The Washington times., 1901-09-22
HAVE DOCTOR IN COMMON.
Michigan Town Organizes and Re
ceives Care Almost Free.

II
Local Health Association with Three
Hundred Memser.-Costs 50 Cents
Per Month-saiaried Physician At
tends Every Case I'm the City.
To reduce doctor bills to the minimum
amount is the object which led to the
recent organization of the new health
association at L.udington, Mich The as
sociation now numbers some 300 members,
ali heads of families. each OF whom pays
50 cents per month as his share of the
salary of the community doctor. In
consideration OF this salary. which
amounts to 81. 800 year, the community
doctor Is required to attend all calls and
cases of illness among the members and
to provide medical attendance and atten-
ton as often may he needed He is
not required to furnish medicines, and Is
only allowed to call another doctor for
consultation in cases of extreme emer-
gency.
Just how the work of such community
physician should be managed has not yet
been determined In all its details. for tho
idea Is essentially new one 1t Is
thought by many that the community
doctor should have an Office arranged like
fire engine house. and that the Doctors
rig. with patent swinging harness,
should be kept constantly ready in the
centre of the house; that the doctor
should sleep In a room over the buggy
with a brass pole extending through a
trap-door down to his vehicle.
The association is the outgrowth of a
movement which began in this city last
wi MT no cfa
nifty doctor at a stipulated salary per
month is an Old Country scheme which,
was introduced here by the Swedish citi-
zens. who were virtually forced into the
plan by the attitude adopted by the To-
cal medical society.
1t required considerable work to COM
plete the organization and arrange the
many important details but this was ac-
complished this spring and applications
for the position of community doctor"
were received from a large number Of
physicians. About a month ago, the or
ganization being completed. Dr.. Herbert
NJ Best, a recent graduate of the Detroit
College of Medicine, was chosen as the
first community doctor. position which
Dr.. Best is the first physician to occupy
in this country. The doctors salary is
the so cents monthly from each member.
at the present time $50 pei month
Promptly upon the arrival of DR.. Best
he was invited by local physicians to Join
the Mason County Medical Society. This
the doctor refused to do upon the ground
that he could not comply with the socie-
ty's bylaw prohibiting members from
performing contract work or consulting
with physician engaged in such work
He was then warned that in case a ply
=.
physician of the society would respond to
his call.
NO. said DIR. Best, Il have never had
any experience a community doctor
and fiEd the idea wholly new But as new
and novel as 1t is. l am convinced that it
is wholly practicable. The members of
the association are in large proportion
working men, and they are in 1t for the
purpose of reducing medical expenses.
This they are able to do through the me-
dunn of the association. and see NO rea-
son why my engagement here is not a
legitimate form of medical practice. Last
week l averaged three office calls and
two visits daily. That is not a laborious
practice for a physician. and L am well
satisfied. So far / have not been called
upon to attend trivial case. When | am
called to house my first question is,
Have you your card? The member
thereupon presents his card showing his
membership in the association, and IL the
voucher shows that he had paid his last
monthly instaIIment he Is entitled to my
services; otherwise / am not obliged to
attend his family without charge"
in addition to tine services rendered the
association the doctor is at liberty at all
times to engage in private practice when
1t does not interfere with his regular
work The only fee to which he is entitled
outside Oh his regular salary from the
members of the association is a fee Of
IS in each case of confinement.
That the plan of employing a commu-
nifty doctor can be practically maintained
is assured by the experience of the asso-
citation thus far. 1t will sustain itself be-
cause of its pronounced economy. Any
man with a family can afford to pay 80
cents per month for the guarantee that
he and his family can secure first-class
medical attention at all times without any
other expense. The growth of the organi-
zation has been remarkable. and the ex-
pertinent is being watched with the keen
est interest. A large number of enquiries
have been received from scholars and in
yestigators from all over the country and
the scheme of the association has been
endorsed by some of the best authorities
in social science and consmunisrn.-MiI-
waukee Sentinel