and creasote applied to the floors in layers and sprinkling sand over this. Side walls may be treated in the same manner. Another plan was to put the bricks in tar, and when very porous they would absorb a considerable quantity of it. A discussion also ensued on the desirability of having separate systems of drainage, one for sewage materials, and the other for water. On motion, the Section adjourned at 4.50 P. M. WEDNESDAY, June 2. The Section was called to order by the Chairman at 2.20 P. M. Dr. A. N. BELL, chairman of committee to consider the recommendations of Dr. Billings's paper, read at first day's session, made the following report: Whereas, It is of great importance in medico-statistical work that a uniform system of nomenclature should be employed, and Whereas, At a Convention of Registers of Vital Statistics convened at Washington on the 6th of May last, a committee was appointed to confer with the Royal College of Physicians of London with reference to the decennial revision of the Nomenclature published by that Society, and with the view of obtaining such additions to or changes in said nomenclature as will make it satisfactory for the use of the vital statisticians of all English speaking people— Therefore, Resolved, 1. That the American Medical Association cordially approve of this effort to secure a satisfactory and uniform nomenclature: 2. That there shall be appointed by the President a committee of (five) to confer with the committee appointed by the Convention above referred to, with reference to the additions to and changes in the Nomenclature of the Royal College of Physicians of London which are desirable to make it suitable for use by American physicians, and to co-operate with said committee in securing such additions and changes. A. N. BELL, E. M. MOORE, Dr. A. CLENDENNIN, of New Jersey, offered the following resolution. The proposed act was then read. It was moved and seconded that it be adopted by the Section. Dr. A. H. CARROLL, of New York, said that the proposed Board would be too cumbrous, and there were strong objections to it, on the ground of its constitutionality. He moved a resolution as follows: That it was inopportune on the part of the These minutes are printed as furnished. -PERMANENT SECRETARY. Section to approve of the proposal, and that the present National Board of Health answered all purposes. Dr. EDWARDS, of West Virginia, offered the following resolution as an amendment, which was accepted by Dr. CARROLL. Resolved, That this Section return to the Association the bill to amend an Act, etc., referred to it by the Association, with the following action: I. The bill in question is deemed impracticable and unadvisable. II. It is believed that the present organization of the National Board of Health is entirely satisfactory, and that no change in it is recommended. Dr. BILLINGS, U. S. Army, spoke of the present organization as the best that could be obtained, and said that the trouble already was as to amount of money expended. Dr. CLENDENNIN spoke of the opposition to the present Board, and said that no more power was given to the organization proposed by him. As to the expenditure, that objection was not a solid one, as Congress would be willing to appropriate a reasonable amount of money. Dr. ANTISELL, of D. C., was sorry that the discussion had assumed a political character. Dr. JANNEY, of New York, said that it was the duty of this body to ask the Board of Health if the country needs any new organization, and leave it to the Legislature as to how it should be formed. Dr. HUNT, of New Jersey, thought that there should be frequent consultations with the State Boards and the National Board. He thought we had better wait before asking for a change. Dr. A. N. BELL, of New York, was glad to see that one important fact had been recognized in the proposed act, viz., the emphatic recognition of the National Board of Health. He deprecated the idea of allowing the regulation of health matters to pass into the hands of politicians. Dr. CLENDENNIN said that the fact must not be forgotten that the National Board of Health had asked for additional powers, which Congress had refused to give; and, also, that bills presented by the Board had subsequently been withdrawn. Dr. BILLINGS wished to correct a wrong impression, viz., that bills had been withdrawn by the Board from Congress. Three bills had been introduced: the first, relating to sanitary matters, had passed; the second, introduced by Mr. Acklen, of Louisiana, and not approved by the Board, had been shelved; and a third one, relating to infected districts, had also been shelved. Dr. EDWARDS's resolutions were then passed. Dr. KEDZIE's paper on The Temperature of Living Rooms, was then read by the Secretary. Dr. ANTISELL, of Washington, D. C., said that Dr. Kedzie should have drawn some deductions from