The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-05-05

ANIMAL ADpRkax. ~,
Gsats~ea ~ ~ A~ceus ktdscd Asso4aaaa; We
meet under most aslspicous circumstance and have
been welcomed 70 the favorable position ever occu
pied ny our profession this contDent The very
ground ON which stand may he considered sacred
mas been srt apart from 10 special purpose
ana national Invited have been To this mag
naesnt tnpls, fanisi,sd and dedicated by generous
foreigner 70 science in the presence Of that towering
monument designed 10 the worth OF him
ever enslrined first IN the hearts Of his cosntlyen
surrounded by the glorious recolIeetions constantly
ciated with this and before tho great
and assembled wisdom Of the nation; II becomes to
discharge the important duties which have called us
gether with honor to ourselves and benefit to proes-
sion inspired by its benevolent spirit and invoking
the ait OF ever present and omnipotent God To
preside our deliberations may here renew our
professional obligations learn to love each other better
and rssolye henceiofth 70 be faithful high
vocation that its dignity be maintained aud its
fuluess extended.
Knowing as | do full well the value Of time IN CAR
short sessions, and how much Is expected this
ing. the half hour apart this customary address
will be restricted To subjects appropriate the occasion
From this stand point in the history our meetings. 1t
IL proper TO recall what has already been achieved that
we may he better prepared prottbly to engage in the
labor now awaiting deliberations This summary of
our transactions is the necessary, since by disas
tTos tire Ia 1851, the first four volumes of proceed
ng have been destroyed and are of course inaccessible
to all members, the last repor. Of the committee
publication having announced the fact that not
plete set OF them was on sale
The grand object OF convention the physicians of
the United States held tho previous year in the city Of
New York, was carried into effect In Philadelphia, May
lS47, by organizing this association and Just years
ago the first general assembly met in Baltimore Since
then annual meetings have been convened ia large
cities for the transaction OF business and the proceedings
regularly published each year Ten large volumes
now comprise the transactions OF the American Medical
Association being the contributions OF its two thousand
members delegated To represent the medical institutions
of thirty States and Territories
As set forth in convention the ultimate purposes of
this body are To cultivate and advance medical know-
edge 10 elevate the standard OF medical education to
promote tho usefulness honor and interests of the med
cal profession and coaterally to enlighen and direct
public opinion in regard the Duties responsibilities
and requirements of medical men; to excite and encour
age emulation and concert of action in the profession
and to facilitate and foster friendly intercourse between
those engaged in il.
In carrying forward these desirable changes en-
bracing they do medical science medical eduou-
on and medical ethics believes that have done
everything demanded for the good of the profession
that all great designs could have been attained in
the brief space Of ten years. The work assumed by
the association, il well known would take time
labor, and united efforts. 1t comprehended higher
acquisitions for admission into learned profession pre-
scribcd the course OF instruction demanded separation
in the teaching nnd licensing power proposed code to
regulate the intercourse between plyscians. their pa
tients and the public and claimed that every within
its pale should assidosly cultivate the science Of med
cine and promote its best interests And however ex-
plans, still tho whole IL safely be assumed that
the American Medical Association has been no failure
1t has advanced medical knowledge and promoted the
usefulness Of the medical profession There will be found
in the ten volumes Of its printed the results
OF the meetings held in Baltimore, Boston, CINCINNATI
Charleston, Richmond New York. st. Louis, Pliacel-
phia Detroit, and Nashville that less than three
hundred pages devoted to medical education over
five hundred to hygiene including the sanitary condition
OF many Of large cities six hundred to botany and
indigenous plants hundred and fifty Obstetrics
four hundred to medical literature hundred and
fifty to medical science proper than thousand to
surgery and two Thousand to practical medicine i'm
GLIDING tho epidemcs and prevalent diseases of nearly
every State in the Union
Special reports have been made from committees
appointed for the purpose the effects Of aiisthetc
agents. ether and chloroform the influence Of tea
and coffee the diet of children and the laboring
classes tho supposed influence the cercbellu over
the sexual propesities the results Of operations the
of the Introduction OF water and gas into
cities two reports the blending and conye sion
types OF fever the action of water lead pipes and the
diseases proceeding from 1t refexion of the uterus
nomenclature of diseases adapted to the United States
having reference to general registration of deaths the
of typhus fever and the Of their extinction
the permanent of reducibe hernia the topical
of water In surgery theagcncy of refrigeration by raa
ton Of heat Of disease the results Of surgical
operations in malignant diseases the and chronic
diseases OF the neck of the uterus the nature of
typhoid fever; coxalga hpioint disease the treat
ment Of morbid growths within the larynx; the sym
pathetic in reflex phenomena the medical and
Pathological properties of the cytogac plants of the
United States; erysipelas the influence of the n.y.
grometrcal state Of the atmosphere on health tho
diet Of the sick pathology, causes symptoms, and
treatment Of scroua the preservation Of milk the eff
fecs Of alcoholic liquors in health and diseases hydro
phobia the changes in milk produced by menstruaon
and pregnancy the sanitary police Of cities treatment
Of cholera inantun and effects of nitrate of silver
applied to the throat stryclnnc infant mortality in
large Cities the OF its increase and Of its
diminution lnedco legal duties Of prin-