"A MEDICAL MAN AND A WHITE SLAVE."

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 98, 18 January 1908, Page 6

"A MEDICAL MAN AND A WHITE SLAVE."

: J :— • (i« of the Christchurcji lress who si«ns himself "A Medical Man and a..Wmtu .Slave," writes , 1S follows oil the subject of patients who will not pay tho- doctor-.j " Why should not the . law be made just for tradespeople and professional men as well as for tho working (roiuniunitv?' ' Tradespeople, if ihey know customers are dishonest, can refuse to supply them with goods. A medical man if callcd to attend anybody and knowing that this person will refuse to pay, refuses to attond, is looked upon by tho public, as a murderer. A medical man is frequently nailed to eases of this sort at all hours of the day or night, and whethor he himself is well or ill ho cannot in the name of humanity refuse, to go. Why cannot the laws bo made to protect all classes •alike? How many medical men in their old ag<j havo been able to save sufficient monov . to keep them alive? The great majority liavo to work till they die in harness to keep body arid soul together. Suppose, a doctor, is called out to attend a sick person, and on his way fie moots with an accident; which disables him, what claim has ho upon his employe:' ? Tho worker has, according to law, definite' hours of labour; overtimo must be paid for. Tho fixed hours aro generally forty-four, hours per week. Doctors havo to work in tho collar from week's end to week's end, 185 hours a'week. Should'not thoy by )av,- bo paid overtime?"