The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1908-05-07
MAHASKA MEDICs.
ENDORSE THE NEW HOSPITAL
AND DISCUSS FEE
BILLS.


Saturday evening, May 2. The meet
ing was well attended. After the bus
mess had been transacted, a short So
cial session followed. Il Is the inten-
tion of the society to hold the sessions
at frequent intervals throughout the
year.
1t was the sense of the society that
patients at the hospital should enjoy
the same privacy and physicians in
the operating room the same freedom
from intruders Us would obtain in a
private home, and all efforts of the
management to that end were to be
commended
Each member present also pledged
la dollar to the support of the Bremen
County Medical Society in their fight
Ito maintain the right of physicians to
adopt and maintain fee bill, and to
refuse to consult with any physician
whom they considered for any reason
not to be to the best interests of the
patient.
II will be remembered that the
members of the Bremen County Medi.
cal Society were prosecuted at the in
lstigation of certain newspaper and
La politician of that part of the state
for violation of the antitrust law in
maintaining fee list, and in another
suit for refusing to consult with ply
stefan who was known to be guilty of
lunprofessional conduct. Both lower
Icourts have sustained the physicians
In each case. The following is the
Judges decision in the case of the fee
bill: .. ~.
The Decision of the Judge.
For many years the right of labor
to organize for protection has been
recognized by the courts. My atten-
ton has not been called to any legis-
lation whereby any state has, in d.
rect terms, attempted to limit that
right
Suppose that body of railroad
employees In Bremen county should
form a union and enter into an agree
ment with each other not to work tor
less than a fixed sum: Would anyone
for moment say that Section 5000
prohibited such an agreement and that
each member of such union was a
criminal and liable to fine of not less
than five hundred, nor more than five
thousand dollars, or Imprisonment in
the county jail not to exceed one year,
or both?, Rash indeed would be the
man who would make such a claim!
1T seems to me that all classes of
labor, skilled or unskilled, profession.
al or non professional, must of neces-
sity stand or fall by the same rule. |
am satisfied that the Iowa legislature
never intended to strike covert blow
at organized labor, and the court
should not permit a meaning so at
variance with the legislative intent
to be read into the statute by virtue
of any refined technicality of defini-
ton such as is contended for by the
defendant state"
1t is now the intention of the pbysi-
clans to carry the case to the SUI
preme court and thus establish for all
time the right of physicians in the
State of Iowa to maintain a fee bill
and to consult with whom they please.
A right never denied labor union or
any other organization.
Resolutions.
Resolved, That we believe that the
Hospital is being conducted in a wise
and efficient manner.
That we commend DR.. Ryerson for
the fair and impartial manner in
which she has discharged the duties
of her Office and for the justice of her
dealings with the various physicians
concerned.
That we consider the rules and reg
ulations adopted to be entirely fair
and just, and calculated to increase
the efficiency, standing and growth of
the institution.
That so long as 1t shall be con-
Quoted in such manner we pI rdge the
superintendent, the board of n magers
and the institution our hearty cooper
alton and support.
(Signed)
NJ. Childress, F. l.. Barnes,
]. A. Ruan. s. w. Clark,
B. o. Jerrel, Fred J. Jarvis,
R. c. Hoffman. J. B. Muir,
Jay G. Roberts, l.. A. Rodgers,
B. G. Williams, H. s. Garland,
ID,