Evening star., 1938-04-01
DR.. DAbNEY QUITS
PRACTICE TO Join
CHA. CLINIC STAFF
Episcopal Hospital Surgeon
Heads Ear, Nose and
Throat Department.
CHEST OFFICIAL AWAITS
CANCELLATION PETITION
Plea Of Agriculture Department
Workers Reported to Be
Signed and Mailed.

Appointment Oh LIT. VIRlQluS DdD-
ney, one of Washington's best known
ear, nose and throat specialists, to a
full-time position in the clinic of the
Group Health Association, Inc, was
announced today.
In making the announcement. Off
cials of the G. H. A. said DR.. Dabney,
who is one of the chief surgeons at
Episcopal Hospital, will take over
Immediately" his new post as head
Of the clinics ear, nose and throat
department.
DIR. Dabney, former member of the
Board of Police Surgeons, said he had
decided to abandon his private prac-
tice in favor of the G. H. A. position
only after "a great deal of serious
thinking"
Private practice-in Washington, at
any rate-has become an increasingly
serious problem during the last five
years or so, due to the inroads made
by the various Government hospitals
and Clinics" he explained My de-
cision to discontinue my private prac-
tice-which I've spent years building
up-Wasn't a pleasant one to make,
but felt that had to make pro-
vision for a definite income"
Declaring he does not consider the
G. H. A. a step toward socialized
medicine, as has been charged by
some critics of the movement, DR..
Dabney added: The G. H. A. is mere
ly a means of providing adequate med
f1, Of TO n
come. 1t represents movement that
is widespread and growing
Chest Petition Awaited.
Meanwhile, Herbert L. Willett, jr.
director of the Community Chest, was
awaiting receipt of petition reported
to have been signed by group of en-
ployeS of the Department of Agricul-
ture, demanding return of their con-
tributlonS or cancellation of their
pledges on the ground hospitals sup
ported by the charity organization
have denied use of their facilities to
G. H. A. doctors. The petition was
reported to have been mailed last
night.
"All can do about it if it shows
up Mr.. Willett pointed out, sis to
refer it to the Executive Commit
tee 1t is an unprecedented request,
on which only the committee can de-
eide"
In any event. no action will be taken
on the petition until next week. Mr..
Willett added. as Coleman Jennings.
president of the Chest, will be out Of
the city until that time.
Similar petitions were reported in
circulation in other Federal Offices,
but executives in charge denied knowl-
edge of them. At G. H. A. headquar-
ters it was said the organization had
been doing everything possible to
discourage such petitions" and that
none was being distributed in its
parent Government agency, the Home.
Owners Loan Corp
Meanwhile, Representative Scott,
Democrat, of California, defender of
G. H. A. in its controversy with the
District Medical Society," told the
House the dispute is not purely local
in character, but part of studied
design of the American Medical AS
sociation, in cooperation with some
of its affiliated groups, to destroy the
group health type of practice wher-
ever it makes its appearance.
The statement was made in answer
to Representative Shafer, Republican,
Of Michigan, who several days ago op-
posed the Scott resolution for an inves-
tigation of the activities of the Ameri-
can Medical Association and its af-
flliates on the ground thaa it is too
far-reaching in scope. Mr.. Shafer in
sists the controversy is local in char
acter and any investigation should be
made by the Hospitals and Charity
Subcommittee Of the House District
Committee, of which he is member.
What effect, if any. Dr. Dabneys
decision to join the G. H. A. would
have on his position at Episcopal-a
hospital with which he has been con-
nected for about 25 years-could not
be learned.
DR.. Mason Declines Comment.
The Board of Trustees of the G. H.A.
reported that, although Episcopal has
never been asked to accept any of the
organizations patients, it understood
that DR.. Dabney's standin at the
hospital would be unimpaired. DR..
William Beverly Mason, chairman of
the committee that passes on the
eligibility of members of the hospital
staff, declined to comment, however,
IN advance of receipt of official noti-
hcation of DR. Dabney's decision and
consideration by his group.
DR.. Dabney, who lives at 1888 Con-
necticut avenue NV, withdrew from
the District Medical Society-which
has been one of the G. H. AS principal
critics-about two years ago. He had
been member of the organization for
something like 80 years." he said.
The specialist formerly was aff-
lated with Garfield and Children's
Hospitals, the former for about 10
years and the latter for about 4. He
relinquished his connection with both
institutions several years ago. He be-
came member of the Police Board in
May, 1886, resigning in August of the
following year.
Doctor Plans Defense.
DR.. Raymond E. Selders, G. H. A.
surgeon. was preparing today to de-
fend himself against charges filed by
the Harris County (Tex) Medical
Society. Accused of "unethical prac-
tice" by the organizations Censor
Board, which declared he had vio-
lated the code of the American Medi-
cal Association by affiliating with the
G. IL A., he is scheduled to be tried
in Houston on April ~.
Expulsion from the Texas group,
according to DR.. A. T. Talley, chair
man Of the Censor Board, would au-
tomatically suspend DR.. Selders from
both the Texas Medical Association
and the A. M. A.
DR.. Selders. it was said at g. H. A..