could come from forming our organization to-night. We can go to the State Society, enter our protest against the unfair and clandestine action of 1882, and ask that the National Code be restored. If, by some unexpected impulse of good judgment and kindly feeling, our appeal shall be heeded, then this association may be discontinued. But if the minority should persist in trampling on our rights as we all believe they may-then, if we are men respecting ourselves and deserving the respect of our constituents, we shall re-assemble on Wednesday morning and end the fruitless and disgraceful wrangle of the past two years by finishing the good work we have so well begun this evening. The motion to lay on the table was renewed and lost by a rising vote of 21 for tabling and 34 against. DR. FLINT's preamble and resolution, with the limitation as to the time of enforcement as provided in the resolution offered by Dr. Ferguson, was then adopted; the vote, on motion of Dr. Rochester, being declared unanimous. DR. T. B. REYNOLDS, of Saratoga County, offered the following: Resolved, That the objects of this Association shall be the cultivation and advancement of the science of medicine. Carried unanimously. DR. GOULEY then addressed the Chairman as follows: I wish to offer a resolution relating to a plan of organization, prepared some weeks ago, because many of us have, for some time, been of opinion that the formation of a new association had become a necessity. This plan has been submitted to about twenty members, who have given it their entire approval and have advised its presentation to-night. Resolved, That the following plan of organization be adopted: 1st. To facilitate the transaction of business, such as the selection of committees, the annual election of officers and of new members, etc., the State shall be divided into five geographical districts, to be called, respectively, the 1st, or Northern District; the 2d, or Eastern District; the 3d, or Central District; the 4th, or Western District; and the 5th, or Southern District. These districts shall comprise the sixty counties of the State, arranged as follows: FIRST, OR NORTHERN DISTRICT. Clinton, 30; Essex, 22; Franklin, 16; Hamilton, —; Herkimer, 29; Jefferson, 30; Lewis, 14; Oneida, 58; Oswego, 22; St. Lawrence, 13; Warren, 18. SECOND, OR EASTERN DISTRICT. Total, Albany, 39; Columbia, 15; Fulton, 9; Greene, 24; Montgomery, 16; Rensselaer, 74; Saratoga, 40; Schenectady, 10; Schoharie, 16; Washington, 12. THIRD, OR CENTRAL DISTRICT. 252 Total, 255 Broome, 31; Cayuga, 25; Chemung, 30; Chenango, 40; Cortland, 23; Delaware, 20; Madison, 21; Onondaga, 65; Otsego, 22; Schuyler, 16; Seneca, 22; Tioga, 19; Tompkins, 15. Total, FOURTH, OR WESTERN DISTRICT. Alleghany, 15; Cattaraugus, 14; Chautauqua, 29; Erie, 120; Genesee, 16; Livingston, 15; Monroe, 49; Niagara, 28; Ontario, 30; Orleans, 18; Steuben, 18; Wayne, 27 ; Wyoming, 14; Yates, 11. Total, FIFTH, OR SOUTHERN DISTRICT. Dutchess, 46; Kings, 249; New York, 783; Orange, 20; Putnam, 9; Queens, 41; Richmond, 13; Rockland, 14; Suffolk, 22; Sullivan, 20; Ulster, 23; Westchester, 47.1 349 404 Total, 1,287 Grand Total..... 2,547 2d. A Nominating Committee shall be created, to consist of two members from each of the above-named districts-elected by the representatives of each district and one appointed at large by the Chair. In all eleven members. 3d. The Nominating Committee shall name, subject to the approval of the Association, a President and four Vice-Presidents. 1 The figures following each county show the number of those in that county whose applications for fellowship the Council is now authorized to act upon, if they are forthwith sent as required in the printed form. -these five officers to come each from one of the five districts -a Recording Secretary, a Corresponding Secretary, and a Treasurer. In addition, said Committee shall name two members from each district, who, together with the titular officers and one member appointed at large by the President-elect, shall constitute the Council, which shall manage the affairs of the Association. The Nominating Committee shall suggest the time and place for holding the next session of the Association. 4th. The Council shall complete the organization, prepare a constitution and by-laws, in accord with this plan, to be presented at the next meeting of the Association, and file articles incorporating the New York State Medical Association and also county associations as branches of said New York State Medical Association. The Council shall also assist the President in securing scientific contributions. 5th. In case no meeting of this Association be held prior to May, 1884, the Council shall appoint delegates to the National Association and to State societies. 6th. The Council shall fill such vacancies as may occur in its body during the current year, except in the office of President and Vice-President. 7th. Ten members of the Council shall constitute a quorum. 8th. The initiation fee shall be five dollars, and the annual dues three dollars. 9th. The code of ethics, which shall form an integral part of the by-laws of this Association, shall be as follows: The same as that adopted by the American Medical Association. 