Gambar halaman
PDF
ePub

sidered as in affiliation with the State Association and entitled to representation through its president acting as a delegate. His advice had frequently been asked as to the desirable course to pursue; whether to maintain or to disband the County Societies; and here, again, a careful view of the question had induced him to advise that the County Societies be maintained, for the present at least; that, while all discussions of vexed questions in an irritating way should be avoided, still, where a county organization could be held in the interest of the honor and usefulness of the profession, on the principles promulgated by this Association, its existence would doubtless be of service to the State Association.

Existing County Societies, however, can not bring the profession throughout the State into that cordial and close relationship with the State Association that seems desirable; and a plan of Branch Associations is now proposed, whereby organizations would be created that could be conveniently attended by the physicians throughout the State. Their membership would undoubtedly be sufficient to insure valuable scientific work, while the absence of fees and dues would remove one of the objections to a multiplication of society organizations. If the profession would give to the Branch Associations an active support at once, there would result valuable, convenient, and permanent medical organizations for all sections of the State.

DR. H. O. JEWETT, of Cortland County, asked whether the District Associations could be subdivided into County Societies.

DR. GOULEY, in reply, said that such a result was not contemplated; that there were existing County Societies, but the idea of the Branch Associations was to supplement County Associations. All knew how difficult it was to bring together a goodly number of the members of a County Society which had been in existence even as long as ten or twenty years. It was impossible to awaken any enthusiasm in a meeting consisting of only ten or fifteen members. In order to get together a large number of physicians, it was necessary to organize Branch Associations embracing members of the profession of from ten to fourteen counties. By such means, members from this large number of counties, already Fellows of the parent Association, would come together and discuss papers and the various topics which might be brought before them. In fact, it would not be necessary to have a County So

ciety. The Branch Associations would have an annual meeting, at some place to be selected by a proper committee, and as many special meetings as might be desired, held in rotation, in the different counties of each District.

DR. C. W. BROWN, of Chemung County, asked whether the members of the Branch Associations should organize new societies in their several counties, dropping their membership in the old County Medical Societies, or whether they should continue their membership in the present County Societies which were under allegiance to the Medical Society of the State of New York. In his own county, a large majority of the present County Medical Society was in sympathy with the National Code of Ethics; and he should like to know whether these gentlemen ought to drop their membership in the County Medical Society or not.

The PRESIDENT remarked that he presumed that new County Associations would be organized after a time.

DR. FERGUSON, replying to Dr. Brown's inquiry, said that the question involved had been presented to him several times during the past year, and that he had expressed the personal opinion that it was best to let the County Societies alone at present, retaining membership especially where the friends of the New York State Medical Association were in the majority, and to resist, by every legitimate means, any efforts to capture the County Societies in the interests of those hostile to the National Code of Ethics. In the majority of instances, all that would be necessary would be simply to take a passive attitude, and to let the State Society, if it saw fit, attempt to coerce the County Societies into the adoption of the "New Code." He should advise, when we were in possession, to simply "hold the fort." Nothing would be gained by deserting the County Societies, unless we were in the minority; and to yield the organization when held by a harmonious and fairly working majority, would be serving the interests of the old State Society.

DR. L. H. ABELL, of Jefferson County, said that the ship which had sailed as the New York State Medical Society seemed to be wrecked; that its members were grasping for something to hold on to and float; and naturally they desired something that would be safe and would rescue them from their peril. It had struck him that the best thing they could do would be to let the old County

organizations go. Let them sink and go down with the old State organization; for this reason, that when they came together in the County Societies there were but few members present, and these were constantly at loggerheads. He thought the proposed Branch Associations were none too large for profitable, working societies; and he thought they offered us a chance to get aboard and sail harmoniously together. If the time should come when our numbers were sufficiently large to justify the organization of County Associations, we should then have them; but at present he thought the County Societies would not be numerous enough to work profitably.

