AN ENORMOUS DOCTOR'S BILL.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue LXIV, 13 September 1902, Page 7 (Supplement)

AN ENORMOUS DOCTOR'S BILL.

The decision in the case of Dr. Browning's claim against tho estate of the late Christopher Magee (writes an American journal) will tend to restrain some of our physicians who have shown an inclination to measure their fees in proportion to the fortunes* of their patients when the latter are millionaires. Dr. Browning's bill for medical attendance upon Mr. Magee daring about a year ana a half was the modest sum of £38,000. The Court cut» it down to £4000. That is to. say, the doctor's original bill was £38,000 ' r before the case came up for trial be had increas«d it to £60,000. Mage© lived in Pittuburg, was v. politician, an 4 had -become very rich by getting possession of valuable municipal franchises. Browning said that his patient had agreed to pay him £16 an hour, and his large claim was based in port upon the assertion that he had prolonged Magee's life for a period during which the latter mud© £1,400,000, Some time ago another doctor io" PitUburg attempted to support by a similar argument his claim for a large amount against the estate of a deceased millionaire, saydng that he had so prolonged the man's life that he was enabled' to increase his fortune by £200,000, but the Courts show little respect for such pleas. A millionaire tried to commit suicide in the city of Binghamton by cutting his throat. An eminent surgeon sewed up the cut, And saved his life. When the bill came in for £1600 the millionaire refused to pay it, and the Courts reduced it to £240. Doctors who exi>ecfc to collect very large bill* from our millionaires, or their estates, should take the precaution to have written contracts or agreements such as our lawyers sometimes make when they undertake to defend estates against claimants who are not rightful heirs. Those who successfully' defended the estate of the late Senator Fair in California, against the claimant, who asserted thnt she had been the Senator's •wife, received by contract £400,000 for their services.