The Portland daily press., 1899-01-24


here full names and addresses. In con-
nectIon with this case, beg leave to read
letter from DIR. G. L. Randell Of Wal
doboro, Maine.
Waldobro. Me-, Dec. %, 1858.
| DR.. j. W. Bowers,
Dear sir-I noticed in the Daily Argus
of yesterday. an account Of your charges
against DIR. Holt l write you Of n casa
l sent to tho lnfrmaTy. and you are at
liberty so use the facts according to your
| Judgment
In September, 1897, wrote to DIR. Holt
! that the patient had no funds, but needed
an operation ON his eye. DIR. Holt replied
| by saying: "Send him along, and ho
! shall be treated as a charity patient
| His friends contributed purse to defray
travelling expenses and to pay Tor glasses,
medicine, etc. lie went and was charged
full fees. He paid most Of the bill from
his friends contribution,
| In November, 1897, about the middle OF
the month, think, he had to go back for
"a second operation. He had no money 60
pay his way, and in order that he might
secure the best possible results loaned
him twenty-five dollars from my own
| pocket he paid all bills as far as his
| money would go, and after his last re-
turn, he received letter from an at
torney, Frank g. Robbins, Esq, dated
| heb. 24th. 1898, demanding the prompt
amounting TO seventeen dollars ana six
/ ty-fiye cents He has no funds with
which TO pay, nor have | ever received
any pay for what l loaned MIN. The pa
TENTS nanls was A. S.. He Is a
very worthy but poor man, and certainly
needs charity.
Respectfully,
&. l.. kANDELL, NJ. ID.
| felt sure this bill, not being for even
dollars, was not Doctors bill, I wrote
him Immediately, that If he examined
the h.li carefully, felt sure he would
ind the bill was for board, which at pres
ent all patients arc expected to pay, be-
cause there is no fund out of which the
board Of patients can be paid
4 few days later, received this letter
/ from DE-. RaGdell:
Dear Doctor-Yuurs received ann !
have made due enquiry regarding the bill
against A. s.. ] am satisfied that
the bill was only for board at the hos
pital. His friends had supposed that
board as well as operation would be free,
! but they viii now feel satisfied by learn
ing that all are expected to pay the board
| bills.
Respectfully,
g. l.. RANDELL.
It seems only fair to quote one case to
show the ense with which mistakes may
arise AT the same time such mistakes
are not TO the credit Of the Institution,
and believe they would not SC CONSTANT
~ occur, were it not for the Widespread
suspicion regarding the lrdrm-
airy methods. Here was medical
man who had taken the trouble
10 write FOR Information. lie had in
terested himself enough to lend the pa
tient money. The result was misunder-
standing and suspicion. In reply to all
such letters, printed circular should be
mailed from the oflice of the Iniirmary,
stating the price of beard, and that all
medical and surgical services are rendered
with out charge.
| Case "B" is that of Mrs. c. =
of SacO. she was admitted TO the In
Urinary in April, 1926. Several months
after her return home, she received Dr.
Hclt's personal bill for one hundred dol.
lars. i have here tho original bill. and
| Also two others which were sent TO her
during the period OF thirteen months.
The two later bills were enclosed in dun
ming letters. which are here, but win not
|
and in fact, all Others, which l shall
present here tonight, are made out upon
printed bill heads, identical with those
which DR.. Holt uses for his private prac-
tice My attention was first called TO this
case by DIR. Il. ID. ON ell of Biddeford.
l requested him TO send me "a copy of bill.
he did so, aud his letter is SO interesting
| ha,. int of via hat fch
read it in full
Biddeford, Nov 3, 1897.
| John W. Bowers, 81. D.,
Dear Sir-Enclosed please lind an exact
copy of the bill sent Mrs. 7 by DIR.
| holt she also showed me personal let
ter from him, asking her To write the
representatives from this district stating
the charitable work done for her. Later
she received this bill. She told me she
Registered at the hospital; he called ON
her fourteen times, and the other visits
were by Dr. Clough.
Respectfully yours.
K. ID. O'NEIL.
This ey ldenoe would seem to indicate
that Mrs l. was charity patient up
To the converting of the Legislature,
AfCer that however, DR., Holt seems to
have considered her his private patient.
1 have taken considerable trouble to look.
into thiA casa. and i believe the perse9ut-
ing OF this old lady with bills for hun
dred dollars or for any other amount, is
to Say the least. tremendous injustice
Case {" illustrates another phase of
the Iuirinary work. In August. 1896,
Mr.. F. N called at the hospital
and asked 10: free treatment. The clinic
was not omen and Ia was told To 90 In
Dr. Hollis office. He stated that he had
applied at the InHrmary for free treat
ment, and that he was Unable to pay.
DR.. Holt agreed to treat him at his Office
without charge. Later he received bill
for twenty -four dollars. The patient
came 10 my office to make complaint.
He left the bill with me, and give you
the facts as they We're stated to mo.
Case 90, Miss A. H. of Bar
MI. II I..rN