The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1907-07-24

his cases. tell the resident physician
that no instructions have been left for
him. and we find DR.. Hodgns in pos
session of that part of the hospital to
the ignorance of everybody else on the
premises.
Meanwhile, Dr. Hodgins seems to
have lost sight of his responsibilities
as a member of the consu. ing staff,
which membership certainly carries
with it, at least by implication, a duty
to support the rules and maintain the
discipline of the institution. In mark
ed contrast of such duty, on a certain
occasion, Dr. Hodgins, in a most un-
dignified manner, and in high-pitched
tones in the open doorway of the hos
pital within the hearing of a number
of subordinate employees uttered threats
and accusations discrediting the hos
pital staff. all of which resulting in
an effect on the discipline of the hos
pital approaching decentralization. Tine
incident was reported to the Executive
Committee of the trustees, by the
superintendent, who was instructed to
call Dr. Hodgins attention to the rules
of the hospital; result-contempt OF
the rules and more abuse of the resi-
dent physician
Finally Dr. Hodgins makes appli-
cation for the operating room, which
is granted. And after the patient is in
the hospital, the resident physician is
informed that his services are not re-
quired, and the operation takes place
behind closed doors, although l believe
the services of the operating room
nurse and a Chinese male attendant
were reQuisitioned by DR.. Hodgins, but
not through the regular channel, name
ly, the resident physician The very
mildest criticism of this procedure
must characterize it as being remark
able; as treatment of one professional
man by another it is from a code Of
professional etiquitte that is indeed
unique.
"At this stage, the trustees asserted
their right under the rule to remove
DR.. Hodgins Prior to sending him
the letter of dismissal from myself,
which you have already published, l
called on DR.. Hodgins at his Office and
expressed my regret over affairs at the
, hospital and told him that | understood
, that he declined to have the resident
r physician attend on any of his patients
e at the hospital. To this he replied, so
: do not care whether he does or not,
and as this was not reply to my ques
Y ton, | assumed from his tone anC
1 manner that my previous understand
f ing was correct. l further said to DR.
e Hodgins at this interview that condi
= lions, as they were, were intolerable Il
y us the hospitaD and could hardly b.
o otherwise to him. He replied tina
S matters had been quite satisfactory t.
f him the past few weeks. l then SUE
e gested that it would be better al
= around for him to resign and quit tn
+ hospital. He replied that the nospita
t was a public hospital and he proposes
: to stay there. The following morning
. l sent his letter of dismissal.
y Il summarize my position as a trus
n tee, and as warranting the action o
e the trustees in dismissing DR.. Hodgins
a as follows:
8 'First-For assuming to regulate il
e his own way, without appeal to tn
= trustees, the procedure in the matte
n of introducing and maintaining pa
= tients at the hospital in a manner con
+ trary to the rules of the institution.
e "Second-For a gross discourtesy to
a ward a brother practitioner and tn
= official resident physician of the hos
j pital, Dr. Osmers.
[ 81 submit, further, that if DR.. Hold
v gins had a grievance or complaint
4 gainst any employee of the hospital hi
Il relief should have been to refer tn
+ whole matter to the Board of Trustee
i or it's Executive Committee for ad
2, Indication. Not only was this his pri
e vilege, but his duty to the hospital il
e as he alleges his or any other patient
: were insulted by DR.. Osmers, or an
+ other, person within the hospital gates
:, And this procedure for relief is so pa
tent that 1 can only presume that tn
e course selected was one of choice o
s the part of DR.. Hodgins.
n "The personal attack in this con
# troversy upon Mr.. George w. Smith,
# very much depTecate. He is so wei
y favorably and honorably known in thi
n community that hope this nasty stu
will have no real effect.
Il "As the secretary of the Queen
Hospital, Mr.. Smith has been a mos
ID valuable servant. The duties of hi
lie position are most onerous, requirin
IS, his attention almost daily. 1t is quit
IS true that his firm, Benson, Smith
t Co., have been given the patronag
of the hospital in the way of drug
IN ETC.; being satisfied that Benson, Smit
Of & Co., were dealing justly by the hos
" pital, were giving it special terms an
" prices, and in some instances imported
on a commission only 1 have alway
1t felt and still feel, that the ExecutiV