his paper, and made some general remarks in reference to the temperature of the air. The paper was, on motion, accepted, and referred to the Association, with a request that it be published. Dr. A. L. CARROLL, of New York, then read a paper on The Personal Factor in the Etiology of Preventable Diseases. On motion, the paper was accepted, and referred to the Association, with a request that it be published. An abstract of a paper on Microscopical Sections from Cases of Diseases of the Brain and Spinal Cord was read by Drs. C. K. MILLS and CARL SEILER, of Pennsylvania. Microscopic specimens were shown, to illustrate the subject. On motion, the paper was accepted, and referred to the Association, with a request that it be published. On motion, the Section adjourned at 4.55 P. M. THURSDAY, June 3, 1880. The Section was called to order by the Chairman at 2.15 P.M. Dr. BILLINGS moved that Dr. WINES be permitted to explain the census blanks. Carried. Dr. WINES, of the Census Office, then proceeded to such explanation, after which Dr. BILLINGS offered the following resolution, which was, on motion, accepted. Resolved, That this Association approves the plans proposed by the Superintendent of the Tenth Census for the collection of data with regard to the insane and idiots of the United States, and that it urges upon all physicians that they should aid, in every suitable way, the efforts of the Census Bureau to perfect its statistics in regard to idiots and the insane. Dr. CHAS. W. PAGE, of Connecticut, then read a paper entitled Moral Treatment of the Insane. On motion, the paper was accepted and referred to the Association, with a request that it be published. Dr. A. N. BELL, of New York, read for Dr. R. J. O'SULLIVAN, of New York, the report of the Committee on the Intervention of the Physician in Education. On motion, the report was adopted, and it was referred to the Association with a request that it be published. The report of the Committee on Sanitaria was read by Dr. A. N. BELL in the absence of the Chairman of the Committee, Dr. BOWDITCH, of Massachusetts. On motion, the report was adopted and referred to the Association, with a request that it be published. The Chairman's Address, which was read before the Association and referred to the Section, was referred back to that body, with a request that it be published. Dr. A. N. BELL, of New York, offered the following resolution, which was adopted. Resolved, That a general sanitary organization is a necessity of every enlightened commercial nation, and that the service of the National Board of Health of the United States since its organization has been such as to impress us that both in its personnel and organization it is entitled to the confidence of the people, and we join the American Public Health Association and the National Academy of Sciences in earnestly recommending to Congress that the suggestions and estimates of the Board receive their legal sanction, believing that the money asked for is necessary to the work of the Board, and will be a most judicious expenditure of public money. The following resolution, offered by Dr. M. K. CARROL, of New Jersey, was adopted: Whereas, The value of vital statistics depends upon their scientific accuracy as regards the etiology as well as the diagnosis of disease, this Section would urge upon this Association the importance of recommending that every medical school within its jurisdiction establish a chair of Public or State Medicine as an essential part of its curriculum. Dr. J. V. QUIMBY, of New Jersey, then read a paper on The Criminal Use of Chloroform. On motion, the paper was accepted and referred to the Association, with a request that it be published. Dr. W. II. LATHROP, of Massachusetts, then read a paper on Thoughts regarding Almshouses. On motion, the paper was accepted and referred to the Association, with a request that it be published. Dr. ANTISELL then read a paper on Suspicions of Poisoning. On motion, the paper was accepted and referred to the Association, with a request that it be published. Dr. W. F. THOMS, of New York, read a paper on Humane Societies. On motion, the paper was accepted and referred to the Association, with a request that it be published. The following resolution was offered by Dr. A. N. BELL, and carried: Section IV. recommends that it be hereafter designated simply STATE MEDICINE; it being understood that the various subjects. heretofore named in the title, and all other subjects for the execution of which State authority is necessary, under the said Section (IV.) are included. Dr. BELL moved that the Chairman appoint a committee of three to be a Committee of Selection in accordance with the vote of the Association. Carried. On motion, the Section at 4.35 P. M. adjourned sine die. JAMES F. HIBBERD, M.D., Ind., Chairman. THOS. F. WOOD, M.D., N. C., Secretary. |