Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-02

ash him II he could accept il as cash
To replace tho hole made I'm INV savins.
account by the epidemic. Nv nrivats
/ practice was demoralized last summo-
ny my smallpox work. as can no
proven Commissioner Rudrren gave
TWO reason for not paving those hIIs
iohs overdue. the only ones tho CITY
now legally owes: Oh He was no, 49,,
OF the legal liability OF the CITY Tor
smallpox expenses. 90 lie though, tho
patients should H. compelled to nav
their own expenses. Commissioner
Eastman OF Moline had been able 70
make the Moline smallpox victims nav
their own doctor bills. except in ono
Instance when he had TO pay out $50
'roH the city treasury. For these two
reasons my bill was held I'D.
In answer to the first reason. Tho
legality has been frees discussed. The
city mas two good lawyers in its MAYOR
ana commissioner of streets. I would
request Mr. Schriver and Mr.. REYNOLDS
TO investigate. The state board of
health says the city is Responsible II
the city Is not liable why were the
rest of the bills paid and mine not
Why was the bill of DR.. A. y. Mueller
for 5000 for 90 visits to a smaIInox
patient. bill left over from a proceed
ing administration paid? As said
in my report. the city is liable legally
as well as morally. for all but paupers.
for whom the county is liable.
In Moline.
As TO the second reason: Just be-
cause Commissioner Eastman can
make the smallpox patients pay
their doctor bills. is no rea-
son why it should be done here Does
Moline gain by such economy? Small
poX spread from our sister city to us.
gaining foothold in one of the most
congested districts m Rock Island. 1
Where there are hun0Ie eds of children
Because our urgent and oft-repeated /
warnings had not been needed in that |
neishborhood this highly contag-
.ous disease had started and spread \
Ike wild-fire. before the first
case was reported as suspicious and
referred TO me for diagnosis. This
resulted in the epidemic of 1O1 cases.
IN Moline was an outbreak of only Il
asses. because the factories made
vaccination compulsory Our cpl
iemlc OF 1Ol cases. counting the I'M
'aid doctor bills as paid. cost the
'ame as Moline's outbreak of Il cases.
This i less than SIS case. as against
.oitne's more than sI47 a case This
: in spite OF the fact that Moline paid
he doctors for only FIVE visits. $50
ltogether- Where is the economy in
commissioner Eastman's system OF COM
ceiling the victims he has quarantined /
o stand the expense OF physician to
rhich they are legally and morally en- |
tiled?
Gentlemen, my bill OF s1627.50 for q
II smallpox cases, extending a year ,
ack. averaging a trifle over s14 a :
ase. covering not only my medical at /,
but another physician whom r
paid TO assist me, and drugs and anti
optics. does not look extremely rea-
enable to you and my bills are put on
he shelf to rest in peace. ] would like
} reconsider my bills. =
cut-Rste Doctors incompetent.
Il am entitled to so visit | did Il
Dt offer my services at cut-rates. Cut I
tie doctors and cheap-contract doc h
RS are dear at any price. Patients I,
e that many be saved. and they are
e only doctors who make unneces-
ry calls. where the rate is cheap. or \
,gl sCt TO cali when necessary. when
id by cheap contract / am allowed
our code OF medical ethics TO give
Q city a deduction when the city