The Portland daily press., 1872-06-13
Maine Medical Association.
WEDNESDAY MORNING.

|
Vermont Medical Society; also an obituary no
tce of DIR. Cyrus Briggs of Augusta, an ex
President of the Association, by DR.. Weston OF
Bangor EE4.
Doctors Fuller Swazey, Tarbell, Hall, Me-
serve, T. A Foster, Sanger, and Greene read
presented or offered verbal reports of very in
teresting surgical operations and peculiar cases
OF disease that had come under their observa-
ton.
Dr. Buxton, of the Committee on the Sug-
gestions in the Presidents address, reported
that the continuance of the committee on a re-
vision of the constitution and bylaws rendered
any further action unnecessary. Accepted and
referred Dr. Gordon, in behalf of the city
physicians, invited the out of town members
with their ladies to sup at the Falmouth Hotel
after the grafton to be delivered this evening by
by Prof. Bracket of Bowdoin College. DR.. NJ
Il. Webb, delegate from the Massachusetts
Medical Society, was introduced and invited to
participate in the discussion.
| DIR. Meserve read the report of a case of ex-
troverson of the bladder. Referred
DIR. I. A. Foster presented his report as Com
mittee on the Effects of Psychological Influences
upon Disease, which was referred to the Pub
fishing Committee without reading, at his own
| request
| DIR. Sanger reported verbally an operation for
| structure of the urethra.
Mr.. T. G. Loring sent in specimen of Hy-
| poposphites of Lime and Soda of his own man
| ufacture. F
The standing Committee recommended that
DE- Asher Ellis of Brunswick be placed on the
retired list; that DR.. Roscoe Smith of Turner be
| admitted to memberships; and presented the
| Constitution and Bylaws of Knox County
Medical Society, and the following resolution:
Resot0ed, That this Association endorse the
Knox County Society as in good standing and
entitled to the recognition of all regular Medi-
cal societies.
The recommendations were adopted and the
resolution passed
Drs. Green, Weeks and Buxton were APP
| pointed a committee to consider the commune
cation from the Superintendsnts of American
Insane Asylums
DR.. Gilman, chairman of the Committee on
the Maine General Hospital, presented his re-
port He gave history of the operations for
the past year, an elaborate description of the
heating and ventilating apparatus, state
ment of the financial condition of the institu-
ton, and an earnest appeal to the profession
for assistance. Various members spoke upon
the subject, favoring the appointment by the
Directors of the Hospital of an agent to canvass
the State, and on motion of DR.. Nourse, the
following resolution was adopted:
Resolued, That we, as members of the Maine
Medical Association, pledge ourselves individu-
tors of the Maine General Hospital in raising
the funds necessary for the completion of the
Hospital.
DIR. Greene reported a case of plastic surgery,
In which half the nose, all the upper and one
third of the lower lip, and half of one cheek
had been restored by operations. The remark
able success in the case was shown by a COM
parison of the patients face with life-size draw
lngs from photographs taken four years ago
He also reported case of removal of the
shafts of both tibiae, and one tarsus for NEGRO
sis, resulting in perfect restoration of the bones
and complete reestablishment of the health of
the patient, who was present and examined by
many members. The reports were referred to
the Publishing Committee.
Adjourned until two o'clock
AFTERNOON SESSION
The first business in order was the election of
President for the ensuing year. On the second
ballot, Dr. A. P. Snow of Winthrop received
majority of the votes cast, and was declared
elected. g. -...i.na.-.IH
The committee nominations reported the
following gentlemen as candidates for the Off
ces named, and they were unanimously elected:
LIST Vice President Dr. P. II. Harding of
Ellsworth; I'd Vice President, DR.. D. L. Lam
son Of Fryeburg; Corresponding Secretary, DIR.
w. B. Swasey Of Cornish; Treasurer, DR.. L. A.
Foster of Portland
Standing Committee-Drs. J. NJ. Bates of
Yarmouth, b. f. Sturgis of Auburn, H. H.
Hunt of GOrham. G. w. Foster of Bangor j.
A. Richards of Pennington.
Publishing Committee-Dr. G. o. Hunt l.
lin OF Bangor, and A. Mitchell of Brunswick
The committee appointed Thursday evening
to prepare a resolution on the medicinal use of
alcohol (Which we incorrectly stated was not
chosen) presented the following, which was
passed without dissenting voice:
Resolued, That, in view of the terrible effects
of the abuse of alcoholic stimulants, we feel
called upon, as body of scientific men, having
at heart the best interests of our fellows, to inn
plore every individual in the community to re-
strict the use of alcohol in every form 10 purely
medicinal purposes and in so doing, to rely en-
tirely upon the advice of educated and consci-
entious physicians; and we also deem it timely
to declare, in accordance with our former belief
and practice, that the use of this agent
medicine should be confined within the narrow
est possible limits.
DR.. Gordon presented his report as delegate
to the Maine Medical School He spoke in
terms of warm praise of the professors in the
various departments, and believed that their
teaching was equal to that given in any school,
The lack Of clinical advantages, however, was
| greatly to be deplored, and no school could
thoroughly educate medical students that was
not in the vicinity of hospital. Report &C
cepted and referred.
| DIR. Horr of Lewiston read a report on Group,
which was accepted and referred.
Dr. Greene reported for the Committee on
the Resolutions of the Insane Asylum Superin-
| tendents recommending the adoption of the
resolutions and advising the Association to re-
| commend the officers and faculty of the Medi-
cal School of Maine to carry into effect the plan
contemplated.
The Standing Committee recommended for
membership Drs. j. G. Irish of Saco, j. S.
| Cushing of Skowhegan and F. L. Town of the
U. s. Army also that Drs Grant of Saco and
Toward of Augusta be placed on the retired
| list
| EVENING SESSION.
d.. Hall was introduced as delegate from the
N. j. Medical Society and invited to take part
in the deliberations.
DIR. Corliss reported a case of Anasarca, sue
cessfully treated with mild chloride, squill and
digitalis.
Prof. Cyrus f. Bracket of Bowdoin College
pronounced the annual oration announcing as
his subject, methods in Medical Education )"
He discussed the difficulties that of necessity
inhere in the acquisition and practice of the
medical art, showing that though it has acquir-
ed a truly scientific character in many respects,
yet the practitioner is still obliged to do many
things acting on purely empirical knowledge,
and that this has tendency to cause the scan
ty scientific knowledge and partially mastered
logic of the yonng physician to fall into disuse.
In short there is strong tendency for the av-
erage practitioner to become an empiric-
The capabilities and requirements of the
young men seeking to enter tine profession, were
glanced at and some glazing deficiencies were
pointed out. The general standards of attain
ments were considered, having practical ends
in view. The machinery of medical education
including medical literature, private tutelage,
medical schools, hospital land clinical study
was examined, and in part commended, part
condemned. A suggestion was made that tbs
Association cooperate with the medical col
leges to raise the standard of medical education
| f