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Good afternoon and welcome to a journal. This is Bill Gavin. It's. On this Friday edition of our show we have excerpts from a lecture given by Dr. Edgar Berman the author of the Solid Gold stethoscope. His book at Northeastern University this week and we'll have commentary on the week's news from a live. With what. Dr. Berman spoke at Northeastern University last Sunday and the topic of his speech was warning doctors may be hazardous to your health. His entire speech could be heard tomorrow evening in on WGBH at 7 o'clock. People ask me why I wrote the solid gold stethoscope. I was not a dissident physician. I enjoyed medicine I enjoyed every aspect of it. I was a practitioner I was a research. I did my duty with the government army and military. I was an advisor at certain
aspects of AGW and so forth and I wrote it not whimsically. I wrote it for a particular purpose and the purpose wasn't the one of the. Current says that has happened with this book and that is that has alarmed patients to a great degree. What I really meant was to alarm physicians. There have been a dozen straight books written on this subject and one of the greatest is by Milton gross. I just had hardly any impact. I rode satirically for two reasons one it's the only way I can write for some reason and to. I thought it may have the impact it deserves in medicine today. Mike's statistics are always questioned and I can only say that the research that I did on this book. The libel lawyers at Macmillan my publishers
went over this for three months in fact held the book up for three months to have every statistic supported or not. People also ask me how my colleagues treat me today and I must say that I guess I'm about as popular in the am a board room as Ralph Nader is in the GM boardroom. But. People also ask. What if I get sick what if they get sick. What do they do about a doctor and I say that. How about me. So. I would just like to say that I am not a do gooder I didn't do this for that purpose. But I think that and I participated in some of the good and some of the bad of the profession. I know that as a surgeon I was trained the first element of training is removing tonsils which as we know today is really little value if any. And I did this for four
or five years and then woke up to the fact that a child has as many sore throats after as before a consul ectomy. But still in America today there are over a million tonsillectomies done every year. But I think today that medicine has just gone a little too far. I hate to see a great profession like this just go down the drain. I think enough is enough. And the bad doctors are giving the good doctors just a bad name. Medicine today I feel sick and it's getting sicker. It's not aspirin sick it's not Band-Aid sick it's intensive care sick. And I can assure you I'm not against the practice of medicine. I'm against the shoddy practice of medicine. I'm against the fact that no doctor today or very few will ever make a housecall. I'm against a doctor making a patient wait for two and three hours in a
waiting room. I'm not against doctors. But some of the shoddy ones the $35 pitstop you're operated on for an appendix and the internist sticks his head in the room. How are you. And he's gone. And it's $35 on your bill. I had a funny a current that happened on a national television show recently. I was in Chicago and in a question and answer period a woman got up and said I had a peculiar experience I just come to Chicago and I needed a new gynecologist I found one he was very personable examined me and everything was fine. I came back into the office into his consultation room and he said Mrs. So-and-so you need a hysterectomy. And this was before an international audience. And she said doctor I had a hysterectomy two years ago. So these are some of the things that have happened in the specialization the super
specialization. I mean the overpricing Mark Spitz could come into a doctor's office today and I don't say it's all the doctor's fault there's a tremendous temptation with the insurance aspects. The third party aspects of medicine today Mark Spitz could come in with a pimple on his bike and be rayed and scoped and scanned and bled and come out with a bill of two three hundred dollars. And this is the rule. It's not the exception. I'm not against the technical advances in medicine but to use a scanner to have. I was in Oklahoma City and I think they had four scanners which should probably be used once in every 5000 cases. They have four scanners within a block of each other. They cost from two hundred eighty to three hundred dollars a scan and the scanners pay for themselves in one year. I think this is sort of ridiculous. I'm not against doctors
