The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-03-14
The Demand Made by the Doctors for Representation
Hospital Board of Trustees Was Made in Plain and
Unvarnshed Language, and 1t Was Needed
by the Members of the City Council.
STORM BREWING FOR YEARS FINALLY BROKE
Physicians Did Not Mince Their Words and Frankly
Charged that the Trustees Were Dominated by the
Superintendent of the Hospital, Woman
Council Approves Committee Report

right to have two doctors ON the board.
1t would not be wise.''
A. Bavis. chairman of the probe COM
mittee, in answer to Rupe said. 1.-THE
welfare Of the hospital depends abso-
lutely ON the cordiality Of the physi-
clans to the hospital. II they organised
and boycotted the hospital. what
would be the result! Ruin. With doc
tors on the board they will have .
voice in the management, and will be
able to help in the management by
reason of their knowledge Of hospital
matters.
Il can see no reason whatever for
the opposition to having physicians on
the board. would not change ono
word of that report"
Then the storm broke.
DIR. Charles Bond was the flrst ono
OF the physicians called upon to speak.
In a short speech. he stated he was
not representing the physicians Of the
city, but speaking his own private
views. He said in part:
Personally cannot see why they
do not want us on the board. The doc
tors could combine and ruin the hos
pital il they 20 desired. Maybe It II
because OF professional jealousy
among us that we cannot BE- trusted.
but we are no worse than other peo-
pie. We grow up In hospitals. Many OF
US have been internes In big hospitals.
Hospitals are our business. This mat
ter has been canvassed by u. but We
could not nee our way clear 10 put II
up to the board. We ought to have two
or three members on the board It II
three doctors ON tho board, rs they ask
ON. advics In matters psrtaininx 70 tho,
hospital which they have no knowE
edge Of
Dr.. etsvenson 9pealee.
DR.. Stevenson, when called upon.
said In part:
Il heartily agree with DR.. Bond. At
Indianapolis, In one Of tho hospitals.
all the work is done by doctors and
the institution IL managed by them.
You could not find another hospital
in the United States managed % the
one here.
We did not want the hospital % far
from the city. The management evil
IDENTIFY thought the hospital WAS to be
la sanitarium when they selected the
site. A man living In the south part
OF the city would rather have mem
bers of his family cared for ut his
home than ut the hospital where he
cannot see them often. The cause for
the animosity Of the board toward the
physicians may have been because Of
the initial disagreement between the
board and the doctors over the loca-
| tion Of the hospital"
At this point DR.. Stevenson dis
gressed and delivered TRADE against
the management Of the hospital. He
said 1t practically was under the OK
elusive Jurisdiction OF the superin-
tendent.
Both of the last two superintend-
ents came from Indianapolis wher0
they have rigid rules. They have been
| supported by the beard against the
wishes of the doctors and the people"
DR. Stevenson said.
"A woman came from . small town
near here and brought small child
! to the hospital for m operation. She
| wanted to be near her child, and was
refused bed to sleep IN at the side
OF the child, even though she agreod
to pay for the use OF room.
AS Mr.. Rupe has said, the doctors
don't make recommendations to the
board as to managing the hospital.
i cu.s e L. l,a<,nm~n t11ou dnr.tf H1Anl frunA