The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1893-04-19
SICK AND TAKEN IN.
HELPLESS HOTEL GUESTS FLEEcEp
BY BIG DOCTORS, FEES.


Many Hotels In the Big Metropolis and In
Chicago Are In League With Conscience
less Members of the Medical Profession
to Extort Money.
Every large hotel in the city nowadays
has physician resident in the building.
His presence in the hotel is one Of the
proofs of the complet Yess of the modern
hostelry, SO far as the provision and COM
fort of the guest is concerned. The idea
Of having doctor within instant call is
beyond all question an excellent one, but
It seems that it has Of late been subject
to grave abuse. The fact has got out
that some of the hotel physicians make
use of their position to levy extortionate
charges for the treatment Of guests who
have been luckless enough to fall i'll
among strangers.
Complaint is made that far from being
blessing to the guest, the ease with
which medical attendance can be secured
has in such cases become a source oil
genuine dread to visitors to the big city
who have to stop at hotels. The guests
fear even a trifiing illness while in the
hotel. because if they make the fact
known that they want to see doctor
they will be charged fee out of all pro-
portion to the service rendered by the
doctor, whose chief claim to patronage
is that he is "always near at hand"
Complaint has been made against the
doctors charges in two of the best known
hotels in the town to prominent con-
sulting physician.
when l was taken sick at the hotel
the other night" one of the compliments
said, ~ asked the head clerk to send me
DR.. S."
"Dr. S.p' said the clerk in seeming
establishment. 81 never heard Of him.
But we have competent physician in
the hotel whom I will send to your
room"
The hotel doctor did go to the room in
response to the request of the clerk. He
made several visits during the night, al
though the guests didn't want and didn't
need more than one visit. A fee Of $40
was charged in the bill, and the guests
had to pay it. Subsequent investigation
made II clear that the reason for this
high fee was that the hotel physician
had made an arrangement with the ho-
tel proprietor by which the latter got
third Of this big fee. The guests also
learned that this sharing Of the fee had
been the custom at the hotel for very
long time, and that guests submitted to
1t rather than have any wrangle at the
clerks desk over charges, thing that
self respecting persons naturally dread
and will avoid even where the charge is
a manifest imposition. The abuse has
recently attracted the attention Of the
professionals, who do not practice in no.
tells, and has evoked an earnest protest
and demand for reform.
The Medical Record, under the head
ing Doctors and Hotels" handles the
subject in this vigorous style:
every person of sensitive morals, and
good many with only every day sensi-
bilities, would be shocked If the whole
story of the relations Of doctors to hotels
were written. There Is fashionable
hosiery in this town where the hotel
doctor charges 81 a visit, and there Is the
best reason for believing that the hust-
~, oood o,,tbo,itv that IN MANY botals
tha off,c;al doctor IA obliged 70 Give ,,T
from one-fiftb 10 one-third az his Charges
a. tho h,sinoss monooon,an+ poonlo
who are taken III in hotels must have !
doctor and are NOT d;snosea To nuest;on
about terms THEW do not And ont chat
thesa ara mt, tbey settle tba hi, ana
then a~nostnlation "a FOO late '
IA "a nnlv inst 10 saw that nj, tho bote,
nbvsic;ans are NOT nsrties 70 this mean
sort ~ awind,;ng Manv ~ them ar, ore
nhvs,c;ans Of b;gb rennte who live at tbe
botels and nav for tbe;r hoara and loag.
ings tba same No onv other orests and
have q regular and ieoit;,nate schea,,Ie
of charges based unon fh ,a,, mar,et yalue
of their professional services In case,
where there ia q .d;vvvo hetween tb,
doctor and the hotel The nbvs;c;an oct,
He "a annointad nv tba hotel nronriator
and he excuses the high fee on the plea