Evening star., 1941-02-08
Cabot 10 Return
ToStandMonday
In A. N. A. Case
Champion Of Group
Medicine to Face
Cross-Exuminution
By HAROLD b. ROGERS.

champion of group medicine, under
cross examination by counsel for
the defendant doctors.
The trial has run three days and Is
expected to last from two to three
months. More than 80 more wit
nesses are to be brought to the
stand by the Government. and
thousands of documents will be in
troduced in evidence. Then the de-
fense will present its case.
DR.. Cabot, small of stature, bald,
droll and picturesque of speech, was
on the stand almost the entire day
Yesterday. His remarks provoked
laughter several times. He had
Hoped to conclude his appearance
hefore the court yesterday, but the
C0fense had not completed its cross
examination.
Member Of A. NJ. A.
A member of the American Med
Il Association since 1899, he has
en- one of the leading opponents of
= desirability of group practice. and
) now head of Health Service, Inc,
group of physicians in Boston Or
onized to provide medical care to
lose with salaries below $2,500. He
cNtlined his views on group medicine
G the trial yesterday.
Dr. Cabot defended Group Health
association of this city. medical CO.
operative of Government workers,
whose trade" the Government SAYS,
as submitted to illegal restraints by
cur organizations of doctors and 20
ndividual physicians and surgeons
IF Washington and Chicago. The
Cup defendants are the American
-edical Association. the Medical
ociety of the District, the Wash
1gton Academy of Surgery and the
arris County (TeX) Medical So
Ciety. They are charged with viola
ton of the Sherman Antitrust
Act-a misdemeanor, maximum
penalty for which is $4,000 fine or
a year in Jail or both.
DR.. Cabot as former conSultant
in surgery of the Mayo Clinic was
put on the stand as the Govern
ment's first and one of its most i'm
portant witnesses. He was closely
examined all morning and part of
the afternoon by John Henry Levin,
chief of the prosecution staff, and
was cross examined for the re-
mainder of the court session by
William E. Leahy of defense counsel.
The prosecution introduced into the
rr Nf i,,
cluding bylaws and certain rules
and regulations of the American
Medical Association and the other
corporate defendants.
Sees Better Service"
DR.. Cabot testified he personally
could give better medical service to
patients by participating in group
practice than in the private practice
of medicine. Asked by defense
counsel to elaborate on this, he in
sisted that there was mo waste
motion, no lost time going from one
patient to another from one hospital
to another" He could get prompter
consultation from among specialists
and obtain advice easier because of
the closer relationship between
members of a group of physicians
continually used to working to-
gether.
Il was free from the feeling that
I had to pay attention to financial
or economic status of the patient
he said, adding there was no worry
hat if I told patient something
he didn't like he would go elsewhere
md not pay his bill. l felt on
Scunder ground
Counsel for the defense drew from
Dr.. Cabot a distinction between
the Mayo Clinic and such organiza-
tions as Group Health Association
Eere, which he characterized as
consumer clinic"
Group of Experts.
Mr.. Leahy asked him: Then the
only group notion about Mayo was
hat it was group of experts,
crouped together for treating peo-
plo?"
Yes" answered the surgeon.
1T was not a consumer clinic?"
"Oh, no, that's just what it
init"
On the other hand, DR.. Cabot
characterized G. H. A. as con-
sumner clinic developed by the
patients for the purpose of buying
medical care.
He referred with commentator
to the numerous clinics set up by
various industrial concerns for en-
ployes, and said he was slightly
acquainted with group practice as
set up by railroads.
rs there any justification for
calling such practice as set up by
the railroads herd practice'?" asked
Mr.. Levin.
mo. no, I don't think there is
any herd quality involved" an
swered the surgeon.
rs the practice there orderly?'
"Yes, yes. I think So"
G. II. A. We'll Regulated"
DR.. Cabot testified as to the
Smooth" operation of Group Health
Association here, expressed the
opinion that it was equipped to do
satisfactory work and was we'll
regulated. Under cross examination,
he related how he first heard of
G. H. A. through his brother the
late Richard Cabot, who had come to
Washington at the request of G. H.
A. officials, and spent three or four
hours in the G. H. A clinic observing
its work He testified that at that
time a pediatrician had been giving
a thorough" examination to
child, and that surgeon was per-
forming an operation on a finger,
which ne watched carefully and ap-
proved.
That was right down my alley"
quipped the surgeon.
Asked about finances of G. H. A,
DR.. Cabot said he was not informed
where the money came from to
start it, but he estimated that the
membership then was mot large
enough to make certain of its fu-
ture, but they we're increasing it,"
He estimated about 1000 subscribers
would be necessary to make it
succeed.
You had nothing to do with the
formation of G. H. A.?" Mr.. Leahy
asked the witness.