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THIRTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING AND TWELFTH ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

MICHIGAN STATE MEDICAL SOCIETY.

First Day-Morning Session.

The thirteenth annual meeting of the Michigan State Medical Society was opened on Wednesday morning May 15, 1878, at 10 o'clock, in the State Senate Chamber at Lansing,

The meeting was called to order by the President, Foster Pratt, M. D., of Kalamazoo, and opened with prayer by Rev. Geo. B. Stocking, of Lansing. The President stated that by a programme of exercises, prepared by the Executive Committee and in print and in the hands of every member of the association, the next in order was an address of welcome by Dr. Ranney, of Lansing.

ADDRESS OF WELCOME.

Mr. President and Gentlemen:

In behalf of the physicians and citizens of Lansing, I welcome you with kind and cordial words, with an open hand and kindly heart, to the precincts of our city.

It is a pleasure to welcome accomplished and faithful physicians and surgeons, who, while worthy to stand guard over the sacred citadel that enshrines a fellow-being's life, are instructing the people in the means of avoiding the enemies of health and longevity, and who, like true physicians, rise above the mere practitioner and become benefactors, by elevating mankind to an appreciation of scientific knowledge and rational medicine.

From the far-off past of medieval days, amid the obscurities of antiquity, when disease was treated according to superstitious rites or traditions in community, we get but little of that light of scientific medical knowledge which now "illumines the earth and flings its splendors over the woes of life and sorrows of humanity." Great, however, was the reverence of the ancients for the "gifted physician," for he was regarded as "superhuman." Temples were built in their honor, and were presided over by priests who were guided in their treatment, as was claimed, by a superhuman gift which they secretly kept.

But in the progress of time, as mind by degrees began to drink in intelligence in its ten thousand forms, the paths of knowledge widened and diverged, and the searchers after truth divided their labors and pushed their conquests along different lines, so that the church is no longer the sole repository of all learning, nor is the priest of necessity the legal adviser and healer as well as confessor. Law at an early day divorced itself from the gospel, later followed the separation of medicine, and the great truth is now recognized, that while only one of the learned professions is called upon to preach, two are required to practice.

Light from the temple of truth has been shed upon the benighted superstitions of primitive medicine, and as the knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pathology, histology, physical diagnosis, and hygiene have advanced, empiricism and the insane tantrums of attenuated medical philosophy have declined among an educated people. The establishment of medical schools and societies, boards of health, clinical teaching and writings of medical men, have been and are instructing and convincing the people that there is such a thing as scientific medicine and that there is no more necessity of announcing its form than for announcing the form of astronomy.

Did the time and occasion permit I would fain speak at length concerning the work this Society has accomplished since its organization in 1866. Suffice it to say that it has grown to be large and strong, and is now an acknowledged power in the State. Its committees have gone into school-rooms, workshops, and prisons, and borne testimony against crowded rooms, fetid atmosphere, and other unsanitary conditions. They have insisted that in all God's universe there is no elixir vitæ but his own free air, and declared in the name of science that drugs and lotions are not antidotes to poisonous gases, sewage, and contagion when taken in the system.

The State Board of Health, composed principally of medical men and worthy examples of their calling, aided in their work by the profession throughout the State and largely by members of this Society, are rendering invaluable service to the people of Michigan, without reward, excepting the priceless compensation to members of a liberal profession, of duties nobly done.

This association has ever had in view the interests of the people and the profession, and should be to the medical men of Michigan what the great sympathetic nerve is to the various parts of organic life. What is felt by one is thus felt by all, and whether healthy or deleterious causes affect the condition of a part, it is enjoyed or suffered by all the rest. We hope and trust it will continue to cultivate that law of "remote sympathy" which will reach every physician in the State, however distant, who may rise to the dignity of his calling and who seeks to advance it, and cause him to feel that he is but part of a common whole.

"Much like a subtle spider which doth sit

In middle of her web, which spreadeth wide,
If aught do touch the utmost thread of it,
She instantly feels it on every side."

For the reasons I have mentioned and for many others we welcome you and hail your coming,-repeat the welcome and bid you a hearty, brotherly God-speed in promoting the objects that have called you together.

The roll was then called by the Secretary, after which he addressed the Society as follows:

MR. PRESIDENT:-In calling the roll I have not called the name of Dr. Hauxhurst, who was recommended for membership at the last annual meeting of this society, but who failed to complete his membership by signing the constitution and by-laws, and paying his initiation fees and dues.

