Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-11-25
Charges Against Dr.. Sellers
In @. II. A. Activity Dismissed
Group Halls Move
Made by Texas
Medical Society

brought against Dr. Raymond E.
Soldiers, medical director of Group
Health Association because of his
connection with G. H. A., have been
dismissed by the Harris County
Medical Society at Houston, Tex,
according to the Associated Press.
The Texas society action clearing
DR.. Soldiers was hailed with graft
fication by officials of G. H. A. here
as another victory in the long
draWn-out battle waged against 1t
by organized medicine.
Statement Issued.
William c. Kirkpatrick, president
of G. H. A.. in statement this
morning said:
I'VE have contended from the be-
ginning that if physician had the
right to practice as an individual.
he had an equal right to practice
in a group in company with other
physicians
The decision of the Harris County
Medical Society, vindicating DR.. Sell
ders of charges of unethical prac-
tice by reason of his associations
with G. H. A., is an indication that
certain elements in the medical pro-
fession are slowly catching up with
an overwhelming public demand
that the archaic attitude of large
segment of that profession toward
group practice of medicine be aban-
doned, and more tolerant and
enlightened view adopted"
Meantime it was learned that the
American Medical Association has
postponed action on the appeal of
DR.. Mario Scandifiio, another G. H. A.
physician. from his custer from the
Medical Society of the District of
Columbia.
Hearing Postponed.
DR.. Scandiffio disclosed today he
has just received telegram from
A. M. A. headquarters in Chicago
saying that the hearing by the
Judicial Council of the A. M. A.,
which had been set previously for
December 10, had been postponed
to January 13. No reason was given
for the postponement, DR.. Scandifho
said. He was ousted by the District
Medical Society last March follow
ing a long hearing, in which he
was accused of violating certain by
laws of the local society in connec-
ton with his contract with G. H. A.
Through his attorney, E. K. Neu-
mann, the physician appealed direct
ly to the American Medical Associa-
ton, which recently granted him a
hearing.
Both the American Medical Asso-
citation and the District Medical So
ciety are accused by the Department
of Justice with restraint of trade"
and violation of the Sherman Anti
Trust Act. The charges are being
sifted by a special grand jury, which
Monday will resume its lengthy
probe into the situation.
Motion Pending.
The A. M. A. is fighting the case
at every stage of the battle, and now
has a motion before Justice James M.
Proctor, in District Court, to quash
the whole subpoena which demanded
a mass of data from the A. M. A. to
help the Governments charges that
doctors have no right to band to-
gether in restraint of trade.
DR.. Soldiers was pleased with the
dismissal of the charges against him.
The charges were unwarranted, I'M
just and should not have been
brought in the first place." he-de-
clared. This is a noble movement
we are in, which is going to benefit
untold people, and enable competent
physicians everywhere to earn an
honest living. The movement for
group medicine should be encour-
aged instead of retarded. It is the
most far-reaching and progressive
move in modern medicine"
Charges against DR.. Soldiers were
filed about a year ago on request
of the District Medical Society on
the basis of DR.. Sellers connection
with g. H. A.
In announcing the Texas Society
action dismissing charges against
DR.. Soldiers, DR.. w. A. Coole, secre-
tary of the society. said:
"Inasmuch as there was a wide
difference of opinion regarding tu-