Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1893-07-20
:. 7. aREENwEEI's LETTER


Cumberland Independent
Although sufficient may already
have been sand. through the col
umns of The Independent to con-
vince W. NJ. B that the physicians
are justified in the stand they have
taken, still, desiring to give the
subject more publicity and wishing
to add few other facts for his and
the consideration of the public, |
beg leave through the columns of
your widely read paper to reply TO
the only one of the questions which
is pertinent to the physicians and
the present situation.
What reason has the association
of doctors for their conduct -
The reason is twofold one.
First, the just pride of the physi-
clans in maintaining their person
al respect and in resenting insults
offered by the directors. Second
ly, the performance of duty which
requires them to uphold the digni-
ty of their profession and preserve
their own reputation.
On Nov. 3rd last, |, in coniunc-
ton with all of the physicians of
the city, received from the secreta-
ry of the board of directors a polite
invitation to meet at the Home and
Infrmary to confer with commit
tee in the interests of the institu-
tion. Eight of ephysicians gath
cred there at the appointed time
and met two, Mrs. Randolph and
Mr.. J. A. McHenry, who repre-.
sented themselves as a committee
from the board of directors and en-
powered to stipulate with us for
whatever they desired.
This committee asked that the
physicians would organize, draw up
and present to the directors the
conditions under which they would
be willing to take full charge of the
charity cases to be entered Mt the
Home and Infirmary. But the sus-
picions of the physicians had been
aroused by a statement in the Even
ing Times that Surgeon-in- Chief
had been appointed and although
this statement had been repeatedly
denied by individual members of
the board the physicians thought
proper to inquire of the committee
before taking the steps requested.
DIR. Carpenter put the question,
and unless my memory deceives me
these are very much the words he
used : "Have you, Ito the commit
tee representing the board of direc-
tors), taken any acti9n which may
in any way conflict with the action
which we are about to take ?" They
assured US that they had not, that
they had done nothing towards sup
plying the institution with medical
service. Upon which representa-
ton the physicians proceeded to
state to the directors the conditions
previously published in both the
Independent and the News in the
form of resolutions) under which
they would assume the responsible
ity.
Now if the statement in the Times,
at that time, and since, and the ad-
mission of some of the directors be
true, they had some time before
that appointed a certain young
physician as Surgeon-in-C Chief, and
if | am truthfully informed, and if
| am not shall be glad to be cor
rected. he had been wired of his ap-
pointment and a contract sent for
him to sign, which, however, | am
further informed he never received,
having left to accept the appoint
ment before it reached him.
IL the stipulation with us to per-
form certain services already placed
in the hands of another, was not a
trifling piece of business unworthy
of the managers of a State institu-
ton and sufficient to arouse the in
dignation Of any class of self res
pecting men, then / cannot see how
some persons form their judgments.
That the directors should appoint
any physician Surgeon-in-Chief, and
especially without the full consent
of the profession here, was a gross
insult to the physicians. For what
did such a course mean : As the
Surgeon-in-Chief should have full
charge over all charity surgical
cases and such as are paid for by
public appropriation, and as he was
SO situated hers, without any Of the
assistants usually found in hospi-