The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-06-13
MEDICAL SOCIETY
REPLIES TO FALES
CITES EVIDENCE OF UNPROFES-
SIGNAL CONDUCT AND Al
LEGGED S-STATEMENTS.
Accuses City Health Officer of Pla-
qiarism In Article Published In
Morning Union.

"A
the practicing physicians of the city,
we desire to state to the public that
we are thoroughly in accord with the
complete enforcement of all laws and
ordinances relative to public. health
We object, however, to the use of
public office for the purpose of self
advertisement, as employed by the
present incumbent, and we believe
the public is being 'duped" by the
sensational statements made from
time to time by the present incum-
bent and that our character and pro-
fessional ability has been reflected
upon, by the statement made to the
public concerning our Ignorance and
alleged violation of health laws and
ordinances.
AS proof of some of the evtravagant
ella ms made by this man, we sub
nit the following article as published
in the Morning Union of April 25,
1909, and the replies received in resS
ponse to clipping of the same for
warded to the parties mentioned
therein
Commenting upon a published In
terview with several local physicians
regarding the establishment near this
city of a camp for the treatment of
tuberculosis, in which they declared
that they had decided not to cooperate
with him and that they could not
work with a man for whom they had
no respect, Dr. ]. Ellery Fales in a
talk with a Union reporter sa d last
evening: 1.-THE doctors of this city
have never been asked by myself to
cooperate in any way with the tuber-
cular colony which l shall establish
in the mountains this summer.
81 feel myself capable of treating
these cases without the help of local
physicians as l have probably seen
1000 cases of tuberculosis to their one
and have engaged IN the treatment
of this disease with DR.. Francis H
Pottengsr of MOnrOvia, Cal and DR..
Walter Jarvis Barlow of Los Angeles,
two Of the most prominent specialists
on tuberculosis on the western coast
Regarding the respect to which they
allude | do not ask them for any res
pect, | do not expect any respect and
do not want any respect from them
have no skeleton in my closet and
am willing to place my moral charac-
ter in the spotlight with anyone.
1.-The statement was issued that l
intended to cure a case of tuberculO
sis in three months and would only
treat special cases. l never made the
assertion that l would cure a case
in three months, neither do | expect
to do so. The cases 1 will not take
are those that have been treated at by
the local fraternity until they are al
most hopeless. However l will take
any first stage case of tuberculosis
and guarantee to cure.
Honest cooperation it seems Is a
thing impossible among the medical
fraternity of Walla Walla. l do not
anticipate the need of any cooperation
to fill the camp to overlooking, from
the present prospects which are held
forth. The majority of tubercular
people of Walla WaHa seem to appre
ciate the chance of securing scientific
treatment from one who understands
tuberculosis and has had unlimited
exper ence in treating the disease"
Reply of r. M. Pottenser.
My Dear Doctor
your 1etIer regarding LII. j. ClicIy
Fales, received. DIR. Fales was
graduate of the medical department
Of the University of Southern Califor-
MIA, class of 1906, and his association
with me was as a student there. He
has never assisted me in any way,
nor do l remember particularly as to
his ability as a student.
l d slike very much to see one of
our graduates guaranteeing to cure
tuberculosis if he is rightly quoted
in the clipping which you enclosed.
would hate very much to see one
of our men go wrong, and hope tnat
he is not Intentionally violating the
code of medical ethics. OF course his
talk of seeing a thousand cases of tu-
iberculoSiS to other doctors one, is
unprofessional and questionable
have seen a good many cases of tu-
herculoSis. l have been exclusively
TIRE ating these cases now for nearly
ten years, ct the same time the total
number is less than two thousand.
l hope that this matter will be
Strengthened out satisfactorily to you
l should certainly d slike to have any
one impose on the medical profession
and use my name for that purpose.
Very truly yours,