making a good living or even a luxury its living but not at the expense of ripping off Medicaid for two billion dollars not million billion dollars in a period of a little over a year. And this wasn't done by five doctors or 10 doctors and if there are any doctors in the audience they usually leave in about. Well I give them another three minutes but if there are any doctors in the room it was something like 20000 professionals involved in the mega Medicaid ripoff and not one of them lost their license. It was an incident that happened that was reported in The New York Times not long ago where a Medicaid patient came into the clinic sent in by someone for general logic examination and the lady there said well the gynecologist isn't in today but the nose and throat man is and do you
have something wrong with your nose or throat. And these are our true experiences. People ask me Well what's so different about medicine everybody is ripping everybody off today. It doesn't make any difference the same thing should apply to doctors. I say there's a difference. You're not dealing with used cars or storm windows you're dealing with human beings. And that is a basic difference. And I think doctors must be different than most people in this respect. There are still some good honest dedicated doctors. The only problem is they're getting harder and harder to buy. And no wonder the choice even in pre-med in medical school today is strictly marks. If you would hear some of the tales of the premeds and how the ones who elbowed their way into medical school. Great days. It is really I wouldn't want any outcome from my doctor. I don't care if a boy is an Einstein to
treat my Bunyan's I would rather have someone with character and with compassion. And maybe he's a C student. But that would be all right with me. Medicine has become so mystique ridden that you would think that they have to be unusual people to be a good doctor that is not true. But there are many more problems with medicine today 30 percent of America isn't serviced. As far as psychiatry and analysis ninety eight point eight percent of all people all patients who go to an analyst are white at one time it was thought maybe a black skin gave you some sort of immunity against mental disease. The Blue Cross premiums as you all know go up 30 and 40 percent every year. And today the word hospital is a contradiction in terms. No operation in the world should cost $100000 which is what a transplant costs.
That is the hospital costs a bypass is $12000 no operation in the world is worth to a surgeon for the surgeon's work. Three thousand dollars an hour. I mean for hospitalization if you don't have to cross blue shield or some kind of private I mean no one but Catfish Hunter or J Paul Getty could possibly afford it today. And the public I think has reach its limit of toleration as far as even the conviction in the medical profession of those who commit fraud. No matter the rumors of fee gouging kickbacks tax evasion unnecessary operations even when caught red handed. There's no chance of getting it done. There's about as much chance in getting a doctor to testify against another doctor as getting talian shoeshine boy to testify against the Godfather.
It just isn't done. As far as surgery that's an old story. The surgeon's colleagues condemn him as being knife happy. Well he's no more nice happy than the family doctor is x ray happy or or blood test happy. Or the psychiatrist is Cal chappy. There's an old saying in football. When in doubt there's an older saying in surgery when in doubt operate. Each specialty today seems to have its own private. Guaranteed Annual Income. There's the back for the orthopedic surgeon and there's the huge risk for the gynecologist there's the appendix for the general surgeon. And to curb this there has come about this second opinion and I think
this says it all. As far as what is wrong with medicine today I mean the idea that one doctor has to pass judgment on another doctor's diagnosis is rather horrendous. The savings I know the unions now have the second opinion. Blue Shield has a second opinion. It has saved literally millions and millions of dollars. And I think as I said it just says that on today the rate of surgery in America. Proportionately to the population is just about twice what it is in Great Britain. Nader says there are three point two million unnecessary operations today that is unnecessary with about 12 to 14 thousand vets. From unnecessary procedures I don't care if it's 1 million or one or for sure. Many doctors
many of us myself included make wrong diagnoses and this happens that you take out a normal structure but three point two unnecessary procedures it's just it's unconscionable. The A.M.A. in its ethics department with its hand over its heart. You see them at congressional hearings they say well we've always taken care of this we've policed Let us take care of it don't rock the boat. You know investigations are necessary etc.. Well this is sheer bunk. They haven't they haven't taken care of it they haven't policed anything. That was Dr. Ed your Burman whose speech is part of the Ford home forum lecture series. It can be heard in its entirety tomorrow at 7:00 pm. The rest of the Ford home forum series will be broadcast live on WGBH on Sunday night so I paid a clock. It's with a look at this week's news.
