Evening star., 1941-03-18
6. H. A. Trial Hears
Amputation Case Laid
To Contract Medicine
Doctor Cites Instance
To Show Bod Results
Of Low-Cost Care
BY HAROLD B. ROGERS.

Launching counter attack against
some ''low forms of contract practice
of medicine" DR.. Rosco Genug Le-
land of the American Medical Asso-
citation today described to the jury
sitting in the medical antitrust trial
in District Court case where such
practice had amputated mans
arm instead of taking more time
and attention to try reasonable
| restoration" of the arm.
The time and place of the oper-
alton we're not disclosed by the wit
ness, who told the story in the trial
in which he and other defendants
! face charges of a boycott against
the contract practice of Group
Health Association here.
The amputation was sharply criti-
cized by the doctor in connection
with testimony as to why organized
medicine objects to certain kinds of
contract practice. During the morn
ing, while he was on the stand, DR.
Leland testified that there were q
great many kinds of contract prac-
tice, some of which have not met
objection of organized medicine. 1t
had been previously testified by de-
fense witnesses that the A. M. A.
does not object to contract practice
per Sc"
"Ought to Be Discouraged"
But, DR.. Leland told the jury, in
explaining some correspondence he
had written, that contract practice
where there is no freedom of choice
of physician, Ought to be discour-
aged"
Asked by Defense Counsel William
E. Leahy what he meant by char
acterizing some of this practice as
'low FORM" the witness replied:
"Some contract practice groups
are organized to provide service at
very low cost. The custom of some
other individuals or groups is to
promise medical or hospital care or
both, offering the same service for
less money or more service for the
same money. In some places COM
| petition went from bad to worse by
constantly lowering the quality OF
medical care offered. This resulted
in some bad features.
Prosecution Objects.
DR.. Leland testified that he hae
attended a meeting in Washington
with members of the District of Co.
lunbia Medical Society in 1887 ir
company with DR.. William c. Wood.
ward, also of the A. M. A., in regarc
70 the G. H. A. He said he hae
suggested that the medical societ!
develop a method for establishing s
e-payment medical care plan o
their own in this city. He also testi'
fed to having attended meeting
in Chicago November 6, 1887, with
officials of the A. M. A. and th'
District Medical Society, but sale
he only attended and took no &C.
tive part.
Dr. Richard H. Price, former stat
physician of G. H A., who now Il
on active duty in the Naval Reserve
at Norfolk, Va, was put on the
stand briefly when court opened this
morning. But when defense counse
attempted to draw from him testi.
mony as to his experience with pa
tients at Garfield Hospital, prose.
cution counsel objected. There wa:
conference with Justice James M
Proctor at the bench over the testi.
mony and the witness was with.
drawn. DR.. Leland then took tht
stand.
DR.. Woodward, former District o
Columbia health officer, was sub
jected yesterday to several hours o
examination by Defense Counse
Leahy, and to cross-examination b