Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-12-11
LODGES AND DOCTORS
TakiOg Care of a Lodge Mem ber's Family One oithe Causes.

The fight will soon be on in earn est between the doctors and the lodges, and it promises to be a battle royal. Of course the doctors will not change their plans unless they have to, and from all accounts the lodge fellows don't pretend to yield, SD that the outlook for a lively tilt is interesting. Judging by what some of the physicians say the new depar- ture never would have been decided upon if medical attendance in the lodges had been confined to the mem bers, but when 1t got down so that it included whole family they thought 1t time to call halt. But even at that some of the doctors say now that they are sorry the thing ever came up and claim that the movement did not originate with physicians who have courts, but rather with those who wanted that kind of practice ana couldn't get it. These got talking and kept it up until finally they con vinced majority of the society that members of the ''profesh'' were sim" ply standing in their own light by doing contract work for organiza- tions, and after a good deal of talk ing on the quiet and speechmaking at the meetings, the thing finally went through. One doctor assured a representative of the Democrat that some of the courts of Foresters will save money by paying the regu- ! lar price, for the per capita charge j for medical attendance under the old scheme often exceeded considerably more than $2 per visit. Of course the lodge members are we'll posted on this phase of the question and can tell whether it would pay them to do business on the schedule of prices mapped out by the Waterbury Medi- cal association. Another practition- CT of long standing declared that he was very much surprised at the kind of men who are rushing to the front to oppose the doctors in getting a fair price for their services. The medical profession of Waterbury, he said, is now unionized and he thinks it ill becomes nen who have talked and worked all their lives in support of unions to be found among the Oh. jectors.
 Another thought the union will not last long and hinted that before next Fourth of July it will be case of every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost, adding that doc- tors like others were not likely to hang together long in case they should find out, which he felt suro they would, that some were working a sharp game on the others.
 Committees representing courts of Foresters will meet in the Forest ers' reading room Friday night 10 take some action on the matter. What. they will do is a matter of mere conjecture. Some of them are very outspoken, while others talk guardedly, so that it is difficult to get line upon what will be done in the premises. But there is no use denying the fact that if the lodges can see their way to employing medi- cal service out of town at the, old rates they will not hesitate to tal;e that step, but whether this can he done or not is something nobody knows, or if he does he is not giving it out for publication.
 It is hoped that nothing will hap pen which would result in the break ing up of any of the benevolent insti- tutions about town, for such thing would be serious loss to the aver age working man. It Is true that some never got much out of them but the service was at their disposal n case they needed it so that mem bers who called upon the court doc ors but seldom felt just as we'll sat sfield as did those who drew more but of it than they paid in. It was going to help fellow beings who if working single-handed might not be bble to care for themselves, but they will change their minds very quick y if they find that their dues are being used to swell the bank ac- counts of the physicians, and as a onsequence all who can afford to lay doctors and buy medicine will want to withdraw from the courts, nd if things should come to that one eed not be Solomon to foresee the nd The lodge men should move autiously. There is nothing to be aimed by finding fault with the Med tal society. It is within its lines in efusing to continue contract work t price which its members consider Do small. Tn like manner the soci- ty will have no just cause for com laint if the lodges meet them at heir own game and secure con- stent men to take up the work There they left of at a schedule milar to that in vogue from the ne. inning. If this can be done it is the uty of the lodges to make arrange tents to dispense with the services
 the good men who have been with hem for so many years and trust to Lhers. On the other hand. if this hould not be deemed advisable then
 De next best thing should be tried. That is that? The writer of this -ticIe doesn't know, but as one of le interested parties among the dge' men he hopes the boys will eep their heads and arrive at some
 inclusion which will be as nearly
 tisfactory as possible to all con-
 mad