The Van Buren press., 1871-08-29
NO Is

Address
OF tie Medical Associatiss qfale As11 n
Arksssas to tls PAysieiaAe -
hs Stste.
There Il Z lamentsbly low stsndsrd os
the medical profession y our otate -
well a. in many others. 4 large nsnhee
Of men are claiming to be physieiaus end
are practicing medicine without ha,ing .
regular medical education, without diplo.
mas, and with little OF no medical stain.
mcnts. This in its turn hes brought re-
proach and disrespect upon the ftaternt.
ty; and 1t Ia high time We were doing
something to counteract such inGuenecs.
In view OF these facts, quite puubss
Of physicians, from all parts Of The State.
met In Littls Rock on the 21st Of Novein.
ber, 1870, and organised Stats medical
association, which. it is hoped, will do
much toward the elevation Of the scssnce
Of medicine in our State towards purify
| ing the profession in our midst towards
rendering il efficient in IL hsavsn-hosn
mission. That Il viii encousaGo each
and every one Of yhe ftAtorslty vitala
our bonnds to labor sesIously for ths m
terest Of the canse--for the adveooo0eas
Of the profession. .
We trust and believe that the result Of
this association will be the drawing Of ,
limo Of demarkation between the true
physician and the pretender, the regular
practitioner and the quack, between true
and genuine medical knowledge aud
dangerous empiricism. That 1t will driys
from our midst every species OF empisi-
csm, and inspire in our members and tho
profession at large new zcal--a burning
love for the science Of medicine.
That We may be successful in this im.
portant enterprise, We cordially invite the
hearty cooperation Of each and every
physician within the limits Of our State.
II there are county societies already or.
ganized lot them Join without delay, u
there is not let them 60 TO work q once
and organize, and appoint their delegates
to the State association which meats y
Little Rock In the fall, the object OF which
is "the promotion Of medical science, the
uniformity Of medical ethics, and the p.
lculcaton of harmony and fraternity n
the medical profession, aud especially
among the members Of the association. !"
II Is q clearly established fact that
moro can be accomplished By . acorporats
or united action. than can possibly b
done BY disjointed effort We need not
adduce evidence here to prove the great
advantages OF corporate action over iudi.
vidual effort ], Is . generally conceded
fact
Then let all true physicians In the Stats
become members Of this association at
once. and let US 5oin In one grand effort
to redeem tho State from smpiricism. 70
elevate the standard, Of medicine. and
place tho profession on mors'honorabls
basis. @f
| Nor 10 II the medical men aloua that d
Interested in a thorough organization ol
the medical fraternity. But the public
the people collectively and individual.
ly--are, II possible, even more interested
than fraternity. Upon tho skill Of the
physician--upon his knowledge Of the
science Of iuedicine-often, very otten
hangs your own life or that Of dear
child or loving wifc.
We sometimes meet with man Whe
has been persuaded by those parties. who
are unable to become members OF . r.
spectacle me,lieal association for want Of
merit or information. that these medical
associations nre intended to extortion on
the people But that such 10 not the case
is obvious to any sensible man who will
read the extract from the proceedings Of
the State medical association These or.
gsnisstions are intended for the mutual
Improvement Of physicians, and the peo.
pie are certainly interested In anything
that enhances the skill Of the profession.
Everything that tends to enlighten the
medical world must, of . necessity have
Ia disposition TO alleviate suffering hu-
manity and prolong the lives Of indiv.d.
uals. 'oi N.ss 'N-
Once more, and In conclusio6. let %
mako thorough and perfect orgaaisA-
ton Lot every intelligent physiciau iu
the State become member thereof; and
We trust that by these means the profes-
aion will become cffectual In al ita
branches, efficient In all its callings, and
an honor to the State.
COMMITTEE: WV. II. BARRY. NJ. D.,
| E. r. DuvAL, N. D.,
i J. NJ HotcoMBx, II. D.