The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-02-15
FEES CHARGED
IN SMALLPOX
CASES WILL
Be PROBED
DR.. E. H. Mendenhall and W.
G.. Huffman Under Fire for
Alleged Irregularities In
Bills for Treating Smallpox
Patients.
GRAND JURY IS CALLED

Alleged irregularities in bills submit.
ted by DR.. w. G. Huffman and DR.. r.
H. MendenhalI for the treatment OF
smallpox patients from Nov. % 10
Dec. 81 will be investigated by a grand
jury called for next Monday.
DR.. Huffman's bill of $S55.50 and Dr..
MendenhalPs of 1901, paid by the CITY.
are alleged by city officials, who con-
Quoted an investigation, to be far in
excess of the actual work performed
DR.. Huffman already has made res
titution of s242, and has admitted 10
city authorities that he was guilty Of
charging for visits never made, to
smallpox patients.
He admitted his guilt before the
! board of works, saying the temptation
was too great.
Dr. MendenhaI denies any irregu-
larity in his bill.
City officials say Dr. Huffman
charged for visits he never made and
for unnecessary calls. In one case.
where he claimed he made from
twelve to sixteen daily visits, the
patients say he visited them every
other day and some times let three or
four days go by without calling. His
bill in this instance is about twiye as
large as it should be.
Charged to Ten Visits.
In another family, Dr. Huffman
charged for ten daily visits. Investi-
cation showed only from three to five
visits were actually made.
In several mild cases. he repeated
his visits even after the families told
him they did not require attention, say
officials.
From five to seven visits suffice for
an ordinary case of smallpox, say
authorities.
DR.. Huffman. in extenuation of his
charges, said he believed the damage
done to his private practice warranted
some of his charges.
The city has accepted his restitu-
ton OF $24a as part payment on what
he still owes. The testimony of about
ESQ smallpox patients before the grand
jury is expected TO give accurate fig
ures SO that the city authorities may
know if he has made complete restitu-
tion.
DR.. MendenhaI1, according to offic-
ials. made many unnecessary trips and
kept patients in quarantine for long
periods in order to increase the num-
Der of his visits.
He is one of the physicians of the
Moose lodge. Members of that order.
who had smallpox, were to receive
treatment free. according to city offic-
ials. DR.. Mendenhall charged the city
for. the visits he made in these fam
lilies.
The text of DR. Huffman's statement
follows:
Feb 6. 1913.
"On account of irregularities occur
ing in my connection with the treat
ment OF smallpox, for the city of Rich
mond made by me, respectfully agree
to refund to the city of Richmond,
Ind, s242.
''DR. W. G. HUFFMAN"
On February :, the board of works
voted to accept s249 as itemized be
low:
In family Of Todd Reed. ) trips n s.
each, SIS: in family OF Mary Spinner.
8 trips, SIS; Grant Spears. ). SIS: Dor
othy Watson. 4, s12; in family Of Will
lam Lpscomb, trips. SIS: Ellsworth
Sain. 4. SIP; Claudis Boost. 4. s12:
Charles Burton, 4. s12: Minnie Thomp-
son, II: Hazel Peters, ;, 50: Ellsworth
Hill, 2. Sc; Lillian Lamb, 2, So: L. 4.
Hiatt. 10, $57: Walter Alexander. 10.
s57: total, s249OO
The discrepancy between s242 and
s249 arose when the city authorities
checked by DR.. Huffman's figures.