the Committee on Ethics should be given the privilege of introducing, at any time, such resolutions as they may deem proper.

It is futile to hope that the time may ever come when the Association as a whole can act with justice, promptness, and discretion in the adjudication of personal disputes and the settlement of ethical questions, and at the same time transact its more legiti mate functions as a representative medical society. In view of this fact it is believed that a special tribunal should be instituted to have full power in the adjudication of all disputes. The Committee on Ethics, under proper restrictions, might be clothed with. such powers. Let all questions of a personal character, including complaints and protests, and all questions on credentials, be referred to this committee, as under the standing resolution, and let their decisions be final and without appeal, at least until the following year, when an appeal could be brought before the Association. It is believed that justice would not suffer by such a course, but that, on the contrary, its ends would be better subserved. Inasmuch, however, as the committee, under this arrangement, is clothed with greater power, and becomes more important in its functions, its constitution should be such as to guard against any possible imputation of partisanship, and command the full respect and confidence of the Association. It is therefore suggested that the committee shall consist of not less than nine members, who shall be nominated by the Nominating Committee and confirmed by the Association, and shall serve for three years, and until their successors are appointed.

Accompanying this report there is appended a series of resolutions to change the By-laws in accordance with the suggestions which have been offered.

E. LLOYD HOWARD, M.D., Chairman.
J. R. BRONSON, M.D.

Resolved, That Sec. 9, Art. I. of the By-laws be amended to read as follows: "The reading and consideration of the reports of the Standing Committees of Publication and on Prize Essays, and of Chairmen of Sections."

Resolved, That Art. II. of the By-laws be amended as follows: in first paragraph strike out order of Sections as it now stands and insert instead,

"1. Practical Medicine, Materia Medica, and Physiology.
2. Obstetrics, and Diseases of Women and Children.

3. Surgery and Anatomy.

4. Medical Jurisprudence, Chemistry, and Psychology.
5. State Medicine and Public Hygiene."

After second paragraph insert, "The Section on State Medicine and Public Hygiene shall be composed of one member from each State, representing, as far as practicable, the State Boards of Health. The officers of this Section to be also designated by the Committee on Nominations." "The Chairman of the several Sections shall prepare and read in the general sessions of the Association, papers on the advances and discoveries of the past year in the branches of science included in their respective Sections; the reading of such papers not to occupy longer than forty minutes for each."

After third paragraph insert, "No paper shall be read before either of the Sections, the reading of which occupies more than twenty minutes. Such papers shall be referred by the Section to sub-committees especially appointed for their examination. The sub-committees shall be allowed thirty days for such examination, at the end of which time they shall forward the papers to the Committee of Publication with such recommendation as they may deem proper. The authors of such papers, however, may read abstracts before the Section, within the allotted twenty minutes. No member shall address the Section more than once upon the same subject, nor speak longer than fifteen minutes without unanimous consent."

Resolved, That Art. III. of the By-laws be amended as follows: strike out all that relates to the Committees on Medical Education, on Medical Literature, and on Climatology and Epidemic Diseases, and insert, in first paragraph, after Committee on Prize Essays, "Committee on Ethics." In place of fourth paragraph insert, “The Committee on Ethics shall consist of nine members, to serve for three years, and until their successors are appointed; any vacancies occurring, to be filled for the unexpired term, by the Committee on Nominations. Their duties shall be to examine and adjudicate all questions of a personal character, including complaints and protests, and all questions on credentials, that may be referred to them by the Association. The decisions of the committee shall be final, until reversed by the Association, but no appeal from their decisions shall be brought before the Association until the following year."

Resolved, That Art. IV. of the By-laws be amended by adding, The Committee of Publication shall have full discretionary

power to omit from the published transactions, in part or in whole, any paper that may be referred to it by the Association, or either of the Sections, unless specially instructed to the contrary by vote of the Association."

Resolved, That a new Section-XI.-be added to the By-laws, as follows: "No new business, resolutions by members, etc., shall be introduced at the general session of the Association except on the first and fourth days of meetings."

A minority report was presented by Dr. BRONSON, of Massachusetts, as follows:

The undersigned, in endorsing the above report, objects to that portion of the report specifying the duties of the Committee on Ethics, and suggests in place of a part of the third resolution, the following, to wit:

The Committee on Ethics shall consist of (9) nine members to be nomminated by the Committee on Nominations, annually. Their duties shall be to examine all questions of a personal character, including complaints and protests, and all questions on credentials that may be referred to them by the Association. Said Committee shall forthwith entertain, consider, and report the results of their deliberations to the Association, and said Association shall, after due deliberation, dispose of said reports by a majority vote.