Congressman returning from their recess this week say inflation is what's most worrying people. The president back from Africa has announced he will spell out administration plans to deal with inflation. In a speech next Tuesday that will take up also the decline of the dollar. They have a deficit in trade. All very negative economic situation. Two other issues have arisen this week as major concerns of the administration. One is congressional revolt against the increases they voted in December in payroll taxes to save the Social Security system. Another is congressional pressure against the president's reported intent to bend production of the neutron bomb. Today the president announced he'll hold up bomb production but he left open a final decision to see he said what position the Soviets take on this limitation. They told members particularly West Germany have counted on American surprising the neutron bomb as an anti-tank weapon whose destruction can be limited to immediate
target. But the president reportedly had come to feel to launch this new weapon and Europe would cost the United States credibility with the Soviets as to are really wanting to control agreement. Leading senators took the opposite view. Percy Moynihan Baker non argue that in Percy's words it would be enormously effective as a bargaining chip in this negotiation. Either argues it would have great effect militarily. Defense Secretary Brown who urgently supports production of the bomb says the issue is primarily an international political decision. Leaders of the Armed Service Committee have drafted a letter to the president in support of Brown's position 60 House members had sent him a letter urging that he ban it. West Germany's Chancellor Schmidt has been reported particularly upset at the prospect of losing the bomb. The increase in Social Security taxes was believed settled last December when Congress
voted to extend the payroll tax to higher levels of income. It applies now up to seventeen thousand seven hundred. This was raised to twenty two thousand seven hundred for next year and the twenty nine thousand nine hundred for 1981. This brought such heavy protest from the income group between 17000 and 30000 that the House Democratic Caucus voted Wednesday to support a rollback of next year's increase and to fill the gap from general revenues. The administration opposes this. It finds more acceptable a proposal by the Ways and Means Chairman how to use the proposed crude oil tax which of course hasn't passed yet to relieve Social Security. National anxiety over inflation is so deep in the past weeks that government officials are talking about an inflation psychology. The public accepting it as inevitable even as it fears it. The rate of inflation and the realization of an increase at the end of March with a government report that the
price of beef had risen 4 percent in one month. And with US Steel announcement of a $10 and a half a tonne rise in the price of steel necessary it claim to cover the core wage settlement stabilization commission protested this is excessive and inflationary. Call cost would justify only a $4 a tonne rise it Howard. The president then in Brazil denounced the steel rods and hope other companies would not follow the others posted rises of 550 a ton and U.S. Steel has rolled back its rise to the same figure. But the financial page records rise in copper latex and other metals and chemicals running from six to 10 percent. The Congress devoted such sharp increases in government support for grain and cotton. The Vice President Mondale says the president will veto the bill if they compromise the conference committee results has passed. Chairman Saltz the Economic Advisers said some increase in inflation is certain this year
but that the administration will not impose as he put it wage and price controls. The president he said will seek more effective voluntary strains by business labor Congress and he said the administration itself can hold down expenditures. Forget tax cuts and hold back pay raises for government employees. The new Federal Reserve Board Chairman William Miller saw inflation rising this year from last year 6 percent to near seven percent. The government report on March prices yesterday showed a rise at an annual rate of 7.4 percent by the end of the week it became known that the administration was considering selling some gold to boy up the dollar. It was suggested some 50 millions a month of gold be sold at its price of a dollar and east of one hundred eighty dollars an ounce. Debate in the administration over this was reportedly on the question whether resort to its gold supply would raise confidence abroad or have the opposite effect.
Concern for rising costs was a key to Massachusetts town meeting actions this week. Scanning reports of 75 town meetings finds a fairly typical pattern in action and Bell Records that increase the pay of town employees by 5 percent in appropriations or raise taxes 5 percent. Voters frequently rejected new projects for example Lexington voting against a $12000 item for lighting for town tennis courts found months later side plans for a swimming pool. West Court's rejection of a rise for police puts that question to binding arbitration under the mediation board set up and last year's legislation. Framingham voters decided by 2 to 1 not to change to a city though its 70000 population is much larger and some master cities. In this it follows the pattern of Brooklyn that is long held to the town foam and has been called a model of efficient government.
