from shall be deemed unprofessional, undignified, and unworthy the honorable practitioner of a honorable profession. It shall be regarded as unbecoming to engage in any form of practice, or of advertising, which shall tend to lower the physician in the esteem of the community, or to reflect discredit upon his professional associates. SECT. 2. While it is the undoubted right of every physician to present himself before the public in an honorable manner, and to state that he makes a specialty of any particular disease, no member of this Association shall advertise himself by handbills, circulars, publication of certificates of cures, or any such means; nor associate himself in business professionally with any one so doing; nor advertise himself as belonging to this Association, or any other auxiliary medical society, or any medical college. Any member knowing of any violation of this provision by members of this Association, or of any person not a member of this Association, or any auxiliary medical society, advertising himself as such, shall inform the Executive Committee of the matter, with all the facts in his possession; and it shall be the duty of the Executive Committee thereupon to publish the facts in some public journal circulating in the region where such offense has been committed. Discipline of Members. SECTION 1. Any member may be officially censured, invited to withdraw, or expelled from membership for improper conduct, or a violation of professional comity. But it shall be necessary for a specific charge to be made in writing, and a copy to be presented to the person accused, or some person acting in his behalf, and another placed in the hands of the president or secretary one month before the time of holding a regular meeting. SECT. 2. All professors or officers of colleges voting and otherwise co-operating in the conferring of the degree of Doctor of Medicine on any person not duly entitled to the same, by the necessary attendance on medical lectures and thorough examination, shall be considered as liable to the penalties enumerated in this article. CODE OF DENTAL ETHICS. ADOPTED AT THE SIXTH ANNUAL SESSION OF THE AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION. Article I.—The Duties of the Profession to their Patients. SECTION 1. The dentist should be ever ready to respond to the wants of his patrons, and should fully recognize the obligations involved in the discharge of his duties toward them. As they are in most cases unable to correctly estimate the character of his operations, his own sense of right must guarantee faithfulness in their performance. His manner should be firm, yet kind and sympathizing, so as to gain the respect and confidence of his patients; and even the simplest case committed to his care should receive that attention which is due to operations performed on living, sensitive tissue. SECT. 2. It is not to be expected that the patient will possess a very extended or a very accurate knowledge of professional matters. The dentist should make due allowance for this, patiently explaining many things which may seem quite clear to himself, thus endeavoring to educate the public mind so that it will properly appreciate the beneficent efforts of our profession. He should encourage no false hopes by promising success, when, in the nature of the case, there is uncertainty. SECT. 3. The dentist should be temperate in all things, keeping both mind and body in the best possible health, that his patients may have the benefit of that clearness of judgment and skill which is their right. ness. Art. II.-Maintaining Professional Character. SECTION 1. A member of the dental profession is bound to maintain its honor, and to labor earnestly to extend its sphere of usefulHe should avoid everything in language and conduct calculated to dishonor his profession, and should ever manifest a due respect for his brethren. The young should show special respect to to their seniors; the aged special encouragement to their juniors. SECT. 2. The person and office arrangements of the dentist should indicate that he is a gentleman; and he should sustain a high-toned moral character. SECT. 3. It is unprofessional to resort to public advertisements, cards, handbills, posters, or signs, calling attention to peculiar styles of work, lowness of prices, special modes of operating; or to claim superiority over neighboring practitioners; to publish reports of cases or certificates in the public prints; to go from house to house to solicit or perform operations; to circulate or recommend nostrums; or to perform any other similar acts. SECT. 4. When consulted by the patient of another practitioner, the dentist should guard against inquiries or hints disparaging to the family dentist, or calculated to weaken the patient's confidence in him; and if the interests of the patient will not be endangered thereby, the case should be temporarily treated, and referred back to the family dentist. SECT. 5. When general rules shall have been adopted by members of the profession practicing in the same localities in relation to fees, it is unprofessional and dishonorable to depart from those rules, except when variation of circumstances requires it. And it is ever to be regarded as unprofessional to warrant operations or work as an inducement to patronage. Art. III.-The Relative Duties of Dentists and Physicians. Dental surgery is a specialty in medical science. Physicians and dentists should both bear this in mind. The dentist is professionally limited to diseases of the dental organs and mouth. With these he should be more familiar than the general practitioner is expected to be; and while he recognizes the superiority of the physician in regard to diseases of the general system, the latter is under equal obligations to respect his higher attainments in his specialty. When this principle governs, there can be no conflict or even diversity of professional interests. Art. IV. The Mutual Duties of the Profession and the Public. Dentists are frequent witnesses, and, at the same time, the best judges of the impositions perpetrated by quacks, and it is their duty to enlighten and warn the public in regard to them. For this and the many other benefits conferred by the competent and honorable dentist, the profession is entitled to the confidence and respect of the public, who should always discriminate in favor of the true man of science and integrity against the empiric and impostor. The public has no right to tax the time and talents of the profession in examinations, prescriptions, or in any way without proper remuneration. MEDICAL FEE BILL. Ordinary office prescription. Investigation in office requiring considerable time Visits in city in regular attendance, after 10 p. m. Opinion involving a question of law, or attendance at court as an expert (per day) Examination for life insurance $9.50 to $ 2 2 to 10 |