The Washington herald., 1908-03-13

DR.. J. Thomas Kelly. r.. who sue
ceeded Dr. J. Wesley Bovee, dismissed. as
gynecolOg1st OF the visiting staff OF Prov
idence Hospital. has resigned
The position IS now vacant and no men,
Der of the Medical Association OF the
District Of Columbia can accept it.
DIR. Kelley's resignation was the direct
and immediate result Of the action of the
Medical Association in upholding the claim
Of Or. Bovee that he was dismissed with
out just and sufficient cause. In accept
Ing the position, pending the investiga-
tion by the standing committee, DR..
Kelley erred. 1t is said.
The system OF ethics Of the Medical
Association. under Article XIII. Hospitals
and Their Medical STATS. contains these
sections bearing upon the case Of DR..
Bovee
From the Code OF Ethics.
Sec. Z. Whenever the Medical STAFF Of Hospital
or Dispensary, any member thereof Is forced 70
resign: and when. after due hearing this assoeia-
ton finds that the designations we're for unjust and
insufficient cause. il shall be forbidden for any
member Of this Association 90 sccept a position on
the stan q said Hospital or Dispensary
Sec. : Wherever one OF more members Of the
/
missed and when. after due investigation this As
sociation finds that such dianisss vas without tust
and sufficient cause. IL shall be forbidden for any
created thereby.
Sec ?. Complaints made under Sections and
q this article shall be made in writing 20 the
Standing Committee. which after due oonside7atiou
shall report It's findings TO the Association.
Upheld by Committee.
Dr. Bovee made his complaint under
section 5. he having been dismissed by
the Mother Superior OF Providence Hos
Dital after declining 10 tender his resig-
nation. The complaint was considered
by Drs. G. Wythe Cook. chairman:
Sprigg. Mclaughlin, Acker. J. D. Nor
gan, Ober. and II. T. Lemon. and they
upheld DIR. Bovee. reporting that he had
been dismissed without just and sum
cient cause" A volume OF testimony
was submitted.
The special meeting OF the association
to consider the report on the case con-
sumed half the night. and was more
largely attended than any similar meet
ing held in years. The dismissal Of Dr.
Bovee occurred early in February fol-
lowing an operation which cost the lives
OF twins. but from which the mother Is
now recovering. The discussion at the
meeting brought out general expression
Of opinion that the operation came fully
within the ethics OF the profession. DR..
Bovee became gynecOlogist az the hos
pitaI January l. 1892.
Regarded IA Model Institution.
Providence Hospital is one Of the model
institutions Of the Capital. The Mother
Superior has the power 10 appoint and
dismiss members q the stan. Although
the association criticised this plan. in con-
siderIng the case II Or. Bovee. Il has ad-
mittedly worked heretofore without fric-
tion al Providence Hospital. as in similar
Catholic Institutions. The Mother Su-
periOr was asked 70 appear before the
committee when Il took up the investiga-
ton. but the rules. as we'll as the cir
.cumstances Of the case, prevented her do
ing so
Vacancy Remains UnhIIed.
At present the position Of gynecologist
at the hospital cannot be filed 1t is
understood that a member of the asso-
citation, II called to attend an emergency
case. might respond. and would do so
without violating the medical ethics. but
no member can accept the position on the
staff from which DR.. Bovee was dis
missed and which DR.. Kelley has now
resigned.
1t was reported yesterday that at the
special meeting a proposition that the
entire medical staff OF the hospital be
required 20 resign was submitted This
report, however, could not be verified
The affairs Of the hospital. apparently.
are being conducted with the usual
smoOthness. II is not unlikely that a
statement may be made by the lnstitu-
ton later, giving its side OF the case.