Evening star., 1938-03-23
No One Will Be Deprived of
Proper Medical Care,
!. Says DR.. NeiII.
REPRESENTATIVE SCOTT
ASKS CONGRESS PROBE
Charges High h-Handedness' and
Ayers Hospitals Are Caught
in Net of Conspiracy.

medical group today that no members
of G. H. A. or of the community at
large will be deprived of proper med
h1cal attention"
I At the same time, however, G. H.
7 A. spokesmen were accused by Dr.
Thomas E. Neill, president of the
medical society, with attempting to
: create an erroneous impression" on
the question of medical consultation.
The move for congressional in
vestigation was launched in the House
late yesterday by Representative Scott,
Democrat, of California in his second
attack on the medical society. He
threatened move to revoke the So
ciety's charter unless it ceased dis
elimination" against G. H. A.
10 Plans Made for Meeting.
Meanwhile the Committee for Co.
operative Medical Service for Federal
Employees, an ally of G. H. A., is
planning to meet tomorrow night to
map tentative plans for taking into
Its membership the general public.
This is step which G. H. A. itself
could not take under its charter
DR.. Neills assurance of medical
care for every one was contained in a
lstter to w c. Kirkpatrick, G. H. A.
president. In this letter DR.. Neill re-
lated the society's position in the case
Of G. H. A. member suffering from
heart ailment and said:
\ ut is my understanding that the
sarvicoc of thu oonc,,1foo+ o,,oc
ton were solicited by a member of
the family of the patient because of
the fact that on a prior occasion he
had treated a member of the family for
q like ailment. When it developed
that the patient was being treated by
DR.. Richard H. Price, member of
Of the staff of Group Health Asso-
citation, the consultant sought my ad-
vice as to whether it was permissible
under the constitution of the society
% for him to enter into consultation
with member of your MEDICAL staff"
+ Cites Constitution.
Part of the constitution of the So
eiety applying to the case was quoted
by DR.. Neill.
DR.. Neill said that in view of the
fact G. H. A. had not been approved
by the society. the heart specialist was
not authorized to enter into consulta-
tion with DR.. Price.
Il am advised" wrote DR.. Neill,
"that the consultant informed DR..
Price that while he could not see the
patient in consultation, nevertheless,
he would gladly see the patient in
dependently and render whatever
smedical service might be needed.
Agreeable to the wishes of the patient,
the consultant called upon him, made
q diagnosis and gave advice as to
treatment, all of which was communi-
Gated to DR.. Price.
"A frank and fair disclosure of the
facts clearly indicates that the best
interests of the patient were in every
, respect safeguarded, and in no wise
did he suffer any detriment."
The constitution of the medical So
eiety is binding on its members, DR..
Neill declared, and as president he
said he was obligated when called
on to advise members that the pro-
visions of it's constitution ARE man.
datory ano must be adhered to-"
Proper Attention.
DR.. Neill emphasized that this does
not mean that the members of the
Group Health Association, or any
other members of the community, will
be deprived of proper medical atten-
ton On the contrary, the members
Of the medical society stand ready at
all times to render necessary and
proper medical attention to all persons
in the community, including the men,
Ibers of the Group Health Association"
n G. H. A. in q pointed letter today,
replied to Dr. Neill's letter on the
matter of consultations. G. H. A.
President Kirkpatrick wrote to DR..
Neill:
This acknowledges receipt of your
firm our charges against you and the
Medical Society of the District of Co.
lumbia to the effect that you have
denied the right of our physicians to
consult with members of your society.
Thank you very much"
In his speech in the House Repre-
sentatives Scott said: 1T is about
time for Congress to find out whether
any citizen in the District can 90 into
. hospital and get treatment by his
own doctor. He threatened to intro
duoe resolution to revoke the charter
i, OF the District Medical Society unless
1t quits discrimination and agnres-
sive action against the Group Health
Association doctors"
Women and children" he declared,
~are suffering from remedial COM
plants requiring prompt surgical at
tention, which is being denied them
because of their membership in
/, worthy institution which the Presi-
dent Of the United States has seen
" at to characterize as representative
of other similar undertakings"
II. Cites Woman's Case.
II, District hospitals in refusing admis-
:, sion to q. H. A. patients, Mr.. Scott de-
|. clared, have been caught in the net
!. Of conspiracy" to give members of the
|! medical society monopoly of the
4 practice upon their own terms.
tF9 Charges High -Handedness.
tT Mr.. Scott also charged the medical
society with "high-handed" practices
/ and added:
e ut appears likewise that some of
&these physicians and surgeons may
ke violating the Medical Practice Act
\ RGf the District Of Columbia, and If not
their actions are certainly contrary to
. the high merKt and professional stand
ards which have at all times charac-
teriSed the true and competent lead
seshtp q the medical profession."