Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-01
WOMAN IS LEFT
TO DIE WITHOUT
AID OF DOCTOR
HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION IS
BLAMED
HAD PAID DUE2 THREE YEARS
KNOWING AILMENT
EmpIoye of "co-operative" Concern
Points to Clause in Contract as
Relieving Physicians from
Censure

Mrs. Kate Hymers is lying at the
point of death in a little back room OF
lodging house at 227 East Seventh
street, believing her death is being has
tened by the neglect of a cooperative
hospital association of which she is a
member. The woman has been paying
dues regularly to the association for
the last three years, knowing that the
time was not far off when she would
be in pressing need of the assistance
for which her contract with the asso-
citation called. Now that she is in des-
perate need, the association has re-
fused to come to her assistance.
Mrs. Hymers was taken ill January
%. She sent at once to the hospital
association, stating her condition and
asking that doctor and nurse be sent
to take care of her. According to her
own statement, those in charge of the
association promised to send someone
Immediately, but failed to do so.
Friends of the sick woman continued
to call upon the association officers for
assistance, but not until last Thursday
did anyone respond to their calls
No Medicine Sent .
On that day DR.. ]. H. Pope called to
see Mrs. Hymers and prescribed for
her. Her contract with the association
stated that all medicine would be fur
nished free to members, and conse-
quently she sent DR., Pope's prescrip-
ton to the associations headquarters
to be filled. 1t was not returned to
her, she declares, and no word was
sent as to what the association in
| tended to do.
The officials of the hospital associa-
ton when seen by Mrs. N. Brennin
who is caring for the sick woman now
| did not refuse openly to care for the
sick woman but delayed action by tell
ing Mrs. Brennin they intended to dc
something as soon as they were able
All this time Mrs. Hymers was sink
| ing lower until last Saturday evening
she was close to death.
One final appeal was made to the
association for aid to no effect, and ar
outside doctor had to be called in.
| All efforts to see those who are al
the head of the Cooperative Hospita
association at It's offices, 3S633733S 1
| w. Hellman building, proved futile yes
.terday. The names of DR.. Chester G
Skinner and DR.. ]. H. Meyer stanC
upon the Goors of these offices unde
the associations name, but the name
| of no man or woman is printed in it!
literature. A pretty girl employed il
the offices volunteered information tC
| the effect that one of the physicians
was suffering with a toothache, while
the other was confined to his bed with
cold.
Contract Is Blamed
When asked why the association did
not care for Mrs. Hymers she said the
woman was suffering from heart
| trouble at the time she was accepted
on the associations list and that the
contract she had signed had not bound
them to treat her for the ailment she
already had. The girl stated that a
new agent had blundered when he had
listed a woman of her age and that
they had expected she would die.
"That is the trouble" said the girl
with these old people. They die on
your hands, but anyway our contract
has made provision for that, for with
persons past so we are not held liable
| for their funeral expenses"
The clause in the contract referred
to by the girl reads: "I agree not to
hold the Cooperative Hospital associa-
tion liable to treat me for any present
| disease or for the return of any chronic
disease that have ever had"