Evening star., 1941-02-26
Controversial
Data Admitted
In A. N. A. Case
u. S. Offers Letter
Charging Rebuff
On Consultation
By HAROLD B. ROGERS.

COuIloCl lOL VIC QC4CllNoAO uOSUoA
had fought for days in the anti
trust case against the medical pro-
feSsion.
The Government then presented
letters and documents IN sup
port of its charge that the Amer
lean Medical Association, the Dis
trict Medical Society and others
including 20 doctors. conspired tc
destroy Group Health Association
by putting pressure on II local hos
pitfalls.
The trial proceeded without one
of the alternate jurors, whose ILL
ness had caused the recess yes
terday. Counsel had continued their
argument over admisSability of the
hospital evidence all yesterday
morning in chambers Of the pre-
siding judge, and the jurists rul-
ing was made public when court
opened this morning.
Letter Introduced.
The prosecution led off with a
letter from an official of Group
Health Association to the president
of the medical society declaring
an incident which had involved the
means of consultation of med
ical society doctor with G. H. A
doctor not only discredits the med
ical profession as a whole but would
violate every human precept that
has been the cornerstone of the
practice of medicine since the time
of Hippocrates.
The charge, made by William c.
Kirkpatrick, former president of
G. H. A, brought a reply from DR.
Thomas E. Neill, president of the
medical society, in which he in
sisted that the incident had not
deprived a patient of proper medi-
cal attention.
The patient in question, Mr.. Kirk
patrick claimed, was seriously i'll
with coronary thrombosis. Dr.
Richard H. Price, a member of the
G. H. A. staff, Mr.. Kirkpatrick said,
wished to consult a heart specialist
"of repute" who is a member of
the medical society, but whose name
was not disclosed.
'"Dr. Price reports he was in
formed by this physician contin-
ued Mr.. kirkpatrick, that he had
been advised by you that he would
not be permitted to enter into such
a consultation and that any con-
tact or consultation" between this
physician and a staff physician of
G.. H. A. would have to be confined
to formal notes or conversation on
the telephone.
Erroneous Impression Claimed.
DR.. Neill's reply to the G. H. A.
president said, 1T is obvious that the
primary purpose of your communica-
ton is to create in the public mind
an erroneous impression as to the
attitude of the medical society of
the District and the members
thereof in rendering medical aid to
the community in general"
The members of the medical soci-
ETY., Mr.. Neill concluded, stand ready
at all times to render necessary and
proper medical attention to all per-
sons in the community, including
the members of G.. H. A.
The Government prosecutors. John
Henry Levin and Grant w. Kelle-
her, presented many documents con-
cerning the hospitals. They read to
the jury list of the medical society
HnCY0ito1 Tny,oy,oit1an
j. Ogle Warf1eld, and showed that
members of this committee were on
the staffS of local hospitals.
Communications were shown which
disclosed correspondence between
the Hospital Committee and the
hospitals which the Government
charges proved a boycott against
G. H. A. doctors and patients.
The hospitals are not defendants
but, under Justice Proctor's ruling
admitting this evidence. the acts and
declarations of hospital officials are
considered binding in the alleged
conspiracy.
A resolution by DR.. Thomas E
Mettingly at a business meeting of
the medical society, February 2,
1888. called upon proper agency
of the society to report "the status
Of G H. A. physicians at hospitals
preliminary to plenary action pro-
vided any hospital has ignored the
medical society's wishes in the
premises"
A letter from National Homeo-
pathic Hospital at first pointed out
that this institution had recently
revised" the list of its doctors on
the courtesy staff excluding those
who are not members of the District
Medical Society" Later, according
to another letter, doctors in medical
societies in nearby Maryland and
Virginia also were admitted to the
staff.
A long QUESTIONABLE from the
medical society to the hospital which
had been answered by hospital off.
cials and returned to the medical
society was read.
Awaited Approval.
Among other things the ques-
tionnaire said that in regard to re-
quest of G. H. A. to admit G.. H. A
doctors to privileges in the hospital
mo action would be taken until
G. H. A. was approved by the D. c
Medical Society,""
The hospital admitted that DR.
Allen E. Lee and DR.. Mario
Seandiffio, members of the staff OF
G. H. A., had privileges in the hos
pital, that both had had patients in
the hospital before, but added
future action regarding them
awaits the action taken by the D. C
Medical Society"
The QUESTIONABLE had beer
signed by Francis Whitlock Hall
superintendent of the hospital, anc
DR.. G. G. Birdsall, but, the jury was
told by prosecution counsel that the
statement in handwriting on the
side of the QUESTIONABLE concerning
future action on the doctors was ir
the handwriting of DR.. Warfield
chairman of the Hospital Commit
tee of the medical society.
Shortly after this exhibit was pre-
sented, Mr.. Levin read minutes from
the business meeting of the society
on March 16, 1898, which showed