Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-24
T HE EOICAL SIDE
Further Statements Regarding the Hos
pital Controversy.
Why DIR. King Resfgned-The Superin~
tendent of Charities May Make
an Investigation.

According to the statements of the
friends OF the medical board OF the CO.
lumbia Hospital there promise to be some
sensational developments in the future,
and 1t IL expected that the superintendent
of charities will investigate the trouble
between the medical board and the lay
officers. Some time ago. when matters
almost reached a crisis in the board Of d.
rectors, it is asserted that the superin-
tendent Of charities stepped in as media
ter, and It was thought his intercession
would quiet the disturbance But IT cropped
out again. At one session of the hospital
committee there was a war Of words. it is
stated, and the lie was passed. The medi-
cal staff feels eEgrieved. The members. IL
is said. DO not believe they have been
fairly treated, and claim that the medical
fraternity all over the city support them
in their contention for what they term the
good of the patients entrusted to their
care.
1t was stated today by one who is In
position to know that the action OF the
executive committee in refusing to -enom-
mate DR.. Scott was for the purpose of get
ting rid of the other members of the STAN
who had opposed the lay board.
What Col. Tracey Says.
This morning a reporter of The Star call
ed upon the superintendent of charities to
learn something of his participation in the
case. COL Tracey was not disposed to dis
cuss the matter. 1t was true, he said, that
there had been some internal dissension,
but he thought everything would be annie
ably settled. OF course he had looked into
the trouble as an interested official and
would further prosecute his INQUIRIES
Trouble between the medical and lay boards
of hospitals was constantly arising, ana IL
was high time that something was done.
Col. Tracey said that he was strongly IN
favor of some definite action being taken
and referred to his last annual report
which under the caption Medical and Lay
Boards said:
..There is apparent need in medical estab-
iishments having layme1 as members OF
boards of direction for a more distinct line
of demarcation between medical ana gen
eral administrative control. AS a rule,
professional questions should he determined
ty professional men, and the medical STAINS
should settle the incumbeacies OF medical
positions and the Distribution OF profess
SIGNAL duties between them"
DIR. A. F. A. King was seen at his office, on
Massachusetts avenue, this afternoon by
reporter of The Star. When asked con-
corning his resignation from Columbia Hos
pital, and the reasons for the same, he said:
Primarily. resigned because the board OF
directors refused to re-elect DIR. j. Foster
Scott, because of his opposition to the APP
pointment of Mr.. Smiths son as chief Of the
dspensary service
The action of the executive committee in
appointing this young gentleman to a su-
examination, and without the medical staff
having any evidence Of his professional
qualifications. against which action the
medical staff had formally officially pro-
tested, was arbitrary, despotic, unwise and
contrary to the best interests Of the insti-
tuition.
Tho appointment of young Smith was ap-
parently in obedience to the nepotic ambi-
ton of the ruling chief. Since j have been
connected with Columbia Hospital members
OF the resident staff have all been appoint
ed after competitive examination to
demonstrate their qualifica tons. this be-
ing necessary to exclude incompetent ap-
plicants.
The Columbia Hospital is in the hands
of ring, which runs things to suit itself.
and while I fully realize the indi:ynIty and
humiliation to which the medical staff have
been subjected by the arbitrary proceed
ings of this committee i chiefly object to
the interests of the hospital being made
secondary to the interests of the individuals
composing the executive committee, as in
stanced in the case of insisting upon the
appointment Of the son of the chairman
Of the executive committee, which has
been the cause of the entire trouble