Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-18

fade and the doctor is paid not promptly
but on the slowest installment plan.
Said prominent physician in speaking Of
the financial relations between patient and
physician:
when an operation is Imminent the
head Of the family should talk frankly to
geon as to prices Many physicians hesi-
tate about broaching the question of
charges at the critical moment because
the family is sensitive and resents the
topic being raised at that time. On the
other hand, it Is the only fair thing for
both patient and doctor. The doctor is al
ways willing to state the usual charges
for an operation, which Is supposed to be
cash.
IF, when it is under discussion the fam
lily will ask their regular physician what
the operator charges will be. no misun-.
Outstanding will arise when the bill is
presented. II the charges are prohibitive,
let the head of the family say so, and
state his financial condition frankly. Quite
generally the operating surgeon will appre-
ciate his position and make a reduction
The great difficulty lies in the fact that the
general tendency of the American family
is to keep up front-to live just little
bit better than it can afford, and to give
misleading IDEAS of its own Importance and
prosperity"
1t is not always the patient who is taken
in by the mercenary specialists.
1t takes a keen fnancier to collect doc
tors bills. successful young physician
quotes case in point. He was called in
to the two-year-old baby OF a social ac-
quaintance. A slight operation was urgent.
The doctor stepped at once to the te.e-
phone and communicated with the father,
and the latter inquired as to the charges.
Knowing that the father was none too
well off, the doctor replied promptly. '.s25''
lust half of what 10 ,st,a
the operation.
The fathe: .oId him to go ahead, so he
sent for he aesthetizer and in less than
an hours time the operation was over, the
dcctor ia1:"g supplied all oandages, dress
ings aid small articles needed from a
nearby drug store at which he happened to
have an account. The young mother had
no money in the house. Following the one
ration the physician paid half dozen Wis
its to the child and several times afterWard
the mother brought the child to his office
When the first of the month rolled
around he sent in his bill and received no
response. Another month, and still third
passed, and at the end of the fifth month
the physician and the wee patients father
met for the first time since the operation
There was a moment OF einba rrassment
and then the debtor made his apologies He
had just changed his position and was
financially embarrassed. but he hoped to
send the money within a few days.
The few days ran into a few weeks and
there came evening when the doctor-a
most unusual privilege for handicapped
into his club there to hear the details of
great poker game played In the card room
the night before, during which the father
of the baby had come out winner by
some fifty dollars. BY careful questioning.
he learned that his debtor had been play
Ing poker with varying success at a TWEEN
ty-five cent limit during all the time that
he had owed for the baby's operation The
letter which the young physician wrote him
that night was a model, and it included
dissertation on poker playing which would
probably rank with the Message to Gar
cia." He got his money.
kx
1t was a Philadelphia physician who ex-
pressed these sentiments:
Every time doctor takes a case. in a
new family or places the name of. a new
patient on his books he CANDLES as surely
as does your Wall street investor. You
can Judge nothing of the paying qualities
OF a sick man or woman and while the
laborer is worthy of his hire, 1t Is not a
good plan to bring up this fact to bother
the patients mind. until he is well. and
then ofttimes. 1t Is too late"
peculiar phase of life with which the
regular family physician comes in contact
is this: The average woman in the home
never has money In case of emergency
she has not a dollar to send out for
banda sses dressings rubber ice bags. hot