The argument to remain a town is against the professional politician and the believed higher cost of city government. Framingham also voted against adopting the town council's city manager form which Frankland its town meeting did adopt. At the state house after weeks of bickering over the process of investigating corruption charges the House voted unanimously yesterday for a special investigating commission with subpoena power to probe all construction contracts for the last 10 years. The bill goes to the Senate where the curious composition of the commission is expected to be an issue. Only one of the seven members will be appointed by the governor to be the secretary of state. One of them to be a retired judge to be the state auditor one to be an engineer one architect U-turn in general. In the present the master's Bar Association would be members. Meantime the present house audit committee which has had its subpoena power stripped away from it has agreed to hear Senate president Harrington
testify on his own terms. Tuesday the governor's court reform bell that's been hung up in the legislature for a year finally passed the House this week. But with a twist that the governor hopes to have straightened out in the Senate. The issue is on the state's taking over County court costs. The governor's bill would have a gradual assumption of the state payments over five years. The House voted to have the state take over full cost and once to get the full benefit of the relief of the property tax this election year. In an exceptional move District Attorney Gary Byrne preparing for trial or 24 men charged with sex offenses with young boys has asked Judge Robert Bonin to disqualify himself to preside at the trial. Born and the day said had attended a lecture by God how given to raise money for the defendants. And so as Byrne puts it had lent the
prestige of his office to advance the interests of the defendant abroad Israel under prodding from Secretary-General Waldheim has announced it will begin troop withdrawal from south Lebanon next week. Here except a cease fire March 31 some U.N. units 700 No we didn't have already replaced Israeli forces in limited areas. Today the UN forces sustained several hours of shelling by the Palestinians. Who are evidently not convinced of Israeli withdrawal intent. The Philippine election today is the first out of five and a half years of martial law under President Marcos. Its chief opponent Senator Queneau is in jail on an old charge of subversion. In India Mrs Gandhi's new party has lost the election in a state that was counted a test of our national strength. She had won two states in the south recently but Prime Minister decides Janata Party
proved too strongly entrenched in the north where Ariana is in Italy the National Assembly is again debating the liberalizing of the abortion law. This failed last year and the year before but has been gathering support for the Radical Party has obtained 500000 names calling for a referendum on it. If the conservative Christian Democrats are able again to block it in the assembly. Abortion also is a critical issue in the New York Assembly where an anti abortion amendment attached to the state budget by the Republican controlled Senate threatens a financial crisis. Democratic leaders seek to separate the amendment to clear the budget. The amendment would deny Medicaid for any abortion except to save the mother's life. Governor Kerry would veto it. And Republican leaders and when BARASSI him for the fall election. In France after the government parties won the election President Scott has consulted political leaders of all parties but the cabinet appointments announced this week make no changes in the
key posts. The Senate vote on the second kind now treaty has been set for April 18 a move by opponents to submit it for house concurrence was defeated 58 to 37. Senator Helms of North Carolina himself strongly opposed to the treaty as quoted as saying the prospect of only 31 votes against it it would need 34 to block it on the first treaty. Opponents must a 32 vote treaty supporters become an intense intraparty issue in some states chiefly in the Republican Party Brooke of Massachusetts and Baker of Tennessee the minority that have particularly come under attack by right wing Republicans. Brooke is debating a prospective conservative opponent for the Republican nomination in western Massachusetts tonight. And for Friday the 7th of April I did 78. That's to be a journal of regional news
magazine heard Monday through Friday at 4:30. Producer and editor for The Journal is your hurts. Today's engineer Barry Carter and I built cabinets. Have a fearsomely fall except Friday. From.
Hong Kong. Good Lord.
Series
WGBH Journal
Episode
Dr. Edgar Berman Speech
Producing Organization
WGBH Educational Foundation
Contributing Organization
WGBH (Boston, Massachusetts)
AAPB ID
cpb-aacip/15-418kq362
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Description
Series Description
WGBH Journal is a magazine featuring segments on local news and current events.
Description
Engineer: Carter
Created Date
1978-04-07
Genres
News
Magazine
Topics
News
Media type
Sound
Duration
00:28:45
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Credits
Producing Organization: WGBH Educational Foundation
Production Unit: Radio
AAPB Contributor Holdings
WGBH
Identifier: 78-0160-04-07-001 (WGBH Item ID)
Format: 1/4 inch audio tape
Generation: Master
Duration: 00:26:30
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Citations
Chicago: “WGBH Journal; Dr. Edgar Berman Speech,” 1978-04-07, WGBH, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed March 28, 2024, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-15-418kq362.
MLA: “WGBH Journal; Dr. Edgar Berman Speech.” 1978-04-07. WGBH, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. March 28, 2024. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-15-418kq362>.
APA: WGBH Journal; Dr. Edgar Berman Speech. Boston, MA: WGBH, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-15-418kq362