The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1943-10-14
POLITICAL MEDICINE

Winston Churchill sod tive must beware OF trying to
politician or ON Official. q society where enterprise gains no re-
ward, and thrift no privileges"
M. chuchillS stqteme nj G can, well %l iess app Rslt to f s Wan bill
OF New York-for himself and senator Jomes Murray OF Mont
ana, which proposes to raise GnnudiY by tdxotlon-tromP pay
rolls mostlY-upproximoley IL billion dollars. OF this sum ON
estimated So O48, OOO 10000 is to be olocuted TO provide med
!cdl core by the government.
The bill proposes placing in the hands Of one mon-the Sur
R Refity@ es"S'0' o. Tie S''D' u" 0"N ~"
. l. To hire doctors at fixed salaries to provide medical ser
2 To designate which doctors can be specialists.
g. To determine the number Of individuals for whom any
physician may provide service.
4. To determine orbirorly what hospitals or clinics may
provide service for patients.
What does political medicine mean for doctors? It means doc,
tors would be paid by the government Presumably they would
work eight hours per day instead OF twenty-tour hours.
There would be little incentive for the doctor to become skill
ed in the art OF medical practice. His advancement would de-
pend upon his influence with politicians rather than on his skill
or the character Of his work.
The doctor would not develop initoive-he would have to
adopt the methods and prescribe the treatments and medicines
determined by his superors.
The doctor would have little, if any, personal interest in the
patient who is compelled to visit him
State ~medicine-polticdl control Of medical service-olwoYs
hos,olwoYs will develop doctors who are politically unnenobIe'
who cater TO the ward committeeman or the precinct coptoln
rather thGn to the needs Of human beings who ore patients.
For the doctor-politicol control Of medical care mems in
competence, professional deterioration ond the forfeiture OF
self respect.
,Whot does political medicine mean for sick people? 1t means
thot they must depend upon q doctor who is paid by the gov
presumably working eight; hours per day. The eme1-
gency sickness must woit until the doctor is on the job.
A doctor who is not Of their choice but the one that has been
selected by q political bureoucrut.
A doctor who cannot have q personal interest in patients who
come to him because they ore compelled to do SO.
A doctor who is less knowing ond less efficient because he
must follow methods and prescribe remedies that ore fixed by
his bureaucratic superiors.
A doctor who, since his job is political, is more interested il
pleasing or opposing his political bosses thon he is in curing
his patients.
What does political medicine mean TO the public? It meons
$3y0000000O000 annually Of extra payroll toxes- an average
ofabout $4,000 yearly for each fdnlY.
1t meuns 10000 additional bureoucrdts to tell patients where
to go cnd doctors what to do and how TO treat human beings
who ore sick.
1t means the sacrificing of the highest level OF health ond the
most effective medical core ever known.
1t means doctors-to care for loved ones who are first pol
itcdl stooges and henchnen instead Of self respecting protes-
sionol men and-it is understood that. if the medical profession
is regin1ented. it will represent q decisive step toward estub-
fishing centralized federal control of oil the professions and in
dustrY. and the destruction of Freedom OF Enterprise in the
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