CORRESPONDENCE

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 134, 3 December 1915, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES AND MEDICAL MEN

TO THE EDITOR. . Sir,—The paragraph in your issue of last night "Lodge Doctors" as to the position between lodges and doctors being acute is correct, but other references I are misleading, especially the medical view. So many members of Friendly Societies being in the Evening Post em- j ploy I wonder it was not contradicted as soon as set up in type. Twenty years ago the medical fees were 20s per financial member, and the medical men found all medical necessaries, drugs, and bandages. We found by experience that other and more expensive drugs were I required in many cases than some medical men felt disposed to use, 60 the 1 Friendly. Society Dispensary was started to provide all medicines ordered, we considering that financially it was to our advantage to see members got necessary medicine even if at increased cost, as the average days of sickness would decrease and thereby save excess of sick allowance. An agreement .was arrived at for 15s per head, attendance altered to three miles from doctor's residence, and mileage altered to 3s per mile day, 4s night, up to five miles ; above that distance by agreement. In my opinion the fault crept in by allowing too wide a. choice of doctors, and although the £3000 odd is paid, the cheque is not so big to the individual doctor, and 'therefore not so much worth troubling about, though two-thirds of the medical men in days gone by were glad of Friendly Society business, as a stepping-stone to working up a practice. About 1909 we t-alked of and were in a position to engage three medical men on time engagement at Home, but we were threatened with the same positions as members of Friendly Societies in the, Auckland district, who carried out ajSimilar idea, but were met. by practicajly a boycott in that the Medical Association would not meet them if consultation or operation was necessary. Medical men forget that they can depend on their cheque quarterly, and there are no bad debts. Years ago when in a prominent position and everything at my finger's ends, I proved to two leading doctors in Friendly Society work that financially they were better paid by Friendly Societies than by their other patients, who often left them lamenting with a bad debt. Remember Friendly Society members always paid for major operations and accouchements. Possibly the doctors see an excess of sickness when the troopers return (Friendly Societies being well represented at the front), and don't feel disposed to face the extra average attendance, but they can rest assured 'that Friendly Society members won't go without medical attendance, or relief, even if we have to almost tax ourselves out of existence. I'm quite sure that 'the older members who worked up Friendly Society progress and social status will not see their labour wasted, and that they will be backed up royally by the'younger members to carry out the objects for which they banded themselves together.—l am, etc., P.D.C/R. Petone, Ist December, 1915.