The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-08-25
BOARD SHARPLY RAPED.
BY DR.. WEATHtRLY
Had Criticised and Removed Him for
Failing to Perform Operation He
Said Was Not Indicated.
TELLS OF BARLOW CASE
Physician Declares Rules of Virginia
Hospital Had Been Violated Solely
Because Man Appeared to Be
Friend OF the Board"

Acting upon a motion offered by
Commissioner Hobson. the Admins
trative Board yesterday relieved DR..
T. B. weatherly of further service
at Virginia Hospital as a substitute
Specialist. acting for DR.. Joseph A
White, and DR.. Clifton Miller was ap-
pointed to serve during the absence
Of DR.. White.
The cause of such action by the
board was the declination OF Dr.
Weatherly to perform an operation
upon Peerman Barlow. young man
who went to the hospital for treat
ment for tonsilitia 1t was reported
to the board that DIR. Weatherly had
refused to perform an operation, and
It was upon this that the removal was
made.
DR.. weatheriy IL a member of the
stair of the Eye and Ear 1nfirmary.
and receives a salary Of $500 from
the city.
Commissioner Hirschberg said yes
4erday afternoon that DR.. Weatnerly
4 "a 4xAt0Q LnhS hd AIN A4o~ ~>AS ~
treat such patients. and that he did
not intend to do so until after his
vacation.
Commissioner Mccarthy then sug-
gested that the vacation be made
Yong one, and the board acted accord
insly.
DR.. Weatherlys Statement
Or. weatherly yesterday afternoon
gave out the following statement or
the incident:
lrs4 when displacing me on the Vtr-
9tnia Hospital staff and appointing
another physician in my stead the Ad-
ministrative Board should have stated
the facts in the case. which thorough
ly vindicate me OF blame.
The patient. Peerman Barlow. was
sent to the hospital by the Admins
trative Board to be operated on for
tonsilitis without having been exam
ined by a physician. Upon examina-
ton / found that he was suffering
from acute tonslitis. An operation
was absolutely contra-indicated. He
was given applications for his throat
and a method of treatment outlined
to be followed. He was then dis
charged from the hospital
About two days later the patient
returned and written prescription
was given to him for medicine to be
USED at nome IL was 1lOt NaSN
which required hospital treatment
but was one that any physician could
treat at his ONCE.
AS he appeared to be friend Of
members OF the board. and they took
so much interest in him, We did all
that we could for him. and on his
second visit to the hospital he was
given further attention, although the
/ treatment outlined to him on his fiFst
visit was all that was necessary.
Treatment of Barlow at the hos
pi;al was contrary to the rules OF the
hospital because he was not q pau
per and was able to work and had
employment and was making his own
| living However, as ! have before
said he was regarded as a friend OF
the board and the board had ordered
him TO be received at the hospital
The rules OF the hospital are strict
in regard to receiving patients who
can well afford to get attention else
where.
Or Fletcher, chief resident physi-
clan. who was present when l made
examination of Barlow, agreed with
me / told DIR. Fletcher that as the
patients tonsiis were enlarged they
could be removed later when the con-
dition of the patients throat would
be better acted upon my own
| Judgment IN the case ana ala WHAt
I thought was best. l followed recog-
mixed standards OF treatment and
do not perceive how the Administra-
tive Board can pass Judgment on a
case of this kind. as / am not aware
that any members are physicians.
III is incomprehensible to me that
the board should seek to put nae in
bad light in a matter on which It
is not qualified to pass The mem
bers sent the patient to me without
making any medical examination Of
him, and now after the rules OF the
hospital have been broken, to please
them. they get up charge against
mo for not operating upon the pa
tient when ! had every reason to be-
Ileve from the symptoms that an OPP
GRAFTON at that time was contra-in-
Dictated.
II would like to know where the
Administrative Board gets its medical
skill.
II am sorry that this little mat
ter has caused so much trouble but
/ have nothing to regret as to the
manner In which / have acted. I
did my best for the patient. although
I knew that any treatment OF him
was against the rules of the hospital
I should think that II censure is to
be attached to myself 1t would be
on account of the rules having been
broken in receiving the case. ! be-
lieve the public will agree with me
now that the facts are known"