New-York tribune., 1900-07-11
BROOKLYN NEWS.
NOVEL ENTERPRISE SUSPENDS.
WOERNER MEDICAL SOCIETY GOES lo
PIECES PHYSICIANS COMPETITION
TOO KEEN.

A novel enterprise in Brooklyn known as the
Woerner Medical Society, has gone to pieces 1t
was for six months in the Jefferson Building
in Court Square and for 10 cents, paid weekly in
advance, agreed to furnish medical treatment to
each member. story published yesterday
afternoon to the effect that the society had been
taking in about 5000 week, that the subscribers
would not realize on their little investments, and
that the Whereabouts Of Henry Hyams IT. the
son of Henry Hyams. the auctioneer, of No. ld
Court-st, and the president of the society, could
not be learned. The offices were deserted
Henry Hyams. jr found at his home in
Safest. near Bond last evening by Tribune re
porter. and said he president of the society
eight months and till six weeks ago. when he re-
signed His resignation due to the fact that
the society owed him $1,000 which he had advanced
for expenses. and he didn't wish to sink any more
money in the speculation.
We didn't beat anybody said Mr.. Hyams. "All
our bills paid up, rent, clerk hire doctors and
the rest. There were no collections made this last
week and nobody has any reason to complain we
furnished medical treatment 10 families for lO
cents week There was no initiation fee so long
as a person paid 10 cents week his entire family
would be entitled TO ordinary medical attendance
at the hands of licensed physicians We mapped cut
about a dozen districts in South Brooklyn, East
NewYork and the Eastern District, each covering
of about fourteen blocks. In each dl5lrlit
a solicitor would give receipt for the 10 cents le-
ceived for the first week. That receipt would be
turned in at the jefferson Building and cara
would be given to the member bearing the iaIhe OF
a doctor who could be summoned several times a
day if necessary. There were thirteen doctors Tor
thirteen districts, who paid 81 for each lame
They were paid monthly. and several resigned from
time to time because they said the work was too
much for them. In seven months sixteen doctors
resigned one after the other, and started societies
of their own. They had been able to make ac-
quantances through their connection with the So
Cfety and build up a practice on a small scale;
They did have the expenses of the society $nd
could appropriate the s. 20 year at the rate OF ~
cents a week to themselves.
Il went into this enterprise when it was brought
aft anti IN O0 he
so small amount as 10 cents week would be
a hundred per cent. In other words, that the 10
would always be forthcoming, but the GolIec5
tions only amounted to 30 per cent. We allowed
people to run along four weeks without paying any,
thing and if they fell sick and paid up on the
fifth week they could have medical attendance. We
did not make any amount of money, because out OF
about four thousand persons on our books when l
resigned there not five hundred who were
paying up according to agreement. Here is a
statement for week showing collections. S1O4 80.
and expenses, $40 IS.
We figured that if every member STAYED year
would make 81 year on each member. The
solicitor got the first - cents paid in. We got
nothing for the first eight weeks. The society went
10 pieces because the doctors dropped out and
started societies of their Every debt, how
has haeo r,ai5