Evening star., 1941-02-28
6. H. A. Rebuffs
From Hospitals
Recounted
Former President
Tells of TuIks at
Three Institutions
RY HAROLD ROGERS.

Unsuccessful efforts OF Group
Health Association to get its back
ers and patients into local hospitals
we're related to the jury in the med
ical antitrust case in District Court
today by William C. kirkpatrick,
former president of G. H. A.
Under sharp cross examination by
William E. Leahy, counsel for the
defense. Mr.. Kirkpatrick admitted
that during these unsuccessful ef-
forts in 1888 G. H. A. had filed pc
G. H A, a medical cooperative for
Government employees. This suit for
a declaratory Judgment, the jury
previously had learned. had been
decided in favor of G. H. A. by JUS
tice Jennings Bailey, who held the
cooperative legal
Mr., Kirkpatrick described confer
ences he had with officials of three
hospitals. In each instance, he said,
the objections raised to the admis-
sion of patients and doctors we're
based on regulations that only doc
tors belonging to the District Med
ical Society could obtain hospital
privileges.
Conversation Ruled Out.
Justice James M. Proctor, presid-
ing. ruled at the opening of court to-
day that DR.. Francis X. Richardson,
former C. H. A. staff member. could
not testify concerning a converSa-
ton he had in July, 1888, at Sibley
Hospital with two other doctors. The
Government had attempted to in
troduce this conversation in an
effort to show why DR.. Richardson
resigned in July, 1893. from G. H. A.
Mr.. Kirkpatrick who had teSti-
fed during previous appearance on
the witness stand several days ago
that the G. H. A. had never been
able to get full hospital privileges
during 1888 for its doctors and
patients. told the jury today that
the late Maj GiSt Blair, former
president of the Board of Trustees
of Emergency Hospital, had ex-
pressed some sympathy for the
group practice idea. A conference
of Maj Blair and others representing
Emergency Hospital with Mr.. Kirk
patrick and associate from G. H. A.
was described by the witness.
Found Blair Cordial.
G. H. A. had asked to have men,
bers of its medical staff admitted
to Emergency. I'VE found Maj.
Blair very cordial and in sympathy.
feeling that there was a place in
the medical field for the group prac-
tice of medicine, Mr.. kirkpatrick
testified. He volunteered that he
would do what he could among his
aCquaintances in other hospitals
and among doctors to see whether
the question might be resolved in
favor of Group Health Association
so that our patients could be ad-
mitted to the hospital"
Bylaws of the hospital, however,
requiring that doctors with courtesy
privileges belong to the Medical So
Ciety. prevented this, the witness
testified.
At Garfield Hospital the witness
testified that Clarence Aspinwall,
president of the board, had said:
Il am not altogether in sympathy
with some of the difficulties you en-
counter. Our board of laymen tries
to be guided by the medical staff,
who, in the end, We deem best fitted
for advice"
Offered to Rent Wing.
At Casualty Hospital, where Sam
uel H. Rogers, president of the board
OF trustees, said bylaw prevented
G. H. A. doctors from courtesy priv
ileges, Mr.. Kirkpatrick said he had
offered to rent one wing of the hos
pital but failed. Mr.. Kirkpatrick
said that he had asked a group of
Casualty officials:
When are you hospital people
going to stand up on your hind feet
and assert your rights in this ques-
tion?"
Mr.. Rogers was quoted as replying
that he didn't know"
Mrs. Eugene Meyer, according to
Mr. kirkpatrick, wrote letter to
Casualty Hospital asking it to ad-
nit G. H. A. doctors to courtesy
privileges. She was told by Mr..
Rogers that "the long established
bylaws" prevented it.
Outstanding testimony yesterday
afternoon came from DR.. r. Stephen
Hulburt, who also had been on the
staff of Group, Health Association,
but resigned. He testified he had
been an instructor in medicine at
Georgetown University Hospital
from 1882 to 1887, during which time
he had hospital privileges for treat
ment Of patients in the hospital for
general medicine, normal obstetrics
and minor surgery. After he Joined
G.. H. A. staff, however, he said, he
was notified by Sister Rodriguez of
the hospital that he no longer had
courtesy privileges at the hospital.
After he resigned from G. H. A,
however, his privileges were restored.
Mr.. Leahy, DR.. Hulburt went into
some reasons why he resigned. He
said he had gone to the G. H. A.
clinic hoping it might prove to be q
clinic like the Ross Loos Clinic in
Los Angeles, or even the Mayo Clinic
at Rochester, Mimi, but that calls
soon became so heavy he worked
from early morning until late at
night.
Over objection by prosecution
counsel, Mr.. Leahy then succeeded
in getting from the witness an
answer to the following question:
Did you resign because you
couldn't do good medical work in
the clinic due 70 the stress of work
laid on you?"
Uxyo- raepnpdad tho uyitppcc