Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1919-07-10
MEDICAL STAFF
At INDIGNATION
MEETING HERE
Dr.. Silk, AS Result, Makes a
Statement Saying Editorial
Unauthorized BY Him

What might be termed an indigna-
ton meeting on the part of the med
ica1 staff of the City Hospital was held
at the East Jersey Club last night
when the matter of the physicians
attitude toward the establishment of a
clinic in this city and more particularly
the editorial comment on the part of
the EVENING NEWS regarding the
stand taken by certain physicians, was
discussed for two hours or more. The
outcome of the meeting was the fol-
lowing statement made by DIR. Charles
i. Silk, president of the Board of
Health. today. with the request that
it be published:
"At their request and in justice to
the. doctors of the City Hospital staff,
wish to state that the editorial of the
8th inst. was uncalled for and un-
authorized by me.
"Chas. l. Silk"
AS far as could be learned about
the meeting this morning, all the
members of the hospital medical
staff were present. DIR. Silk, one of
the members of the staff, whose let
ter in the EVENING NEWS was the
basis for the editorial comment, was
on hand and, it is understood, was
pretty roundly scored by his col
leagues. 1t seems, however, that it
was not SO much DIR. Silks letter that
aroused the wrath of the medical
staff as it was the editorial. DR.. Silk
insisted, so it is said, that he was in
no way responsible for the latter; he
declared that he believed the editor
Of the EVENING NEWS would as
sumo full responsibility for the edi-
torial. But the rest of the staff, ac-
cording to the best information OBJ
tainable, insisted that some word
must come from DR.. Silk refuting the
accusations. There is reason to be-
Heye that pressure was brought to
bear on DR.. Silk to have him deny
his statement made in his letter
which was to the effect that the pro-
posed clinic was opposed by some
physicians ION the ground that it
would pauperize the publie-and that
the people who can well afford to pay
for their services will get them free
of charge" In other words the doc
tor was politely invited to eat his
words, but this the doctor refused to
do on the ground that he did not like
crow very much. DR.. Silk, from what
could be learned as to what trans
pired during the two hours session
last night, told the doctors the best
way for them to clear themselves was
to como out openly and declare in
favor of the clinic, thereby showing
the people that the charge that they
opposed the clinic solely for selfish
reasons is unjustified. AS far as
could be learned, no such action was
taken by the medical staff, neither
was any action taken. as far as could
be ascertained, denying the truth of
the statement made in Dr. SILK let-
ter.
There was a feeling, however, 1t
is said. that there should be coopera-
tion between the Board of Health and
1.-THE medical staff of the hospital and
that only by such cooperation could
effective work be done. The impress
Eion was given today that it is the
desire of the cooler heads who were
present that this be done.
Medical Society Meets
Following the meeting of the Perth
Anboy Medical Society, held yester-
day afternoon at the Raritan Yacht
Club. the following official statement
was issued by the society for publi-
cation in the EVENING NEWS:
'.At a meeting of the Perth Amboy
Medical Society held July 8, at the
Raritan Yacht Club, a committee or
three physicians was appointed to IN
vestigate the origin of the reflections
made against the local physicians OF
perth Amboy by the Perth Anboy
EVENING NEWS, and to report at
a later meeting of the Medical Socie-
ty."
The NEWS was unable to obtain
any other information concerning
what had transpired at the meeting,
or any discussions which may have
taken place AS far as known the
meeting was private and all other
Information excepting the above
statement was withheld When ef-
forts were made by the EVENING
NEWS to have a reporter attend the
meeting, the doctor answering the
'phone hung up the receiver.
1t is understood that a number of
the local physicians were not present
at the meeting.