Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1907-07-24

J in a San Francisco hospital ii this rule
applied with them, and the reply was.
J Eyes, we propose to know all that goes
on behind the doors of our own ope.
: rating room"
, Further reasons Why were given
: that convinced me of the wisdom of
the rule, but ! would not offend any
member of our local medical fraternity
by giving them here.
| fear that | am going to too great
length on this particular head of my
subject, yet it all leads to IN. main
J ISSUE For reasons of his OWL, Dr.
Hodgins proceeds to do as he pleases,
regardless of rules ami requirement, -:
he hospital. He stated to ne himself
hat the resident physician n the hos
pital could not treat any patient of his
The private nurses, whom he is per-
mitted to send there in charge of his
cases, tell the resident physician that
, no instructions have been left for him,
and we find Dr.. Hodgins in possession
of that part of the hospital to the ig-
norance of everybody else on the
premises.
; Meanwhile, DR.. Hodgins seems to
have lost sight of his responsibilities
as member of the consulting staff,
which membership certainly carrie
with it, at least by implication, duty
to support the rules and maintain the
discipline of the institution. In
marked contrast of such a duty, on a
certain occasion, Dr. Hodgins, in a
most undigpified manner, and in high
pitched tones, in the open doorway of
the hospital within the hearing of a
number of subordinate employees, ut
tered threats and accusations discredit-
ing the hospital staff, all of which re-
sulting i'll an effect on the discipline
of the hospital approaching democrat
ization. The incident was reported to
the Executive Committee of the Trus-
tees, by the Superintendent, who was
instructed to call DR.. Hodgins' atten-
ton to the rules of the hospital; result
contempt of the rules and more
abuse of the resident physician.
Finally, Dr. Hodgins makes applica-
ton 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 | be-
lieve the services of the operating
room nurse and a Chinese male at
tendant were requisitioned by DR..
Hodgins, but not through the regular
Ichannel, namely, the resident physi-
clan. The very mildest criticism OF
this procedure must characterize it as
being remarkable; as treatment OF one
professional man by another it is from
ia code of professional etiquette 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, I
! called on DR.. Hodgins at his Office and
expressed my regret over affairs al
| the hospital and told him that | un-
, derstood that he declined to have the
resident physician attend on any of his
patients at the hospital To this, he
; replied, Il do not care whether he does
or not" and as this was not reply to
: my question, assumed from his tone
: and manner that my previous under
, standing was correct. | further said
, to Dr.. Hodgins at this interview that
conditions, as they were, were intoler-
: liable to us (the hospitaD and could
hardly be otherwise to hin. He re-
Iplied that matters had been quite sat
isfactory to him the past few weeks
u then suggested that it would be bet
, ter all around for him to resign and
quit the hospital He replied that the
hnG ttn1 t,tthl In FOL nd ,n
proposed to stay there. The following
|, morning, | sent his letter of dismissal
l summarize my position as trus-
tee, and as warranting the action of
the Trustees in Diminishing DR.. Hold
gins, as follows:
j First-For assuming to regulate in
his own way, without appeal to the
Trustees, the procedure in the matter
Iof introducing and maintaining pa
tients at the hospital in a manner con-
trary to the rules of the institution.
| Second-For a gross dlscourtesy to-
ward brother practitioner and the Of
fetal resident physician of the hospi-
ltal, Dr. Osmers.
i | submit, further that if DR.. Hold
gins had a grievance or complaint
against any employe of the hospital,
his relief should have been to refer
the whole matter to the Board of
Trustees or its Executive Committee
for adjudication. Not only was this
his privilege, but his duty to the hos
pital If, as he alleges, his or any other
patients were insulted by DR.. Osmers,
or any other person within the hospi-
tai gates. And this procedure for re-
lief is so patent that | can only pre-
sumo that the course selected was one
of choice on the part of DR.. Hodgins.
| The personal attack in this contro-
versy upon Mr.. Geo. w. Smith, very
much deprecate. He is so well, favor
ably and nonorably known in this
community that hope this nasty slur
will have no real effect.
AS the secretary of the Queens Hos
pital, Mr. Smith has been a most val
liable servant The duties of his POSI-
htion are most onerous, requiring his
attention almost daily. 1t is quite true
that his firm, Benson, Smith & Co.,
have been given the patronage OF the
hospital in the way of drugs, etc.; be-
| ing satisfied that Benson, Smith & Co.
were dealing justly by the hospital,
were giving 1t special terms and prices,
and in some instances, imported on a
commission only, / have always felt,