J. R. BRONSON, M.D.

On motion of Dr. N. S. DAVIS, of Illinois, the report and accompanying resolutions, amending the Constitution, except that relating to the Committee on Ethics, were unanimously adopted.

Dr. DAVIS offered as a substitute for the resolution on the Committee on Ethics, the following amendment to the By-laws:-

XI. Judicial Council.

A Council, consisting of twenty-one members, shall be appointed by the Nominating Committee, whose duty it shall be to take cognizance of and decide all questions of an ethical or judicial character that may arise in connection with the Association. Of the twenty-one members of the Council first appointed, the seven first named in the list shall hold office one year, and the second seven named shall hold office two years.

With these exceptions the term of office of members of the Council shall be three years, seven being appointed by the Nominating Committee annually.

The said Council shall organize by choosing a President and Secretary, and shall keep a permanent record of its proceedings. The decisions of said Council on all matters referred to it by the Association shall be final, and shall be reported to the Association at the earliest practicable moment.

All questions of a personal character, including complaints and protests, and all questions on credentials, shall be referred at once, after the report of the Committee of Arrangements or other presentation, to the Judicial Council, and without discussion.

The substitute was unanimously adopted.

A letter from Dr. S. D. GROSS, of Pennsylvania, was read, advocating certain amendments, as offered by him at last session, and Dr. DAVIS then offered the following:

Resolved, That all relating to Committees on Medical Education, Medical Literature, and Climatology and Epidemic Diseases, be stricken out, in accordance with the amendment proposed by Dr. GROSS in 1872, and add

XII. Addresses. It shall be the duty of the Nominating Committee to appoint annually three members who shall deliver addresses before the Association at the next annual meeting after their appointment-one on Medicine, one on Surgery, and one on Obstetrics and Diseases of Women-no one address to occupy more than 40 minutes.

After much discussion, on motion of Dr. E. L. HOWARD, of Maryland, the resolution of Dr. DAVIS was laid upon the table. On motion of Dr. S. S. TODD, of Kansas, the report of the Committee, with the resolutions as amended, was adopted.

Dr. J. J. WOODWARD, U. S. A., then read the following memorial from the medical officers of the army.

THE ORGANIZATION OF THE MEDICAL CORPS OF THE ARMY.

To the President of the American Medical Association.

SIR: It is proposed to present herewith a brief statement showing that the Medical Staff of the United States Army has not been placed on an equal footing with the other staff corps of the army as regards rank, that they have not had the same consideration shown them in this respect as has been accorded to the navy, and that the record of services of this meritorious body of officers entitles them to the same advantages that have been granted to others.

When the rebellion broke out, the Medical Staff of the army

with a total of 115 officers had but one of higher rank than that of major, while in the Quartermaster's Department, with 37 officers, 5 were above that rank, in the Commissary Department, with 12 officers, 2 were above that rank, in the Adjutant General's Department, with 14 officers, 2 were above that rank, in the Engineers, with 129 officers, there were 7, in the Pay Department, out of a total of 28, there were 3, and in the Ordnance, 2 out of 36.

The act of Congress of July 28, 1866, defined the "Peace establishment of the United States," and reorganizing, as it did, with the view of permanence, all the various departments of the army, it might have been supposed that equal justice in the matter of rank would have been meted out to each separate branch of the staff. That this was not the case so far as the Medical Department is concerned is shown by the following:

By its provisions the total number of medical officers was fixed at 217, 7 of whom were above the rank of major, or 3.22 per cent. The Quartermaster's Department was to consist of 76 officers, 17 of whom were above that rank, or over 22 per cent.; the Subsistence Department of 29 officers, 5 being above that rank, or 17 per cent.; the Adjutant General's Department of 20 officers, 7 being above that rank, or 35 per cent.; the Engineers of 109 officers, of whom 19 were above that rank, or over 17 per cent.; the Ordnance of 64 officers, with 8 above that rank or 12.50 per cent.; and the Pay Department of 65 officers, 5 being above that rank, or 71 per cent. It is thus seen that the Medical Department was given a smaller proportion of officers of rank than any other staff department, being less than one-half of that granted to Paymasters, onequarter of that in the Ordnance, nearly one-sixth of that in the Engineers and Subsistence Departments, less than one-seventh of that in the Quartermasters, and about one-twelfth of that given to Adjutants General.

The medical officer under the present law is accorded the rank of Captain after three years' service, he is promoted to Major by seniority, such promotion not ordinarily occurring in less than fifteen years' service, and that is the end of his prospects of advancement, unless he may be so fortunate as to secure a Medical Purveyorship, which can necessarily be within the reach of but very few, those positions being but five in number and vacancies in consequence occurring but very seldom. Not only is this a great injustice to those surgeons on the active list, but it operates still more injuriously towards those old and meritorious officers, who, having given