10th. The Association shall hold annually one session, which shall last three days or more. The above plan of organization was adopted unanimously. Resolved, That all physicians in the State of New York, who are in good standing in the present county societies and who subscribe to the code of ethics of this Association, can become members thereof upon paying the initiation fee and signing the constitution and by-laws. Carried unanimously. By DR. ROCHESTER : Resolved, That all questions relating to the admission of new members, prior to the permanent organization, shall be decided by the Council. Carried unanimously. By DR. HYDE: Resolved, That, after the formation of new county associations as branches of this Association, the members of said county associations may become members of the State Association by paying the initiation fee and signing the constitution and bylaws. Carried unanimously. DR. FERGUSON then reintroduced his resolution concerning the attendance at the session of the State Society on Thursday evening for protest against the present code and for the support of the National Code. Carried unanimously. The convention adjourned at 11.30 P. M., to meet at 9 A. M., Wednesday, February 6th. As agreed on Monday, the members and delegates attended the meeting of the State Society on Tuesday night. The resolution of Dr. Didama was renewed by Dr. Moore, Dr. Didama being absent. “Resolved, That all action taken at the annual meeting of 1882, in regard to changing the code of ethics, be repealed, leaving the code to stand as it was before such action was taken." DR. T. F. ROCHESTER, of Buffalo, moved the adoption of this resolution; and, in making the motion, he said: I do it with the hope of restoring the unity, harmony, and good feeling of the proudest society in the Union. I hope that the remonstrances which have been sent in from the county medical societies will not simply be tabled and no attention paid to them. That was done last year. I think that perhaps we all have given way too much to our personal feelings. I think that on both sides party-ties have been stronger than they should be, and not in the interests of harmony. We should try to do what is best for the profession at large. I believe that there is a very strong feeling in the profession against the existence of the socalled 'New Code of Ethics. If we go back to the time of its adoption, we find that when it was passed there were only seventy members present. Nevertheless it was legally passed. At Cleveland, last year, the attempt was made to do what should have been done before the State Society took the position of seceding from the American Medical Association. The question as to whether any modification of the by-laws was necessary should have been brought before the American Medical Association. An attempt was made in that direction last year; but the motion would not be entertained for a moment, because this Society was in a state of rebellion. I do not believe that such a motion will, be entertained so long as the "New Code" prevails; but I do believe that, if this Code should be repealed and the National Code restored, the members of this Society could bring the matter before the American Medical Association, and it would be received and acted upon. DR. DIDAMA then entered the hall and made some remarks in advocacy of the resolution, in the interest of harmony, and for the good of the profession. He appealed to the sober second thought of the members and to their desire for the restoration of friendly intercourse. He sketched the peaceful condition of the Society prior to the unfortunate action of 1882. We looked forward to our annual meetings as to family reunions. We met as personal friends, we discussed scientific questions without acrimony, we gathered joyfully about the festive board, we parted reluctantly as brothers. The memory of our meeting did us good throughout the year. Now all this is changed. Angry altercation has taken the place of friendly debate; the Society is divided into two or three warring factions; and dissension has been established which may extend to a rupture of the Society and the conversion of old-time friends into permanent enemies. You all know the cause of this estrangement and bitterness. Two years ago, a committee of the Society, appointed solely to make suggestions regarding the Code of Ethics, took it upon themselves to report an entirely "New Code." This code was adopted. The news of its adoption was received by the profession generally with surprise and indignation. The indignation was increased when it came to be known that the meeting consisted of but seventy persons; that many of these had been informed of the proposed report of the committee and invited to be present, while the great mass of the profession had not been notified; and that the "New Code" was forced through, the majority refusing to refer the matter to the American Medical Association, or to leave it open for examination by the Society until its next meeting. They refused to postpone action even for a single night. Forty of the sixty county societies in the State hastened to record their disapproval of the action of the State Society and to demand a repeal of the "New Code." They sent protests to our meeting last year. Their petitions were spurned. The assertion was made that the county meetings were packed, and that the real sentiment of the profession was largely in favor of the "New Code" or of no code at all. To-day we are able to show, by the answers in the handwriting of the profession, that the adherents of the "New Code" form a minority in the State Society and only about one fifth of the five thousand regular physicians in the State. And now, gentlemen who favor the "New Code" or no code, what do you propose to do? Can you afford to hold a position which the profession generally, in the State and out of the State, think you gained unfairly and by a sort of snap-judg ment? You know that there has never been a moment since the meeting in 1882 when you could have repealed the National Code. A few of you have discussed the question unceasingly in newspapers and medical journals and "symposia "; but you have not shaken the integrity of the profession. You still remain in a minority; you misrepresent the Society and the profession, and you know it. |