctly  indicated  that  the  Hospital  Corps  is  a  branch  of  the 
