Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-18
D r. K E R R ST. lex S
Declines to Resign, Although Requested
by the Board of Directors.
What n Prominent Physician Says
in Regard to the Emergency
Hospital Scandal.

The situation at Emergency Hospital re-
specting the fight of the board Of directors
and attending staff to get rid Of DR.. James
Kerr has developed nothing new within the
past few days. Indeed, since the board of
directors by a vote of 1S to called upon
DR.. Kerr for his resignation, the situation
has remained practically where 1t was when
the attending staff asked the same thing.
DR.. Kerr paid no attention to that request,
and has not up to this time indicated what
he intended to do The case has attracted
| widespread interest, and has been the sub
ject of much unfavorable comment by the
medical profession. A well-known and
much respected physician Of this city, in
conversation with several members of the
Medical Society, said, in commenting upon
the case:
This Emergency Hospital scandal for
that Is what 1t has become) is enc Of the
most remarkable exhibitions ever known in
medical politics in this city, and is watched
with great interest by the profession. Med
ical men have always claimed for their
profession high code of ethics and a free
dom from methods of politicians. Ply
sicians have always been quick to resign
any position, no matter how desirable. up
on the slightest intimation of their col
leagues that such action was desired, and
have considered 1t an essential point Of
honor to do SO. Here, however, is a man
occupying an important position. asked
politely by the staff of which he is mem
Der to resign. He takes absolutely no notice
of the request. The staff asks the board OF
directors to relieve them of his unwelcome
presence. He attempts to reconstruct the
board, and succeeds by sharp practice Of
ward politics, through technicalities Of
law, in ousting several of the most faithful
and oldest members of the board, and re-
placing them by those whose votes he was
sure of controlling. Several of his APP
pointee5. however, were not willing to serve
when the political methods became known
to them. by which they had been foisted
upon the board of directors. and they re-
signed.
The board Immediately filled their places
with old members who had been so unjust
ly deposed, and whose loss from the board
was a serious blow to the hospital. Still
two three Of DR.. kerr's newly elected
retainers remain. In spite of this the
board Of directors asks his resignation by
vote of IS to 4, and three Of those voting
in DIR. KerrS favor were men, / have
said. foisted upon the board by a political
trick. Although asked to resign by the
entire staff, and by nearly the whole board
he still declines to do SO. and charges con-
spiracy You all knew what that amounts
to. By far the most absurd part Of the
whole proceeding is the attempt to create
the impression that DR.. Kerr is the only
surgeon in Washington who is capable of
filling the position, and the assumption by
him Of the title Of surgeon-in-chief He
is simply one of the staff, and is no more
entitled to the name of surgeon-in-chief
naecologist-in-chef, laryngologtst-in-
chief. paedatricistin-chief &c. Nor are
his services of any more Importance and
value than those Of the other members Of
the staff. The attempts that have been
made systematically for years by DR.. Kerr's
friends to beittle other surgeons of Wash
!ngton are extremely reprehensble 1t has
been said that this fight is a fight of
Georgetown College upon DR.. Kerr because
at the time 1t began he was clinical pro-
lessor In Columbian University. There is
no truth in that statement. 1t seems very
clear to me that the fight is Emergency
Hospital against DR.. Kerr The staff and
their belief that 1t would be best for the
hospital for DR.. Kerr to go. Dr. Kerr has
plainly intimated that it Is best for his
own personal interests that he remain and
he remains. There's the whole story Dis
sect 1t as you please; discuss from any
standpoint, and the result Will be the
same"