The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1865-10-18
DAILY NEWS.
WEDNESDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 1s, 1865.
MEETING OF THE PRACTISING
PHYSICIANS.


PHYSICIANS.
At meeting of the Practising Physicians, of
the City of Charleston and its vicinity, held Octo-
ber 16, 1866, at the Medical College, on motion Of
DIR. r. A. KNLocH, DIR. E. HoRLDEcK was called to
the Chair, and DIR. j. s. BUST requested to act as
Secretary.
On motion of DR.. r. GEDDINas, Committee of
Five were appointed by the Chairman to prepare
business and draft resolutions for the meeting.
The Chair appointed tho following gentlemen
Drs. E. GEDDNas, K1NLocH, F. NJ. ROBERTSON,
JERvEY, and A. PELzER.
The Committee retired, and in short while re-
turnsd and offered the following Preamble and
Resolutions, which were unanimously adopted:
The Members Of the Medical Profession practising
IN ne CITY Of Charleston and its utcttay, to the
We, the practising physicians in tho city and
precincts of Charleston, having assembled to de-
Gberato upon the altered relations which the pre-
sent unhappy condition of the community has Co.
tablished between our patients and ourselves, beg
leave respectfully to invite attention to the follow
ing considerations.
It has been truly remarked that the medical
profession is founded in benevolence, and it will
be generally conceded that no class Of men has it
than physicians, or have exercised their deeds Of
benoyolence with more cheerfulness and alacrity
But the healing art involves other considerations
In all the relations Of life the general scheme Of
society is founded on mutual Obligations. Labor
is the indispensable condition of our social COM
pact, and the rewards Of labor arc absolutely i'm
peratiye, not only as means Of happiness, but as
a condition of existence.
AS long as it was the custom in our community
to conduct the ordinary business relations on a
credit system, the medical profession chcerfully
aeceded to the general usage, and only called for
the compensation for their services at the expira
tlon OF Blk or. twelve months. This arrangement
SO far as the medical practitioner is concerned,
lists in no other country, and is both unreasonable
and unjust. The lawyer expects and receives his
fees when his services are rendered. The divine
and the official is in the periodical receipt
Of his salary; and the mechanic and the artizan
requires to be paid when his contract is complet-
most expensive, laborious and prolonged; whose
duties arc the most responsible, and whose avo-
. sacrificing, far his compensation is concern
ed, is placed below the servant or daily laborer.
the complete prostration OF business and Of most
of the Industrial pursuits, together with the de-
strnctlon OF great part OF the pecuniary re-
sources previously existing, have developed stern
necessity, on the part of our profession, for the
total abandonment of the credit system, and the
adoption of q cash basis in all business transac-
adopted and rigidly enforced by all classes of the
community except the medical profession. A stern
necessity now calls for the removal Of this exccp-
tion. All collateral resources having been de-
stroyed, while the necessary expenses of living
have augmented from five to ten fold (al OF
which have to be paid in cash), to enable us to
duty impels lis to claim the right to be placed
upon the same footing, as regards compensation
for our services, with other portions Of the COM
munity. AS hitherto, no one Of us will disregard
any legitimate demands upon our bencvolencc
and while those whose reduced circumstances rem
der them no longer able to bostow the ordinary
remuneration will find ready RESPONSE on appi-
cation for our services We feel ourselves Justified
in ndnlging the expectation that all others will
reQuitc our labors promptly, when they are ren-
dcred, OF at the termination of the case.
We, therefore, respectfully submit the following
resolutions as an exponent of our views and cx-
RESOLVED, That the necessities of our position
render it imperative upon us, in tho present state
of affairs, to demand cash payment for our profess
at the time tho services arc rendered. for alf cases
OF Office advice or single visits, and in all other
cases. as soon IN as the attendance terminates.
ReSotued, That whereas the Medical Fec Bill
established by the Medical Society Of South Caro-
lima, in the latter part OF the last century, was
adopted at time when the expense of living was
at least three or four times less than the present
exigency requires and was, besides, predicated
upon specie basis, we shall feel ourselves obliged,
IN our .a1 charges double double the rates therein
rates between specie and currency. ,-LJl.|
Resolued, That to facilitate the fulflment of the
arrangements above specified the attending ply
sician will, as BOON as o case requiring continued
memorandum Bpecifying the amount Of his his Yes.
or furnish such memorandum at the end Of every
month. - IT, - ....r !: 81.
ResOlued, That, as We have hitherto done, we
will cheerfuly render our services to those of our
patients who have blythe calamties Of the recent
war, been deprived ofther ability to pay the ordi-
nary compensation, until such time as their ability
to reinunerate us may be restored -.
DER. A. KNLocg offered the following resolu-
lions, which were unanimously adopted:
Resolped, That we consider It eminently dcsi
rabe, at this time, to abandon the old practice OF
dispensing medicines from private oficesLa cus-
tom which prevails in no other city OF any size.
- Resofued, That the custom now prevalent, with
our city apothecaries, Of closing their places Of
business at early hour in tho evening, is an evil
seriously felt by the profession AMI the Community
and we hereby respectfully urgc its correction.
! On motion of DR.. R-LEBBY. SR. it was
RESOLVED That tho proceedings of this meeting
be published in the daily papers. '.''' ,,i3,tfN
81. On motion of Dr.. MoULTRIE, tho meeting ad-
journcd. E. HoRIBECK, NJ. D., Chairman
J.S.,BUIsT, NJ. D., Secretary.