THE DOCTORS AND THE LODGES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2836, 29 July 1916, Page 3

THE DOCTORS AND THE LODGES

Sir,—A medical man can write a prescription, but his prose literary work may be too frequently described as turgid, verbose flapdoodle. The clearlywritten statement of facts written by Mr. Kelly completely vindicates tho action of the Friendly Societies. List to the tale of the doctor who ran away. The Medical Association at first said they had not interfered, and left it to be inferred that the gentleman in question had been scared away by lodge patients and officials. Then Mr. lvellv published correspondence presenting the true aspect of the matter. These letters are worth noting. The doctors have again shuffled by 6Liying that as a corporate union they hud taken no action, but owning that medical nieai (pickets ?) had used moral suasion in their private rooms. Anyway the moral suasion trick gave the imported doctor "cold feet," and he hiked home again. When the late Mr. Seddon founded the State Maternity Hospitals (St. Helens), he met with bitter rage and fury from the N.Z. Medical Association, purely from their selfish financial point of view. But Mr. Seddon, being both wise and strong, would not allow any group of men to wreck his scheme for the benefit of motherhood. Since the beginning of the war the doors of 'St. Helens Hospital have been open without charge to the wives of soldiers at tho front. . Now, at this striking juncture, doctors'say they will attend wives of soldiers without charging fees. What causes this belated move on the part of the poverty-stricken, sweated doctors? Just think it over. It is 'a riddle not difficult to solve—l am, et °" BYSTANDER.