Executive Order 1420

By virtue of the authority vested in me, I hereby establish the following order for the Canal Zone:

Section 1. It shall be unlawful for any person to practise or attempt to practise medicine, surgery, dentistry, pharmacy or midwifery within the Canal Zone without first having obtained a license therefor from the Board of Health of the Canal Zone. Any person thus offending shall be punished by a fine not exceeding Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00), or by imprisonment in jail not exceeding thirty (30) days, or by both such fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court; provided that this order shall not apply to commissioned surgeons of the United States Army and Navy, or Marine Hospital Service, nor to physicians, surgeons, dentists or pharmacists and their assistants and nurses employed by the Isthmian Canal Commission, nor to nurses acting under the orders of a licensed physician.

Sec. 2. Any person shall be regarded as practising medicine within the meaning of this order who shall prescribe for, operate on, or in any wise attempt to heal, cure or alleviate, or who shall in any wise treat any disease or any physical or mental ailment of another; provided that nothing in this order shall be construed to prohibit gratuitous services in case of emergency, or to the administering of ordinary household remedies.

Sec. 3. This order shall take effect sixty (60) days from and after this date.

Wm. H. Taft.

The White House,

October 14, 1911.