DOCTORS' FEES.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 91, 4 June 1912, Page 1

DOCTORS' FEES.

It is the complaint of doctors at all times and in all countries Bays the 'Journal des Dobata') that they are underpaid. Larger aums have, however, been made by doctors, adds the same paper, than to any other profession. And in their dealings with Royalty the doctors have had nothing to complain of. For instance, Sir Morell Mackenzie received an immense sum for operating on the Emperor Frederio 111., and we are told that Sir William Gull, who-attended King Edward in 1871, received £IO,OOO. According to our same informant the doctors who attended on Queen Victoria during her last illness received ca much as £2OOO each for a consultation. Popes seem to be equally generous to their doctors, for J>r Lappoui was paid £SOOO for an operation of Leo Xlll. Ernest von Leyden, a celebrated German surgeon, was paid the same sum for a visit to the Czar Alexander 111. The highest sum ever paid to a doctor for one operation was given, it is said, to Dr Loreaz, of Vienna, who received £20,000 from a multi-millionaire of Chicago for an operation on his child, in addition to all his travelling expenses, which were paid on a lavish scale. Royalties and millionaires do not differ from the rest of the world in regard to their payment of doctors; Many comparatively poor people would beggar themselves for a successful operation. But in 99 cases out of 100 doctors refuse to take fees which they know are more than their patients can afford. It is fortunate, then, that every now and then they should come acrtss patients who can afford to pay big fees.