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

WUlludy IuUI lllllR, WIFI LII. mug
Cabot of Boston, surgeon anc
champion of group medicine, under
cross examination by counsel fol
the defendant doctors.
The trial has run three days and Ii
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
before the court yesterday, but the
defense had not completed its cross
eXamina ton.
Member Of A. NJ. A.
A member of the American Med
ical Association since 1899, he has
been one of the leading exponents of
the desirabllity of group practice, and
is now head of Health Service. Inc,
a group of physicians in Boston or
ganized to provide medical care to
those with salaries below 81 500. He
outlined his views on group medicine
at the trial yesterday.
Dr. Cabot defended Group Health
Association of this city, medical CO.
operative of Government workers.
vi, n
was submitted to illegal restraints by
four organizations of doctors and 20
individual physicians and surgeons
of Washington and Chicago. The
group defendants are the American
Medical Association the Medical
Society of the District, the Wash
ington Academy of Surgery and the
Harris County TEX Medical So
ciety. They are charged with viola
ton of the Sherman Antitrust
Act "a miSdemeanor maximum
penalty for which is $1,000 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
record a number of exhibits, in
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
2nd obtain advice easier because of
the closer relationship between
members of a group of physicians
continually used to working to-
gether.
L was free from the feeling that
I had to pay attention to financial
or economic status of the patient
he said, adding there was mo worry
that if I told a patient something
he didn't like he would go elsewhere
End not paw his bill. l felt on
sounder ground
Counsel for the defense drew from
Dr.. Cabot a distinction between
the Mayo Clinic and such organiza-
tons as Group Health Association
here, which he characterized as a
consumer clinic
Group of Experts.
Mr. Leahy asked him: Then the
Cllly group notion about Mayo was
that it was a group of experts,
grouped together for treating peo-
ple?'
Yes" answered the surgeon.
1T was not a consumer clinic?"
"Oh, no, that's just what it
isn't"
On the other hand, Dr. Cabot
characterized G. H. A. as a con-
sumner clinic developed by the
patients for the purpose of buying
medical care.
He referred with commendation
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.
NO, no, I don't think there is
any herd quality involved" an
swered the surgeon.
rs the practice there orderly?"
Eyes, yes. I think So
G. Fl. A. We'll Regulated"
DR., Cabot testified as to the
Smooth" operation of Group Health
Association here, expressed the
opinion that 1t was equipped to do
satisfactory work. and was we'll
regulated Under cross examina ton.
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
q 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 were 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
l..