Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-26
NO LODGE DOCTORS
Medical Society Took Action at
 Last Nights Meeting.

At a meeting of the Waterbur
 Medical society last night action wa
 taken which is bound to bring abou
 horizontal changes in many of tn
 societies about town. For some tim
 past considerable dissatisfaction eN
 isted among the medical fraternlt.
 regarding lodge work, but it was yer.
 difficult to get all to look at it iron
 the same standpoint, but they final!
 got together on the question and las
 night resolution was introduced
 aiming at the doing away of all sucl
 work According to the bylaws al
 such papers have to remain on tht
 table until the next regular meeting
 after they have been received, bu
 the sentiment of the different mem
 bers present-and all with very few exceptions were in attendance-Wa: expressed and not one dissenting
 voice was heard against it, nOtwith
 standing that some will have to glvt
 up positions which net them a hand
 some sum annually in the +. of A and other organizations.
 In addition to this it was voted tc advance the fee for obstetric cases to $15 each instead of $1O. The doc tors claim that this item of expense has been $15 in all large cities 1T Conencticut for many years past Unless some unlocked for opposition to the new departure turns up be- fore the next meeting, the new order of things will go into effect with the beginning of the new year. The change will mean a good deal to the doctors in financial way. but how it will effect society members who had medical attendance at reduced rates is another thing. It means that men will not be able to pay so much ill society dues as formerly, and that in adjusting the matter it may be found desirable to drop the druggist seeing the doctor refused to hang on. If this should be done and the monthly assessments made less or the benefits inscreased, one is about the same as the other, probably nobody woul.t care. The present plan never gave general satisfaction and for some reason or other it appeared to be get ting worse right along. Unless d physician happened to be very con- scientious gentleman, or the society member up towards the head of the list, the patient was in great danger of not receiving the attention his condition demanded, so that in many respects the position taken by the medical society is in the interest of the sick men, though, perhaps this may not be the end in view.
 The other change will not appeal very strongly to people of modest means, but like the milk dealer, the average physician won't worry about that provided he gets what is coming to him. Everybody knows that 1t costs more to keep horse now than it did ten or fifteen years ago, rent is higher and professional men to keep up to the times has to keep in close touch with what is going on in the medical world, All these things mean something in the way of eX- pense, and they must be met. The patient may euchre the doctor out of his fee, but the doctor cant do" the liveryman or anyone else. Nobody will try to dispute these statements but the question that comes up in connection with them is where is the working man going to get off at. It costs him more to live now than ever before, but there isn't any more money in his envelope.
 With an increase in the cost of medical attention and the advanced cost of ordinary living expenses, the outlook is not any too bright. Of course the doctors advance in fees is only one. but that and the butchers, the grocer's. the shoeman's. the land lords and others when added up. are sufficient to appall working people and no doubt explain why so many fear to enter the married state. And yet you hear folks say that the coun- try is prosperous and happy. It ought to he. It has the resources. but there is something somewhere. and until the source of the trouble Is removed. things are not likely to improve There may be lots of work. hut people will not get enough in ex- for their labor to enable them To live as an American citizen wants