It is due Dr. Hauxhurst, however, to say that he applied to complete his membership on the 23d day of last month. I declined to decide the question of his right to complete his membership after the lapse of eleven months by receiving his fees and presenting him the Constitution and By-laws for his signature. I shrank from the responsibility of deciding the question for the following reasons: First. In 1872, at the annual meeting at Grand Rapids, the Society signified its willingness, by a vote, to make two certain physicians members of this Society. It became necessary, however, for them to leave the meeting before an opportunity occurred for them to complete their membership by signing the Constitution and Bylaws and paying their initiation fees and dues. This fact was explained by Dr. Brodie, then one of the committee on admissions, and on his motion it was resolved by the Society that these gentlemen could complete their membership by remitting their initiation fees and dues and authorizing the Recording Secretary to append their names to the Constitution and By-laws. Dr. Chester, of Cedar Springs, one of the gentlemen above referred to, completed his membership in accordance with said resolution. The other gentleman has not remitted to me his fees, or communicated with me on the subject, and I suggest that it may be well for the Society to instruct the Recording Secretary what his duty would be in case he hereafter offers to complete his membership according to the terms of the resolution, notwithstanding the delay on his part.

Second. The question involved seemed in that instance of sufficient importance to require this resolution, instructing the Recording Secretary, and I regarded it a negative rule against my receiving the fees from Dr. Hauxhurst, in the absence of special instructions from the Society. Then, after the lapse of eleven months, to have received his fees would involve the necessity of my deciding whether or not dues for 1877 should be required of Dr. Hauxhurst while the fact existed that he was not a member that year.

I told Dr. Hauxhurst I would make this explanation to the Society, and hoped that his rights in the matter would not be impaired during the twenty-two days that would elapse before this meeting, and Dr. H. had the kindness to state that he thought I had very correct views of my duties as Secretary.

I come to the Society to ask instructions in this matter, as I told Dr. H. I would. I have not arrogated to myself the right to decide, and respectfully submit the matter for the consideration of the Society.

The President said that the calling of the roll disclosed the fact that there was a quorum present and that the next order of business was the reading of the minutes.

It was moved and seconded that the reading of the minutes be dispensed with.

Dr. Beech said he desired to call attention to two or three points in the minutes. On page 25, nearly two-thirds of the way down the page, line 24, it is said that "the report of the Committee on Membership was accepted." He moved to amend it by adding and adopted."

The Secretary said that he discovered that error after he had distributed a few of the transactions and made the corrections in the numbers subsequently distributed.

The President stated that his copy was corrected. The correction will be ordered unless objection is made.

Dr. Beech called attention to a sentence immediately after the 24th line, which reads as follows: "The above report was rendered but a short time before the close of the session, and Dr. Hauxhurst having failed to comply with the necessary requisites is not a member of the Society." Now here was a report of the non-action of Dr. Hauxhurst which does not constitute any part of the transactions of this society. He moved that the three lines be stricken from the minutes.

The President said: The main question is on the reading of the minutes. It is moved and supported that as the minutes are in print they shall be approved without reading; amendatory to that is a motion to strike out the three lines that have been read in your hearing. Is the Society ready for the question? The Secretary said he simply put that in as an explanation why Dr. H.'s name would not appear in the "Transactions" in the list of members. He put that in by way of explanation. He had no objection to its being stricken out, however.

Dr. Jerome said with that view it occurred to him that the explanation was due; that it did not in any wise prejudice the right of Dr. Hauxhurst to come before the Society. Dr. Hauxhurst was aware that he had been reported on, and if he was a member and his name not appearing, an explanation would seem to be due to the members of the Society that they might understand why it is not there.

The amendment to strike out the three lines was then put and carried.

Dr. Cox said on the 26th page of the transactions of 1877 appears the following: "There were elected members during the session the following named gentlemen," and from that list of members he found that the names of Dr. Kate Lindsey, of Battle Creek, and D. C. Hauxhurst, Battle Creek, were omitted. Here was a fact reported. "There were elected members during the session the following named," and these candidates certainly were elected; they did not appear. He moved to amend by inserting these names in the list.

The President: "I would state that the custom has generally been for the Secretary to put the names on the list when their memberships are completed. It has been the custom only to include those whose memberships were completed.

The President being about to put the motion to add their names to the list, Dr. Jerome said, "It is quite well that we

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