The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-08
DOCTORS AT WAR
City and County Authorities In
a Controversy
Concerning Treatment Of In
digent Cases of Sickness.
INVALIDS NEGLECTED
While Physicians Discuss Ex-
tent Of Their Duties.
County Seems Determined to
Force Issue on City.
NVALIDS NEGLECTED

The controversy concerning the obli-
cations of the county and city physi-
clans in the treatment of INDECENT cases
shows no signs of settlement. On the
contrary it has been augmented by an
incident which transpired last night.
Several weeks ago the county COM
mlssIoners, the county physician, the
county attorney city physician and the
poor commissioner called upon the at
torney general 1t was agreed that the
county physician should care for all
pauper cases except contagious and in
fect1ouS diseases in the city, these latter
cases to be cared for by the city ply ST.
cian- This was a. definite understanding,
but the county commissioners are
charged with evading the agreement.
Last night the police telephOned to
DR.. Hogeboom, city physician, that
there was a sick man at the Rock ISL
and depot who needed attention at once.
DR. Bogeboom declined to attend the
case, and told the police that they
should call DR.. Ellinger, the county
physician.
DIR. Ellinger refused to attend the case
unless he had an order from the poor
commissioner The order could not be
obtained, and the sick man was left in
the depot.
This is not the first case where suf-
fererS were neglected because of the dis
agreement between the city and the
county as to who should take care of
sick people who chance to be in the city.
If the police find a person in immedi
ate need of medical attention and call
upon the county physician he will tell
them that he can not visit the patient
until he has a letter from Mr.. Hale,
the poor commissioner. Dr. Hogeboom,
the city physician, has received orders
that he shall attend only cases at the
police station and contagious diseases
in the city, and he is not obliged TO call
on other cases. This is the way the
matter stands.
Several weeks ago a young man on
South Quincy street was shot. The
county physician would not attend him
because he is not required to make calls
of that kind according to his contract
with the county. The young man sat in
a dirty room in the house in which he
lived with the wound in his leg unat-
tended for fifteen hours. Then City
Physician Hogeboom called to see him.
He could do nothing for the young man
there and ordered him taken to Christ
hospital saying he would try and get
the county to pay the bill.
DR.. Hogeboom then saw MIR. Hale,
who said that the county would not pay
the bill, and Mr.. Hale would not order
the county physician to attend the case.
The young man was treated at the hos
pital and the bill Of $50, for three weeks,
was presented to the county commits
sioners. They refused to pay it.
1t seems that the two commissioners
who represent the county are trying to
throw all the expense of taking care OF
such cases on the city, and the COM
missioner from the city is unable to
protect the city, which pays fve-sev-
enths of the county tax and yet IS COM
PEELED to take care Of the county poor at
its own expense
The county commissioners have or
dered the county physician not to make
a call except to the poor farm, WITH
out an order from Poor Commissioner
Hale. They have a Spec1ned contract
with the county physician as to his
duties, and pay him $25 per month
Every one interested is compelled to
get an order from Mr. Hale TO the
county physician before case can be
attended to- and then the commissioners
will not allow bills for the cases.
The two cases which have been men
toned are only incidents Similar cases
occur almost daily.
While the county and city officials are
ouarreling over their respective obl1ga-
tions which exist, the sick people con-
tinue in their distress, neglected and
unattended
IN speaking of the matter this morn
ing Mayor Drew said: 1T is time that
something was done. do not know
what to think of the county coInnls-
sioners; they do not seem inclined to
act fairly. The city pays its tax will
ingly and the commissioners should see
that the emergency cases are taken care
Of They have made no proVlslon ior TAX
ing care of the cases, but on the con-
trary, seem to do all they can to AVOID
the care of poor cases and try to throw
the cost on the city.
IF the county will turn over the
money the city pays for this purpose
pe will gladly undertake to care Tor
all the poor sick in the city, but we can
not be expected to do so and at the
same time pay our money Tor Chat puf-
pose to the county.
Il have had to pay money out of my
own pocket time and again for the poor
people the police have picked up at the
4 cfa T
it because I can not afford It
1.-THE commissioners agreed with the
city attorney and the city physician
that they would take care OF all cases
Of sickness in the city except contag-
ious and infectious diseases II they
would live up to this we would pc satls-
fed. But they make no PROVISION Tor
the care of emergency cases suppose
man comes in on one of the trains at
night in a dangerous condition Ine case
is at once reported to the police ana
they are supposed to take care OF them.
1t is impossible to find Mr. Hale and get
an order from him to the county phy-
stefan, and that is what they require.
There are a number OF cases tnat
might be cited in the city where the
commissioners seem to be derelct IN
their duties in this respect"
DR.. Hogeboom said: I think the
commissioners are acting in a very
shabby manner and I can not under
stand why they do so, considering the
fact that they agreed to attend TO all
the cases except contagious and infect
ious diseases In the case last night at
the Rock Island station DR. Ellinger
went to see the case, but not until he
was paid for it. I think that something
should be done to settle the matter at
once. have been doing the work for
the county in cases which come up IN
the city and have finally decided that
would do it no more. City Attorney
Bird and the attorney general have told
me what I must do and they have in
structed the commissioners IN their
share Of the work. but the commission
ers seem inclined to avoid their part of
it. ! do not think it IS the fault of the
commissioner who represents the city,
but the other commissioners appear to
think that the more expense they can
put on the city the better
Neither the mayor. DR.. Hogeboom or
any of the city officers blame the county