DR. E. M. MOORE, of Monroe County, said that he had little feeling on this subject, but he would say a word with reference to the utility of such district organizations as had been proposed. We all knew, what had been repeated over and over again in this meeting, that the County Societies were too small for pleasant and useful work. Without reference to the difficulties pertaining to the question of ethics, all knew that, for scientific work, these bodies were too small. In central New York, a society similar to those which it was now proposed to organize had been formed, embracing such counties as had desired to join it. There were no special rules with regard to the number of counties which might join it, and, after some years, there were as many as eight or ten counties sending delegates to the meetings, which took place in alternate years at Rochester and at Syracuse. He could bear testimony to the great utility of that Association. He believed it had been more useful as a scientific body to him than any other society with which he had had anything to do. The organization was not too large, and it was by no means small. It was just large enough to give life and activity and to draw good meetings. The members once attempted to hold a two days' session; but they had not thought it wise to do so again, for they found that, while they could leave their patients for one day or for a part of a day, the majority of them could not remain away from their practice to attend a meeting of two days' duration. This Society had now been in existence for seventeen years; and it had been so successful that, as it was now proposed to divide the State into Branch Associations, he at once acceded to it as the wisest thing that could be done. There would be enough members coming from the counties to the Branch

Associations, to make the meetings pleasant and profitable; and they could conveniently be present at a day's meeting, and return home in the evening to attend to their personal affairs. As to the existing County Societies, let each member conduct himself toward them as he saw fit; he had rights there, in the exercise of which, if he wished, he would be protected by the law. As to the speaker, however, he preferred to let them alone.

DR. C. G. POMEROY, of Wayne County, said that the proposed organization of Branch Associations had taken him by surprise, and he did not think that many of the members felt prepared to accept it. He could only say that, if the proposition contemplated the abandonment of the County Societies, he was entirely opposed to it.

DR. FERGUSON remarked that it was not proposed, in the plan for the organization of Branch Associations, to abandon the existing County Societies.

DR. POMEROY said that in that case he would offer no opposition to the plan.

DR. H. O. JEWETT said it would seem that there was a large number of members who were in favor of continuing in the County Societies, but he could not see how, without conforming to the bylaws, we could conscientiously be members of both organizations; nor could he see how members of the County Societies, in upholding the by-laws of those Societies, could be brought harmoniously into affiliation with the proposed Branch Associations.

DR. J. DUNN, of Seneca County, thought the organization of the Branch Associations would have a tendency to absorb, so to speak, the County Societies. Every gentleman present knew that the majority of the profession throughout the State, outside of New York city, was in favor of the National Code of Ethics. The County Societies and the proposed Branch Associations were made up of these men; and the tendency would be, in his judg ment, to merge the County Societies into the Branch Associations. The plan of organization of the five Branch Associations was then adopted unanimously.

It was moved by DR. GOULEY and seconded that, on Thursday, November 20th, at the morning session, the President of each Branch Association shall report to this Association the progress made in the organization of his Branch Association, announcing

the names of the Secretaries and other members of the Executive Committee.

Carried.

DR. GOULEY, Chairman of the Committee of Arrangements, then introduced to the Association, DR. WILLIAM DETMOLD, President of the New York County Medical Association.

DR. DETMOLD said that the profession of New York was much gratified when, after the action of the State Medical Society, a State Association was formed, through which the Empire State, which deservedly occupied the seat of honor conceded to it in the profession, could be represented in the American Medical Association. The better part of the medical profession of the city of New York, aggrieved at the action of the State Society, conceived the idea of redeeming the profession by forming a New York County Medical Association with the National Code of Ethics, he might say, nailed to the mast-head. The result of that first start need simply be alluded to before the noted assembly present, representing the whole State. He thought this start would have the desired effect of keeping the fire-brand of Nihilism in the profession, under full control.

He had not come before the Association for the purpose of selflaudation, but it was with what might be considered a pardonable pride that he responded to the request of some of his friends who organized the County Association to act as their first President, although he felt that a younger and more active man might have filled that position perhaps to more advantage, although not with a stronger desire to do good. DR. DETMOLD then read the following titles of papers which had been read before the New York County Medical Association during its first year of existence :

1. "The Pathological and Practical Relations of the Doctrine of the Bacillus Tuberculosis," by Austin Flint, M. D.

2. "The Etiology of Typhoid Fever," by E. G. Janeway, M. D. 3. "The Treatment of Typhoid Fever," by George L. Peabody, M. D. M.D.

4. "Scarlet Fever of the Fatus in Utero and of the Mother at the Ninth Month of Pregnancy," by C. A. Leale, M. D.

5. "Note on Albuminuria," by Gaspar Griswold, M. D. 6. "The Summer Diarrhoea of Infants," by J. Lewis Smith, M. D.

« SebelumnyaLanjutkan »