Evening star., 1938-10-27
Jury RESUMES
MEDICAL PROBE
First Public Defense of
Medical Society Made
BY Secretary.

organized medicine resumed sessions
this morning with plans to hear more
testimony in the Department Of JUS
tice inquiry into alleged obstructive"
and boycott" pressure by organized
on Group Health Associa-
ton. Inc.
There were three witnesses before
the grand jury today. including the
first woman to appear in the case.
Of Batavia, N. Y; Dr. J. Keith Cro-
mer Of this city and Miss Mary Fran
ces Stewart, laboratory technician for
Group Health Association.
Meantime much interest was shown
here in the public debate conducted
under auspices Of the New York Herald
Tribune in New York, where the g. H.
A. problem was well aired.
The first public defense OF the Med
ical Society Of the District of Colum-
bia also came out yesterday, when the
society's executive secretary, Theodore
Wiprud, issued statement, after
emerging from the grand jury room.
Mr.. Wiprud emphasized that he could
disclose nothing that took place in the
grand jury room, where he was 4 Wit
mess .-.---'.--. =. - = -.
Hospitals to Give Records.
Leading hospitals Of the city were
understood to be preparing to answer
the demand Of the grand Jury for
their records for study In the medical
case. Some hospital authorities we're
in 4 dilemma over how to respond
with records which are needed in hos
pital operation. From dates on the
subpoenas it was apparent that the
grand jury probe will last until the
middle Of November at least, as one
OF the hospitals is called ON to produce
its records November II. Thus the in.
quiry appears to be lasting longer than
the three weeks originally expected.
The probe now is in its second week.
Wiprud Statement.
Mr.. Wiprud, in his statement de-
lending organized medicine, said:
i am certain that thinking people
realize that the whole story concern
ing new methods Of delivering medi-
cal care has not yet been told. State
ments appearing in the press in re-
cents weeks have been remarkable
IN many respects, not the least of
which has been the disregard for the
leadership and cooperation given by
medical societies throughout this coun-
try m meeting health needs of the
people. .....
Emphasis has been placed upon
the opposition Of medical societies to
methods OF providing medical care
which they have observed over a period
OF many years are not in the public
interest.
The impression has been siyen that
the medical profession would selfishlv
stand in the way Of progress. This ia
unjust and disproved by facts. For
example, the medical profession
through medical societies has for manv
years willingly and generously given
It's cooperation and its services to
governmental and community agencies
1or the care of the INDECENT sick.
Nearly every free hospital in this
country Is stated by physicians Who
are not compensated for their services
Program Begun.
AT the present moment. numero,,.
experiments in providing ADEQUATE
meolcal care to the low-income groups
are being sponsored by or in oo-oper. =
tion with medical societies. The Medi.
cal Society Of the District Of Columbi.
mas recently adopted the basic fea-
lures OF = medical service program
Tor the low-income group. It is Of
course true that in some communitie.
medical societies have made more
progress In this direction than IN
others. However, the important thing
rs tnat they are going forward and
earnestly seeking the cooperation Of
the people in advancing . sound and
adequate health program. In thi,
Undertaking the fact. that medical eo.t.
nave become q burden to cert.in
groups Of our population ia recs;v,r.
careful consideration.
II people generally would visualtz.
medical societies As groups composed
OF their own personal physicians, there
would IN most instances be no need
Tor further assurance that the IN
terests Of patients will always re-
main their first consideration.
Improved methods are needed in
distributing medical care and no one
realizes more fully than doctors them.
selves the peculiar requirements for
providing adequate medical service. I"
In the Herald Tribune forum. the
medical problem was discussed by VII
liam c. Kirkpatrick, q. H. A. pred-
dent; Dr.. Richard c. Cabot, professor
Of clinical medicine of the
Harvard Medical School, both sup.
porting group medicine, and DR.. Nor
ris Ftshbein, editor of the journal Of
the American Medical Association,
who pointed out that although the
A. M. A. approyed cash indemnity