Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-04-10
TATE MEDICAL SOCIETY.
second Day of the Annual
Meeting.
Interesting Proceedings.

| "lllSS MCAC hON PACGEnhH AD bAAA I
know whether the Society wanted a CON-
solidsted report, or for each member OF
the Committee to present his own ideas.
Ga motion DR.. Thompson was made
Chairman Of the Committee in question,
and another year allowed for the prepa-
ration Of the report.
DIR. T. J.. Msddin read a very interest
ing paper on the subject Of diptherla.
The term "~diptEeTia" meant false
membrane. This complaint could be
traced back to the earliest sgss; even IN
the time of old Homer il Is evident that
this disease was known. I0 later times
it had been described by different phy-
sicians. Il was known among the old
Romans, and had run its course through
all nations of Europe. It was thought
then to be essentially q disease of the
throat, involving the life forces, and Of
ten acting with great rRpidity. There
were many accounts of epidem!cs of this
complaint, which were very fatal, chill
dren being the preferred subjects. In
the sixteenth : and seventeenth cen
turtles the disease was memorable In its
rsvsges. 1t appssEs in the latter can
fury 10 have forced 8 permanent lodg-
ment in different parts OF the civiIzad
world. It was called Egyptian ulcer
epidemic sore throat. DR.. Msddin
thought the disease had q very remote
origin, and that it often existed as an cpl
demic was well known. He described
at sOme length ths symptoms Of the dis
ease. He considered it a specific inh3m.
NATION. Some considered it g parasitic
disease, but he thought they must look
elsewhere for q solution OF it's causes.
Some thought the disease had q local
origin, and 10 this local pathology many
were inclined. DR.. Austin Flint aptly
stated that diptheria was essentially q
constitutional disease. Slate briggs many
able authorities to support this view of
ths disease. Sometimes children were
struck down By the first stroks OF the
disease, without an intervening fever.
DIR. MRddin believed the disease was a
specific fever as much as scdgletina. Tha
fact that it existed OfteB as an epidemic
would point to the fact that IL was a dis.
ease OF debility. The acute disease gen.
orally lasted from ssven to fourteen days,
when the patient ususlly rapidly
convAlesced. The onIy certain
symptom Of this disease was the
formation OF the TEE membrane
in the throat. Although dipthe.
ria and scsrletins appeared to be closely
allied, he thought that the degree OF
difference between these two diseases
was so marked that it[Fss a matter Of
wonderment that they had ever bsen
COMPOUNDED. Some authorities claimed
that the sir was the vehicle of convey
ing the specific poison. The disease
1Ourished IN cities, and in the country,
where the air was pure and where il
Yves impure. II usually, however, ex-
hibited a vorscious preference for the
young. The doctor then gave an ex-
tended prognOsis OF the disesse. "Mas-
terly inactivity" was the first point to
be secured in its treatment-gentle pal
liatives, chloride OF potash, b0rax, gIy-
ceTine, used. The patient should be kept
warm, clad in flannel, should have
plenty OF fresh air and easily digested
nutriment. The life forces should be
sustained, aud all depressing causes
avoided.
DR.. John Martin read ga interesting
paper in regsrd to the late accident on
The Chattanooga Railroad, the explosion
of q locomotive, resulting in the death of
one OF the employees of The road.
DR.. Paul +. Eve read 3 valuable and
exhaustive paper upon the subjs &c. Of
guashOt wounds in the head, after hear
ing which the Society adjourned until
seven O'Clock In the evening.
The attendance during the morning
session was large.
NIGHT SESSION.
The Society convened IN the Senate
Hall At 40 pm Vice President J. f.
Grant presidin2.
Dr.. Paul +. Eve finished tina reading
Of his very able and interesting report
upon remarkable cases OF guashot u
other Injuries of the Uranium during the
present century. BE discussed the rela
tive merits of heroic aud conservative
surgery in an exhaustive manner in the
treatment Of such cases. Dr.. Ewes re-
port was oonsideFeG on sill hands q most
valuable document in surgical knoWl-
edge.
Dr.. Thompson read ais experience re-
gardirg the use Of medical slippery elm,
both as pesssris and bOngies.
DR.. J. W. Richardson offered q resolu-
ton which was unanimously adopted,
recommending the Medical Association
that it taxes immediate action for the
purpose of efectiDg the organic alton Of
q r lard OF Medical Examiners for each
State in the United States, makingit the
duty of the Board thus organized to ex.
anime sill applicants, and issue licenses
to practice medicine and surgery vnly to
those who can stand an ex smination on
anatomy, physiology, surgery, patholo-
gy, medical hygieue, chemistry, phar.
mac, msteriR medlcs, therapeutics, OBJ.
stetrics, tOxicology and practice Of medi-
oine,
The following preamble and resolu-
tiOns were offered by Dr.. J. Singleton, OF
Jordan's Springs, Tennessee:
WHEREAS, AS the reports, statistics
and recorded experience of scientific
medicine and surgery belong to, and are
for the benefit of the human race I; and,
Whereas, There are now In the Gus
tody OF the United States Government
at Washington City to which we under
stand the medical profession are refused
access the archives OF the medical de,
psrtment Of the late Confederate army,
and we, the members Of the Tennessee
State Medical Society, believe that the
publication OF the same will rebound to
the intended honor and advancement OF
medical and surgical knowledge through
out America and the world at large;
therefore be It
Resolved, That the American Medical
Association, st its next annual meeting,
be earnestly requested to appoint 3 COM
mittee OF three or more wh0se duty IL
shall be to memoriRlizs the Secretary of
War or the Congress OF the United States,
for the purpose Of obtaining his or its
consent to take possession Of, and ar.
range and publish in a substantial form,
the reports of the Medical Department OF
the late Confederate army.
Resolved, That our delegates TO the
next meeting Of the American Medical
Association be instructed to call the at
tention OF that body to the subject mat
ter Of the foregoing preamble and reso-
lutiOns, and that they earnestly and fra
ternslly insist upon their acceptance.
After q warm and enthusiastic speech
from DR.. Singleton, the resolution was
accepted unanimously,
The following gentlemen were appoint
ed delegates TO the American Medical
Society, which meets at New Orleans In
May next;
H. b. Compton, Paul f Eve, J. D.
Plunkett, w. Z Bowling, W. L. Niehol
and J. d. Manlove, Nashville ; D G.
Gordon and ]. F. Grant, Pulaski; Dan
German and J.P. Esrmer, Frsnkliu 8
p. Crawford, Greenville; r. ~. Rhea,
Rockville; B. V. Brown, Brick Church;
z. NJ. Whitaker, ClsrksvIlIe; r. f.
H.. GkAFk--sfA1. NJ D..s