The Portland daily press., 1898-12-26
EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY.
DR.. ]. w. Bower Prefers Charges
Against Or. Rolt.
What Dr.. Bowers Charges and What DR..
Holt says-A Hearing To Be Given i'm
january.

At special meeting of the board of trus-
tees OF the Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary
Friday evening the secretary of the board
read a communication from DR.. John W.
Bowers, who for long time was assist
ant surgeon of the infirmary, preferring
charges against DR.. Holt. as manag er of
the institution.
These charges in a general way relate
to the conduct of charity cases that have
come to the institution. DR.. Bowers's
communication stated that the manager
of the institution had sent bills to or col
lecsed money from charity patients of the
| institution.
1t was learned Saturday night by re-
porter for the PRESS thar this communi-
cation from Dr. Bowers was brought be
! fore the board in the following manner.
The hoard of trustees or some members
| of that board had heard some charges
which DR.. Bowers had been making
against the management of the institu-
| ton and had notified him that If he had
any charges to prefer against the institu-
ceiye the attention of the board If made
in the proper form. At the special meet
! ing of the trustees held Friday night the
above mentioned communication from
| DIR. Bowers was presented. There were
present at this meeting besides DR.. Holt
and the secretary of the Institution the
following members of the board of trus.
/ ~ d ,nJ
| by, James +. Hawkes., Nj. P. Frank,
Charles Mccarthy, Jr., A. A. Montgom-
cry, I. P. Shaw and Ammi Whitney.
The board having heard the charges of
DR.. Bowers read decided that the charges
were not specific enough for the board
to take action upon and it was voted that
the secretary should notify DIR. Bowers
that he would be given until December
81 in which to formulate specific charges
The board also voted that if DR.. Bowers's
charges then preferred were of such
nature that they could be acted upon the
| board would give DR.. Holt, the manager
Of the institution week more to answer
them and the trustees would then give
| the matter thorough Investigation,
granting hearing to both parties.
The Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary is
fundamentally a charitable institution.
| People suffering with trouble from the
| eye or ear who reside in the state of
Maine are treated free of charge at the
institution. According to the bylaws
of the intirmary it is set down as one of
the rules Of the institution that when
person is treated at the institution who
has an income sufficient to meet the
charges for treatment, that person shall
be required to pay for such treatment. 1t
often happens at the intirmary that people
apply for treatment as charity patients
who are really able to pay for treatmena
and when this fact becomes known to the
officials of the infrmary it is their duty
to proceed to collect payment therefor.
Early in the afternoon a reporter called
| upon DR.. Bowers and asked him about
this matter but DR.. Bowers declined to
be interviewed.
DIR. HOLT'S STA TEMENT.
DR.. Holt when seen by reporter of the
PRESS admitted that charges of a gener-
al nature had been preferred against him
by DR.. Bowers, in substance that the
management had exacted payment OF
patients who were taken into the infirm-
airy primarily as charity patients and said
that the charges gave the names of no
persons nor specified dates ana reply
could not be specifically made until DR..
Bowers replied to the communications
sent him by the board of trustees for the
additional information.
..Dr. Holt referred to the rules governing
the institution and pointed out the para
graph which required payment in full
| from all patients who had the necessary
| means
At the meeting of the trustees DR.. Holt
filed a general reply to the charge of DR..
Bowers reoiting the history of the latter's
connection with the institution detailing
the nositians he had held at various times