The caller was an intelligent man, and the boldness of the statement, taken in connection with the circumstances under which it was made—the physician having had no opportunity to ascertain the exact conditions—was far from reassuring. It was a bad break on the doctor’s part, but there was worse to come. The caller had made up his mind not to trust himself in the hands of this physician and, as an easy means of escape, asked: “What will the treatment cost, Doctor?” “How much money are you earning? Are you working for somebody, or are you in business for yourself?” “What has that got to do with it? What difference does it make to you how much my income is, or where it comes from?” 129“We’re not treating people for nothing here. We must know that you are able to pay the fee.” “But you have not told me what the fee is.” “No, and I don’t intend to until I know what your income is. My rule is to get about one-quarter of a patient’s income for the time he is under treatment.” “Then you have a sort of sliding scale as to fees?” “Certainly. If you are earning $50 a week the treatment will cost you $12.50 a week. If you are earning $100 a week it will cost you $25 a week.” It is any wonder the caller went away disgusted? And yet this doctor is unable to understand why he cannot succeed in special practice. He can see nothing wrong in his method of handling callers. 131 CHAPTER IX   DECIDING UPON THE FEE Having ascertained the financial status of the caller, and developed the fact that he wants to take the treatment, the next move is to fix upon an acceptable fee. Here, again, tact must be used. Ability to pay is not everything. You must know your man. Take two men of equal financial rating. To one a fee of $1,000 would be an extortion; the naming of that amount would give him a violent attack of heart disease, and yet he could well afford to pay what was asked. The second man, with no greater financial resources, would write out his check for $1,000 without a murmur, and think himself lucky to get off so cheaply. It’s all a matter of psychological impression. If you know your man thoroughly, and approach him at the right moment, you can get any fee that is within his ability to pay. And this “knowing your man,” rests largely upon the manner in which you receive him, and the impression you make upon him. It is a reciprocal affair. If you get his confidence to the extent that he 132unbosoms himself to you freely, you “know” him; if you don’t you are going to have hard sleddin’. If the profession is to be judged according to its own standards the low estimate of the value of medical services held by the public at large is not to be wondered at. If the physician does not place the value of his skill and ability at a high figure, how can he blame the public for taking advantage of the low rates he names. Surely the people are not going to volunteer to pay more for an article than the owner asks for it.