The Washington times., 1918-01-20
8. C.DOCTORS
GIVE UP BIG
PRACTICESTO
AID COUNTRY

One million dollars annually is the
aggregate cost to the 1s6 members
Of the Medical Society Of the District
Of Columbia who have gone to the
colors.
When the call for volunteers from
the medical profession was made the
District OF Columbia led the whole
Government!
In private practice in Washington
these physicians and specialists re-
ceive approximately an aggregate
yearly income Of 81 500, 900 and other
obvious advantages.
In return for giving their time to
the Government, to risklng their lives
in army camps In America and at the
front, and denying themselves their
domestic life and association OF
friends, they receive in the aggregate
a little less than 100000.
Quite a tidy sum to give to the
nation. The medical society, with its
665 active members, furnished 1so
doctors, which have received commits
sions, usually lieutenancies, but some
OF them have been promoted to cap
tains and majors.
These trained men, many Of whom
have been enjoying q practice built
them in an income of from $4,000 to
$4,000. have made the sacrifice with
out q murmur.
They receive the usual pay Of a
lieutenant or captain, which ranges
from 81 800 to 50, 40U.
There is no profit in patriotism for
these doctors.
A larger percentage OF her medical
population has gone to the colors In
- n
State of the nation The District has
already furnished 80 per cent Of her
medical society members.
Arizona is second, with l6.6; Mary
land gave 14-3 per cent; Virginia, s.3;
New York, ia: PennsylvaniA, 10:
Kentucky, "a: Colorado, ~: Massa-
chusetts, SO: California, o.5; Illinois,
102 Wyoming has sent only per
of her medical population to the
colors.
The Districts figures do not in
cIude tbs sO5 and odd memrers OF the
Health Service Of the army and navy,
nor the homeopaths.
Made 10000 . Year.
A well-known physician, who 10
familiar with the income OF medical
men in the District, estimates that
ten of the doctors who have gone to
the colors have given up q practice
equal TO $4,000 annually TO each.
twenty others have left q practice of
about $40 900 each, and the remaln1er
Sf the 1S6 before entering the service
Of the Government, had incomes OF
not less than $4,000, making a total
of a little more than II SO. hlO IN the
aggregate.
The greatest sacrifice IL not in los
ing the income for one or two yea-s
- L.
ment 1t is in losing connections and
the practice they have built up after
years of hard work. the physicians
assert
The District Medical Society, in
common with similar organizations,
has foreseen this hardship on its
members and resolutions have been
adopted calling on members who re
main at heme to put forth their best
efforts to keep their brother doc
tors practice intact In so far as pos
sible. It Is merely a moral obliga-
tion on their part, and does not in
sure a practice to the physicians re-
entering private practice. after the
war.
In many instances, it is stated,
families take that opportunity to
change from one physician to the
other, and & general reorganization
of both the practice of both the doc
tor at home as well ss the dOctOr
under the colors is the result.
Hospitals Are Hit.
The war has drawn heavily on sew
eral local hospitals, some of them
being forced to call in almost an
entirely new staff
Since a larger percentage OF doc
tors have volunteered from the Dis