The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-18
THE DOCTORS BILLS.
Physicians Who Attended Mr.. McKfn-
ley Will Not Specify Their Charges.
Philadelphia INQUIRER.

Philadelphia Inquirer.
1t is said thatthe physicians who attended
the late President in his last illness have
services at this time, but TO await the pos
sibly voluntary action Of Congress. They
are creditably anxious to avoid any such
scandal as occurred in the case OF President
Garfield, when the amounts which the doc
tors asked in compensation for their serv-
ices were denounced as excessive and were
not covered by the appropriation which
was subsequently made. The position which
the physicians occupy is a delicate one. 1t
is we'll known that In cases OF great i'm
~portance, in which men who stand at the
forefront of their profession are engaged,
there is no fixed schedule by which the
amount of the bill is determined. The
charge is fixed by the circumstances of
each individual case and depends to a con-
siderable extent on the financial capacity
Of the patient. If he is rich the bill will
be higher than it would be in the contrary
event.
This practice is easily defensible and Is
quite legitimate. 1t is obvious that the life
of a rich man, of a man who is earning a
large annual income or upon whom great
interests are dependent, is worth more from
the p%ecuniary point of view than the life
Of a man who is otherwise situated, while
apart from that consideration the practice
of adjusting his charge to a certain extent
to the means Of the patient enables the
physician to accept a lower fee than he
otherwise would from those who are less
fortunately circumstanced, to say nothing
of the gratuitous service which most ply
sicians at one time or another, and in this
way or that, are accustomed to render TO
the community. Bearing these facts in
mind, the dilemma by which the physicians
of the late President are confronted be-
comes apparent. No more important case
than that upon which they were engaged is
imaginable. They were unable to save the
Presidents life, but they did prolong il, and
that was a service of very substantial value
10 the country.
What ought they TO charge for what they
did under all these COndifiOnG1 They hoya
a duty to the country, a duty to their pro-
make the charge too low according TO the
accepted standards they disparage their
own ability and set what their professional
brethren would regard as a bad precedent.
If they make a charge propOrtioned TO the
Importance OF the case and to the gravity
of the responsibility which they assumed
they run the risk Of eliciting a large vol
ume of adverse comment and Of precipi-
tating a contention which could not fail
to assume the aspect OF a scandal. 1t is
no wonder that they are disinclined 10 take
the initiative in the matter and that they
have decided 10 refrain from making any
charge whatever at this time in the hope
that Congress. by acting voluntarily. may
relieve them from the necessity OF forming
a personal decision.
In this they have shown good sense and
a proper feeling. Congress ought to make
an appropriation 70 defray the expenses of
the late Presidents last days. and in that
appropriation an allowance generous. with
out being extravagant, for the physicians
services should be included. Then the doc
tors should be left TO apportion the sum
granted among themselves.