B-110665, JULY 25, 1952, 32 COMP. GEN. 52
Highlights
1952: REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF JULY 9. ON WHICH DAYS THE EMPLOYEE WAS ASSIGNED TO MAKE AERIAL CONSERVATION SURVEYS. IT IS STATED THAT THE USE OF SUCH PILLS REDUCED OR PREVENTED THE PROBABILITY OF AIR SICKNESS AND THUS INCREASED THE EMPLOYEE'S TIME IN THE AIR RESULTING IN QUICKER AND MORE EFFICIENT COMPLETION OF HIS DUTY ASSIGNMENTS WHICH WERE CONDUCTED FROM HIS HEADQUARTERS. IT WAS HELD. QUOTING FROM THE SYLLABUS: THE PURCHASE OF DRUGS AND THEIR ADMINISTRATION BY A PRIVATE PHYSICIAN TO WEATHER BUREAU EMPLOYEES AS AN IMMEDIATE PREVENTIVE MEASURE AFTER THE EMPLOYEES WERE EXPOSED IN THE LINE OF DUTY TO SPINAL MENINGITIS. THE PURCHASE OF THE MOTION SICKNESS PILLS IN THE STATED CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE GOVERNMENT AND PAYMENT THEREFOR FROM AVAILABLE FUNDS WOULD BE PROPER.
B-110665, JULY 25, 1952, 32 COMP. GEN. 52
MEDICAL TREATMENT - PRIVATE - PREVENTIVE TREATMENT FOR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES - MOTION SICKNESS PILLS THE PURCHASE BY AN EMPLOYEE ASSIGNED TO MAKE AERIAL CONSERVATION SURVEYS OF MOTION SICKNESS PILLS FOR THE PREVENTION OF AIR SICKNESS MAY BE REGARDED AS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE GOVERNMENT SO AS TO JUSTIFY REIMBURSEMENT FOR SUCH PURCHASE FROM APPROPRIATE FUNDS.
ACTING COMPTROLLER GENERAL YATES TO R. E. KENNARD, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, JULY 25, 1952:
REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF JULY 9, 1952, REQUESTING DECISION WHETHER YOU MAY CERTIFY FOR PAYMENT, THE VOUCHER THEREWITH TRANSMITTED IN THE AMOUNT OF $3 IN FAVOR OF MARVIN T. BEATTY, SOIL SCIENTIST, COVERING MOTION SICKNESS PILLS PURCHASED MAY 5, 12, AND 14, 1952, ON WHICH DAYS THE EMPLOYEE WAS ASSIGNED TO MAKE AERIAL CONSERVATION SURVEYS. IT IS STATED THAT THE USE OF SUCH PILLS REDUCED OR PREVENTED THE PROBABILITY OF AIR SICKNESS AND THUS INCREASED THE EMPLOYEE'S TIME IN THE AIR RESULTING IN QUICKER AND MORE EFFICIENT COMPLETION OF HIS DUTY ASSIGNMENTS WHICH WERE CONDUCTED FROM HIS HEADQUARTERS--- HE NOT BEING IN A PER DIEM OR TRAVEL STATUS AT THE TIME, AND THE EXPENDITURE BEING ADMINISTRATIVELY DEEMED IN THE NATURE OF A STATION EXPENSE.
IN 23 COMP. GEN. 888, REFERRED TO BY YOU, IT WAS HELD, QUOTING FROM THE SYLLABUS:
THE PURCHASE OF DRUGS AND THEIR ADMINISTRATION BY A PRIVATE PHYSICIAN TO WEATHER BUREAU EMPLOYEES AS AN IMMEDIATE PREVENTIVE MEASURE AFTER THE EMPLOYEES WERE EXPOSED IN THE LINE OF DUTY TO SPINAL MENINGITIS, EPIDEMIC VARIETY, AND IN ORDER TO OBVIATE THE POSSIBILITY OF THE EMPLOYEES BEING QUARANTINED AND THE RESULTANT CLOSING OF THE STATION, MAY BE CONSIDERED AS HAVING BEEN NECESSARY FROM AN ADMINISTRATIVE STANDPOINT AND PRIMARILY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE GOVERNMENT, RATHER THAN THE EMPLOYEES, SO AS TO JUSTIFY PAYMENT OF THE EXPENSES THEREOF FROM THE BUREAU'S APPROPRIATION FOR SALARIES AND EXPENSES.
IN LIGHT OF THE FOREGOING DECISION AND PRIOR DECISIONS THEREIN CITED, THE PURCHASE OF THE MOTION SICKNESS PILLS IN THE STATED CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE GOVERNMENT AND PAYMENT THEREFOR FROM AVAILABLE FUNDS WOULD BE PROPER.
THE ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED VOUCHER, WHICH IS RETURNED HEREWITH, MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT IN THE ABSENCE OF OTHER OBJECTION.