"DOLLAROUS" DOCTORS

NZ Truth, Issue 579, 22 July 1916, Page 1

"DOLLAROUS" DOCTORS

It is to lie hoped that Parliament, before it "puts up the shutters," and ihe indications are that 1 the session will shortly conclude, will be^ given an opportunity of expressing its opinion on the mercenary medical man, or, what is more to" the point, make it penal for raiembers of the British Medical Association practising m New Zealand to refuse to consult with 'reputable, duly- qualified medical practitioners who are not members of the British Medical lAjssociation m New Zealand. If Parliament is given such opportunity, tlien'the Hon. G. W. Russell, Minister of Internal Affairs, will have done his duty, proved himself a man of his word, and not, as many are now inclined to believe him to be, a fickle sort of politician, brave with his words, but jellyfish-like m action. If Parliament is denied the right (and 52 members of Parliament hayo signed a requisition, to the Minister m question, urging legislation to brqak the back of the monstrous medical monopoly), no great surprise need be manifested, because a Government which has, bo far, successfully side-stepped tackling the problem of the high cost of living; and has resorted to, or connived at others resorting to political trickery, to burk a discussion on this momentous question, will not hesitate to sidestep the matter of curbing the rapacity of the medical men. • • • The dispute between the Wellington branch of the British Medical Association and the United Friendly Societies, is one with which the community is well acquainted. The doctors have asked for more money, i.e., they demand 21/- per annum from each member of tho kindred societies, as against tho 15/- which has been paid for years past. The doctors claim that this is a sweating rate, and have practically held a pistol i^ tho heads of the lodges, and the present position is, thnt tho Friendly Societies are without lodge doctors, and members of the Societies requiring medical attention are paying, or tho lodges aro paying for them, tho current fees. The lodges, with some show of reason claim that the doctors havo taken an undue advantage of them, due to ii scarcity of doctors, and are being exploited by a monopoly, nml m proof of the nsscr-* tion, point to the fnet that the. B.M.A. has exerted its influence aguin.st dontorsil vise. where eoidinu to 'Wellington and taking up Friendly Society work. In shon, the position is that there is a ftovdid squabble over "sillor," and what is more, the haggling and bargaining altitude of th.? doctors, through tho British Medical Association, has not tended to oxeite the sympathy of the public. Indeed, the attitude adopted has had tho effect of lowering public rwpect for the "humano profe.*--Bfc»," To solve the diiliculty or

| deadlock, the Friendly Societies of I Wellington propose to engage, or actually have engaged, medical men from other countries. The local (Wellington) Branch; of the British Medical Association has endeavored to counter this move by a refusal on the part of the members to consult with the imported medicos, and, has gone further, and has actually defied the Government to take any action to compel members to associate or consult with the imported fry. As the Government has been defied by a so-called powerful organisation, people are waiting to see what the Government will do. ' • | • •^ In the controversy which' has been carried on, a great deal of "bosh" and "balderdash "has been indulged m by both parties, but the arrogance of certain medical men indicate the general attitude of the British Medical Association, and more than ever clearly establishes the fact that the doctors are "commercially inclined," and not carried away by unselfish sentiment, or swayed by the traditions of a noble profession. One doctor has stated, through the columns of the daily press, that if the Government doctors were used to fight the British Medical Association, they (presumably the Government doctors), would have to supply tho honorary staffs for hospitals and so on. "We are," he said, "m such a strong position that we are not worrying m the least." This is a cruel, almost a brutal threat. It is tantamount to saying that if the Government sides with the Friendly Societies, they (the doctors) will leave the sick and the dying m the public hospitals to shift for themselves. The doctor who mado that remark is an ofii-, cial of the British Medical Association, and, for obvious reasons, his name or identity was not disclosed. Moreover, he described what had already been said m Parliament as "this fuss (is) through fear that we will influence the j doctors the lodges are bringing I out not to join m, or to 'clear out,' " This "fuss" is made with good reason. It is the fear that the awesome and extraordinary etiquette of the members of tho British Medical Association (and the B.M.A. is a very close and strong union), will not consult with an imported lodge doctor even m a case of life or death! That the members of the British Medical Association will refuse to consult with those "beyond the pale," or otherwise incur the penally of being socially ostracised has been borne out by what is known to havo taken place m Auckland. In the Northern city, the Friendly Societies have endeavored to solve the problem of the "dollurouV doctor, by importing their own medical officers, and the Auckland Branch of the British Modieul Association has refused to recognise the lodge doctors, and have resisted all at-

tempts to jbreak down the barrier. . Members of the Auckland branch of the B.M.A. do not professionally recognise the imported lodge doctor, and to this day will not consult with them. Wellington should profit by Auckland's experience, and Parliament should assist, and not be menaced by the medical monopoly. ' • • • Apart from the sordid side of •Lhe squabble between Doctors and Lodges, it has to be admitted that' there is merit m the claim of the doctors for an increase m the payments expected from lodge members, and the lodges have intimated their willingness to concede part of the demands, m other words, effect a compromise. The community might have looked on with amazement at the sordid squabble, but when the ! doctors, m addition to holding ! up a pistol to the lodges, go a3 far as to threaten the whole com- ; munity, a different position is reached. The Gcnternxnent would I not tolerate an industrial union threatening the community and, therefore, it should be prompt to resent any threat by the medical profession with its weird and quaint arrogance. A Magisterial Court case at Auckland,, last week (reported m "Truth"), clearly showed the extraordinary Character of the cliquette of the medical profession, and the result of the case m question should not be lost on the doctors and the lodges. '. .

THE BLESSINGS OF THE B.M.A.