preferably two doctors, saying that they are in the field of orthopedics, or nose & throat, or preventive medicine, and then their statements--it is treated many ways, one of the best seems to be..., or the most beneficial is... I think it could be worked out. I want to settle whether we want to do it or not. Obviously we have to have the good will of everybody to do the thing wholeheartedly.
Dr. Beaton--I agree with Leo (Kent) that people are anxious to have this; they will get it somewhere else if we do not give it to them.
Dr. Kent--We have had occasion to question some of the other general men around town, who indicate they are in favor of it.
Dr. Manning--Some others are against it. To save time, I think we have a certain duty to counteract some of the misinformation they get from the papers, and to counteract ideas of the osteopaths who do have a radio program, to which I have listened several times. People say "Why do you not do something?" The public has the feeling that the doctors think they have a certain charm and can't be touched.
Dr. Harry Thompson--Do they take a canned program? Actually, a lot of information is disseminated in this way. I wonder whether having clinics and discussion of a case, setting it up with a County background, and giving the audience at least a little medical background might not be a good idea? It seems to me that if I were hearing about operations on TV I would like a flash of the surgeon, or medical man, possibly examining the patient or X-ray work. It would be a departure, but would push our County program, and possibly could be done down there. I think it would be of interest to the audience.
Dr. Manning--If you had a 10 minute film handling an examination on it, things would be very dramatic and interesting: it would cost about $150.00.
Dr. Harry Thompson--Have only 3 or 4 instead of 13.
Dr. Steen--Why cannot the Public Relations Committee get to work on it and make a report of their findings? This discussion can last all night.
Dr. Manning--We have to let Mr. Slack now next week.
Dr. Bernstein--Personally, I am very much in favor of the whole thing, even though I can see the objections, but I do think they can all be circumvented. We have all spoken to lay groups. I did, 3 or 4 years ago, several times. I do not remember people storming into my office with business. I hear some comments afterwards which were favorable, but I don't remember that it had such a terrible impact that they beat a path to my door. As far as choice of subject is concerned, there is a lot of difference between telling people how to blow your nose or brush your teeth than talking about cancer.
Dr. Manning--One does a lot more advertising before a lay group than is done before a camera.
Dr. Kent--For instance, cerebral accidents--there could be a picture of a clot, and so on.
Dr. Beaton--Can't the Public Relations Committee be given the responsibility of overseeing this, as far as the scripts, etc., are concerned?
Dr. Manning--Each program, before it is televised, will be worked out ten days to two weeks before the date with the doctors involved. It will be cleared, reviewed, and covered by the Public Relations Committee.
Dr. Engle--In the first place, it will be assumed that those who appear on the program are endorsed by the Medical Society. Then the committee that runs it is going to receive requests from somebody who would not care if he was endorsed or not.
Dr. Harry Thompson--It usually works the other way--they do not want to appear.
Dr. Manning--I think if a man can be a member of our Society he has a right to represent the group.
Dr. Bernstein--Suppose the television station just works it up and invites the doctors to speak on their own?
Dr. Steen--Suppose the Public Relations Committee turns them down when clearance is requested?
Dr. Harry Thompson--The wrestling matches on TV are more expensive than it would be at County Hospital.
Dr. Bernstein--they have a special line.
Minutes of the Pima County Medical Society 1904-1954
