Evening journal., 1893-04-28
SICK AND TAKEN IN.
HELPLESS HOTEL GUESTS FLEEcEo
BY BIG DOCTORS FEES.

Chicago Arc In League with Conscience
less Members of the Medical Profession
TO Extort Money.
Every large hotel in the city nowadays
pas a physician resident in the building.
His presence in the hotel is one Of the
proofs Of the completeness Of the modern
hostelry, SO far as the provision and com
fort of the guest is concersed. The idea
of having a doctor within instant call is
beyond all question an excellent enc, 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 20 levy extortionate
charges for the treatment of guests who
have been luczless enough to fall i'll
among strangers.
Complaint is made that far from being
a blessing to the guest, the ease with
which medical attendance can be secured
has In such cases become a source Of
genuine dread to visitors TO the big city
who have to stop at hotels. The guests
fear even a trihing illness while in the
hotel, because if they make the fact
they viii 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 a prominent con-
sulting physician.
"When was taken sick at the hotel
the other night, - one Of the complainants
said, Il asked the head clerk to send me
DR.. s."
CDR. ST." said the clerk in seeming
astonishment. 81 never heard Of him.
But we have a competent physician in
the hotel whom l viii send to your
room"
The hotel doctor did 60 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 il. Subsequent investigation
made it 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 a very
long time. and that guests submitted to
1t rather than have a.ly wrangle at the
clerks desk over charges, a thing that
self respecting persons naturally dread
and viii avoid even where the charge is
manifest imposition. The abuse has
recently attracted the attention Of the
professionals, who do not practice in ho-
tells, and has evoked an earnest protest
and a 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
bilihes, would be shocked if the whole
story Of the relations of doctors TO hotels
We're written. There is a fashionable
hostelry in this town where the hotel
doctor charges 81 a visit, and there is the
best reason for believing that the hust
ling landlord gets 81 Of it. It is stated
on good authority that in many hotel.
the official doctor is obliged to give NJ
from one-hfth to one-third of his charges
to the business management People
who are taken III in hotels must have 4
doctor and are not disposed to question
about terms. They do not find out wha
these are until they settle the bill, ans
then expostulation is too late"
It is only just to say that all the hote
physicians are not parties to this mooI
sort of swindling. Many of them ar
physicians Of high reputo who live at th
hotels and pay for their board and lodg
ings the same as any other guests an,
have a regular and legitimate schedul
Of charges based upon the market valu
Of their professional services. In case
where there is a 'divvy" between th
doctor and the hotel the physician get
his lodgings and board at reduced rats
He is appointed by the hotel proprietor
and he excuses the high fee on the pie
that he has to charge more than his res
ular rate in order TO make good the bonu
to the proprietor This bonus is d'
manded for the privilege Of practicing i
the hotel.
ilAo aUAnN - Nh0AHl Al NtAAAAHilW AAANl
it is in New York, a prominent ph.
sician said.
"The bonus system is certainly an on
rage on the travelling public" sand al
other physician, ''but at the same tin
the hotel doctor should not shoulder q
entire blame for it. The responsbihi
rests with the hotel proprietor who
mean enough to look for gain from Il
sickness of one Of his patrons. 1t is n
using very strong language to call th
barbarism. Hotel proprietors who fav
the fleeing Of the sick in their establis
menta ought to be tabooed by evory no
orable and self respecting man and W
man. If guests were to stay away fro
such hotels. the bonus system would
quickly suppressed. New York sun.
No Blood Shed AFTER al.