The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-04-24
LARGE PROFESSIONAL FEES.

The recent statement that the Philadel-
phia physician who attended the late Sena-
tor Christopher l.. Magee in his last i'll
ness had filed a bill against his estate for
$4,000 has caused a good deal of surprise.
Judged by ordinary standards the charge
seems excessive, even in these days OF big
professional fees. 1t must be remembered.
however, that conditions have changed
very much from the old day of small
things when good lawyers thought 500 a
large fee and good doctors were satisfied
with the regulation rule of so much for
each visit or prescription. 1t would hardly
be safe nowadays to fix the maximum of
lawyers fees, while the doctors of to-day
charge more for a brief examination or
consultation than their grandfathers used
to earn in a year, and the circuit-riding
lawyers and saddle-bag doctors of fifty
years ago were very able men in their day,
too. But some of the practitioners of to-
day are much more highly educated. and
their education must be paid for. This is an
age of specialists, both i'm law and medi-
cine. and some of the leaders in their spe-
OAdlttto NiC thONAAti9 pau thoA MUS 4tto
by those who employ them. The Philadel-
phia surgeon who attended Mr.. Magee is
a specialist. and while he admits that his
charge is probably the largest ever made
for surgical attendance he not only de-
nies that it is excessive, but says 1t is rea-
sonable and was verbally approved I'm ad-
vance by Senator Magee. He says his
regular charge is so an hour for night
work, and that when Mr.. Magee employed
him he voluntarily doubled the rate. Near
ly- all of his service TO Mr.. Magee was rem
dered during the night. as. the surgeon
during the night time and slept during
the day" The surgeon says he rendered
his bills monthly and they were regularly
approved by Mr.. Magee. They covered a
period of twenty-one months. Shortly be-
fore his death Mr.. Magee told him he in
tended to pay him $4,000. but as a matter
of friendship he would invest that sum for
him and let II grow. The surgeon agreed
10 this. but has no knowledge that the in
vestment was made. He says that during
the time he kept Mr.. Magee alive the latter
made by fortunate investments nearly
100000. Finally the surgeon says:
Mr.. Magee insisted that / should not
take any more cases for night treatment
while | was treating him. So | was prac-
tically at his beck and call. For nine DAYS
during his final illness. after working dur
ing the day in my office, / went TO Harris
burg in the evening. spent the night with
him and returned to Philadelphia the next
morning after little or no sleep. to work
all day i'm the Office. The last ffty-two
hours OF his life l spent at his bedside and
without an hours sleep. II I did not have
an iron constitution | would not have been
able to resist the physical strain. But that
IL not all. Being compelled TO spend so
much OF my time with Mr.. Magee. my Of
flee practice suffered very matcrially-yes.
might say. was practically ruined. / think
wnen all these facts are taken into consid-
Grafton my bill will not be considered ex-
brilliant by right-thinking people.
1t must be admitted that the surgeon
makes a good plea for a stiff charge. and
yet the starting point of his plea seems
wrong in that he charged double his regu-