Evening star., 1941-03-24
Castle Takes
Stand in Trial
0fDoctors
Identifies Report
On Dr.. SeIders Made
To Medical Society

ports against DR.. Raymond E.
SelderS, Ground Health Association
surgeon, which had profoundly ad-
verse effect on his application for
courtesy privileges at Garfield Hos
pital where he was denied the right
to operate, was produced in the
District Court medical trial today
by William R Castle, former Under
secretary Of State
The reports we're incorporated in
a letter which Mr.. Castle identified
from the witness stand as having
been written to Francis J. Eisemann,
superintendent of Garfield Hospital.
The charges against DR.. SelderS
came in report from Worcester,
Mass. where he had been a surgical
resident al the Worcester City Hos
pital
DR.. Selders' participation in Group
Health Association as surgeon and
his rejection by Washington hos
pitals have been major contentious
of the Government in It's charge that
organized medicine operated a boy
colt against the association through
pressure on the hospitals here 10
keep out Group Health doctors and
patients.
Two medical groups and 18 doctors
are on trial facing this and other
charges of restraint of trade against
G. H A. in violation Of the Sherman
Antitrust Act. For some time de-
there were other reasons for action
on DR. Selders.
Letter Read by Leahy.
The entire letter was read to the
Jury bv William z. Leahy. defense
counsel Before reading It. how
ever, he questioned Dr.. Henry c.
Macatee, whose appearance had
been interrupted long enough for
Mr Castle to produce and identify
the letter.
Dr.. Macatee said he had been
president of the medical staff and
a member of the Board Of Directors
of Garfield Hospital at the time.
The letter was dater March 30,
1893.
What effect did this letter have
on the application of Dr. Selders
for courtesy privileges at Garfield
Hospital?' Mr. Leahy asked
"a profoundly adverse effect" the
witness replied.
DR.. Macatee identified minutes of
! the Medical Society of the District,
its Executive Committee and a spe-
cial subcommittee of which he was
chairman.
Mr.. Leahv examined DR. Macatee
during most of the morning in an
effort to show that actions Of the
District Medical Society did not
constitute the alleged conspiracy
charged by the Government.
Activities Reviewed.
. Defense counsel drew from DR..
Macatee a recital of the facts from
July Il, 1887, through the summer
and early fall, designed to show that
most of the activity was appoint
ment of committees 10 try to ascer-
tain the facts about G. H. A.
According to the minutes Of the
/ special committee. DR.. Macatee at
one time had recommended that the
Medical Society should cooperate
in establishing some kind OF pre-
payment plan of medical care for
low income group in the District of
Columbia. This proposal, however,
was not adopted.
| DR.. Macatee. who was not indicted
in the medical case, had raised ques-
tons about the ethical standards Of
Group Health Association and its
| legality, but he had taken position
that the people behind G, H, A.
were not attempting to fight the
Medical Society.
In one place, DR. Macatee told his
/ associates, according to his words
read to the jury that he did not
/ consider the G. H A. hackers as
! scurrilous things to the Medical
Society in an underhanded, schem-
ing way
On the contrary. DR. Macatee had
characterized those behind G, H. A
as highly intelligent people
responsible, honest, rather public
spirited people trying to do some
thing for their associates in Office"
Through Identification of docu-
ments and memory, DR.. Macatee
reviewed the progress of the medi-
cal society's inquiry into G. H A.
At the time of the morning recess
he had brought the story up to the
point where the society had adopted
a resolution by one of the defend
ants, DR.. Pretniss Wilson, author
izing the society's Hospital Com
mittee to act in the matter. This
resolution, which was incorporated
in the indictment, pointed out that
the medical society had a means
of 'hindering" G. H, A. through the
hospitals.