Evening journal., 1912-06-10
PEOPLES COLUMN

for-all institution, and in proof OF
this assertion, | will point OUT the
fact that the other hospitals in this
city are conducted as closed institu-
tons. The Homeopathic Hospital does
net admit doctors of the other school
to attend private patients. If the
Homeopathic Hospital lays claim. and
it does. 10 being a public institution.
why should it refuse patient the
privilege Of receiving medical atten-
tion from the family physician who
happens to be a so called regular?
While there may be differences in the
application Of drug treatment. the diff
ference is no greater than often ex-
lists in the methods of any two physi-
clans of the sam, school On the
other hand, there is no difference
whatever in the practice of surgery
and general nursing as practiced by
physicians of either school. As a mat
ter of fact, regulars frequently em-
ploy homeopathic nurses and homeo-
paths employ graduates of the regular
hospitals. Moreover even homeopath-
ic physicians have been refused the
privilege OF the hospital for reasons
which appeared sufficient TO the
Board Of Trustees. The Homeopathic
Hospital. therefore, is not free-for-
all institution.
AS a protest against the exclusive
! ness Of the Delaware Hospital, certain
I physicians Of this town opened up a
separate institution known as the
Physicians and Surgeons Hospital.
Under the circumstances one would
expect that this hospital would be
open to all who may desire to enter
and thus serve as an object lesson Of
what can and should be done. Yet,
this is not the case. A physician can
not treat a private case at the Physi-
clans and Surgeons Hospital unless
he is a member of the association, and
] he cannot become a member of the as
sociation unless he is duly elected by
ballot. However. non-member may
be given the privilege Of attending A
private case through the courtesy Of a
member: and this is precisely the
case with the Delaware Hospital.
ANY REPUTABLE PHYSICIAN MAY
/ TREAT HIS PATIENT BY COUR-
TESY OF A MEMBER OF THE
: STAFF, WHICH COURTESY is AL
WAYS READILY AND CHEERFUL
LY GRANTED and; as there are about
80 physicians on the staff. IT should
not be in the least dficult for any
reputable physician in this city to
have the privilege of treating his pri-
vate patients, and many physicians
} have availed themselves of this privi-
} lege.
The fact Of the matter is that II is
impractical to conduct a free-for-all
hospital Certain restrictions must
be made, and it is far better to have
general rule limiting the number OF
physicians on the staff than face the
necessity, which is bound to arise, OF
( singing out certain individual physi-
clans who are not desirable members
Of the profession, but who, neverthe-
less have a legal right TO practice me-
icine.
{, After all it is conceded by the critics
that the poor in the wards should he
treated by the regularly appointed
staff (of course, no outsider seeks this
kind Of a privilege), and as the Della.
ware Hospital makes its appeal TO tbs
public on behalf Of the poor, the pub
lie need not concern itself about 4
} policy which affects private cases
2 Hospital management is a difficult sci
ence. and it behooves the public L
! entrust such management to person:
who have devoted their time and at
tention to this subject
A. Robin.
Wilmington, Del, June 10. 1912.