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PROTECTION OF MATERNITY. 
Mr. Burnstead. There are about 6,000 registered physicians. 
Senator Phipps. Have you any data showing the number of 
childbirths that occur in hospitals in the State of Massachusetts ? 
Mr. Burnstead. Not in hospitals; I have no such data. 
Senator Phipps. The point I had in mind is whether or not it is 
becoming more the custom for women who are about to be confined to 
go to a hospital until after the child is born, or 10 days or two weeks 
before returning to the home, instead of having the birth occur in 
an out-of-the-way country place. 
Mr. Burnstead. I can say, Senator, that the hospital treatment 
is becoming more popular in Massachusetts. 
Senator Phipps. Do you have any record to show whether it is 
becoming more general ? 
Mr. Burnstead. Yes; among those who can pay for it. It is so 
in our State. 
The Chairman. And do you know what the hospital fees are now ? 
Mr. Burnstead. $600 was the fee in one case, it being $200 for the 
physician and $400 for hospital and nurses. 
The Chairman. And does that include the medicine ? 
Mr. Burnstead. Yes, sir. 
The Chairman. It is a little difficult for some people to raise the 
money to go to hospitals. 
Senator Phipps. I believe they do it in Colorado for about one- 
fourth of that figure, and it is becoming quite customary among 
women whose homes are in the mountain districts to go to the hos 
pitals, where there is no settlement in the mountain districts. 
Senator Walsh. Do you know what the attitude of the Massa 
chusetts Medical Society is toward this bill ? 
Mr. Burnstead. Senator, I would have to state that the Massa 
chusetts Medical Society has not taken any action on it. 
Senator Walsh. Do you know the opinion of Dr. Walter P. 
Bowers ? 
Mr. Burnstead. No, not personally. 
Senator Walsh. Who is at the head of the examining board? 
Mr. Burnstead. No, I do not know. 
Senator Sterling. Do you know whether it has been brought 
before the medical society or not ? 
Mr. Burnstead. Not to my knowledge; no. I know that it has 
been handled by the district medical societies throughout the State, 
and Dr. Worcester, the president of the Massachusetts Medical 
Society, is authority for the statement that all of the district medi 
cal societies have gone against the Massachusetts report 
Senator Walsh. What is his first name? 
Mr. Burnstead. Alfred. 
Senator Walsh. Do you know whether any district society has 
given any consideration to the bill ? 
Mr. Burnstead. The Worcester north district has given no 
expression to this particular bill. 
Senator Walsh. Have they taken any action on it? 
Mr. Burnstead. They have; and your chairman there has a 
resolution in opposition to it. 
The Chairman. What is that? 
Mr. Burnstead. The Worcester north district. It may he a 
telegram, sir, to you.