Cost of X-Rays for Federal Employees With the Weather Bureau

The Acting Secretary of Commerce requested GAO's decision as to whether or not the Weather Bureau may in cases where the facilities of the Public Health Service are not available, pay for the cost of X-rays required of its employees before assignment to Alaska.

Since it is important to determine whether a prospective employee assigned to Alaska is free of tuberculosis in order to guard against spread of turberculosis among the Eskimos, it would appear that the use of X-rays for such purposes may be considered as a medical examination primarily for the benefit of the Government. Accordingly, the cost of such X-ray examinations may be charged to the applicable appropriation of the Weather Bureau where the facilities of the Public Health Service are not available.