Omaha daily bee., 1911-11-20
LODGE DOCTORS
ARE UNDER BAN
Fraternsl Order Contract Physicians
May Be 0Stracised by Their
Fellows.
RAPID FIRE VISITS SCORED
Resolutions Previously Passed by
County Medical Society.
FIGHT STARTS IN THE BLUFFS
Large Numbers Were Receiving Free
Treatment in Iowa Town.
MEDICAL SOCIETY AFTER THEN
says Brcc Treatment by LOdEcs
Of Members sud Fanatics Is
Unfair Go ratIcnts' Other
Doctors.
RAPID FIRE VISITS soORE1
Resolutions Previously Passed by
County Medical Society.
FIGHT STARTS IN THE BLUFFS
Large Numbers Were Receiving Free
Treatment in Iowa Town,
MEDICAL SOCIETY AFTER THEN

Doctors OF Omaha who sell their ssry.
icos at Wholesale 20 frsternai orEanlys
tious ct such low rates as to preclude
the possibility Of proper service, ia the
miudH of their FELLOW physicians. are
threatened with ostracism by their Eel
lows OF the Omaha Douglas County Msdi
cal society.
Members OF the society oonsidor thai
rapid firo visits made In such haste az
TO render II impossible 10 Furnish valu.
able or scientific treatment are unworthy
Of sanction by body OF representative
medical men.
The omaha douglas County Medical
society. having already pnseed resolutions
against the practice. now proposes &c
take steps to stop it, a committee has
been appointed 10 consider the ruatter
and recommend a penalty TO be imposed
on members OF the society who do not
! respect the purpose of tho resolutions.
! This penalty probably will be expulsion
from tho society, in case gentle corree-
ton falls.
War starts Ia B1uffs,
The present situation arose from the
situation In Council Bluffs. where fra
tornal lodges sprang Up In such numbers
that 1900 people, or more than One-thlrd
Of the population OF the city, were being
given free medical treatment by the ply
sloians OF their ordoys. These physicisns
It Is said were for tho most part mere
lads. selling their services to the fra
| ternal orders as low as 20 cents per call
Tho Council Bluffs Medical society went
on the warpath and decided to expel
members who insisted on remaining in
the employ OF tho lodges. This stopped
| fh., % to-
OF Council Bluffs were concerned, but
the fraternal orders thoreupon imported
young doctors from other towns.
These young doctors sought the advice
Of the resident doctors as consulting
physicians. and through the influence OF
the medical society were refused, SO now
they are consulting Omaha physicians.
This II what has aroused tho Douglas
County Medlesl society, .l ~.
Corporations Are Touched.
The formal resolutions, besides protest.
Ing against contract practice as applied
10 lodges, make some suggestions as to
contract servlcs as applied TO industrial
corporations. The resolutions follow:
Your committee appointed by the
Omaha-D0ugias County Medical society
TO investigate tho broad subject OF COLI
tract practice, desire To state that we
have given this subject careful study and
discussion. Each member studied some
phase OF the question. and your commits
tee, as a whole. have analysed without
lprejudice, our combined Information. We
herewith submit for your consideration
tho following conclusions;
Your committee recognize the right
or Industrial corporations employing labor
TO engage tho services OF skilled ply
Hioians. surgeons ana specal at res-
sonablo remuneration, 10 examine eni-
ployes ss TO their fitness for service as
well a. care for said employees Ia case
OF injury og acuts sickness when on duty,
or 10 care for those to whom the corpora
tion may be under obligation because OF
accident This Ia but just and fair pro-
lection against damage suits brought by
the INSCRIPTIONS. However II would be
distinctly understood that such xervics
should not be extended to apply 20 any
member of an employees family.
?. We believe that Industrial CORPORA
tions employing physicians. surgeons and
specialists, should limit the Service az
said physieisnA surgeons and specialists
strictly 20 the care OF their employees dur
log tie time OF actual service. We alsn
believe that direct representatives and
officials OF corporation, should not ba
included IN such medical. surgical and
special attendants. or In any way cnn-
strusd as coming under the conditions of
this class or service.
3. We believe that all corporations fur
nishing medical surgical and special 81
tsndancs 10 their employees should 10 50
entirely at their own expense, or IL Tue
employees are Obliged by psseBsmsut for
the expense Of egch medical surgical
and special attendance they should BE
untramIneled In tie choice OF their pas
sicians, surEeona ana specialists.
T. We believe that contTant y. .actice,
a. applied TO lodges frsteInitlss,l benevO-
lent and benefit organizations Is Jetri-
mental 20 tho best interests Ot tile inedl-
cal profession IL general. and sspegially
10 the phy ygitaus employed; that il is
especially unjust 90 al physiciaua Nho
a.e subject 20 Ordinary conpeunon. ala
that II pAuperlzss tho lay pUblic and de-
moTsliges the medical profession in gen-
eral, teaching the former 20 expect nedi-
cal. surgical and special care for praC-
tioally nothing, lessons their respect fol
the skill and dignity Of our profess ur
and permits 0r' .gnlnE men TO traffic am
coInineTcizllzO the practice Ut medicine
b. We believe that hucn lodge, fra
, ternai. ban0volent or benefit orgn MIA
ton and contract praetice. as Ordinarily
! IA operation, Is euilnentS unfair, because
Il buys medical services az wholesal'
from the physician. then compels him q
f,tff aarRNpaa a. q ma H.