Wilmington journal., 1873-11-07

prO1eSSlO11 HAS DeeH uriSSeu 1IOE1 lUS |
former high estate. We need not be
surprised that public virtue has be-
come so debauched and the public |
mind SO imbued with false views of |
the profession that as physicians de-
pending upon practice for living we
have about reached a respectable point
of starvation.
The remedy is in our own hands,
together with those reformatory intiu- |
ences arising from judicious system |
of popular education. Let us use our
Medical Societies. as measures of re-
form and discipline as well as of means
of improving our medical knowledge.
One of the main obstacles to medical
progress in North Carolina has been
the want of pluck among the leading
physicians to stand square up to the
line of duty in these important re-
spacts. Medical Societies are under
high obligations to enforce ethics, to
compel compliance with regulations
reasonable and just, and demanded
alike by the interests of the profession
and the rights of the people. The
medical world in all ages has recog-
nized this as a part of their mission.
Let US admit no unworthy member
and be prompt to get rid of any who
may forfit all claims to a retention OF
the common courtesies and consulta-
tions of the profession. The institu-
ton this year of a Board of Censors in
the profession Of our State is a move
ment in the right direction and should
long since have been in operation even
in the opinion ofthe leading citizens of
the State generally. The very fact
that we have no power to infiict penal
punishment up, offenders is the
strangest argument in behalf of these
measures of discipline and acts of vol
urtary legislation among ourselves,
providing Tor that social and profess
sional ostracism which SO often con-
stitutes IA more efficient punishment
than any law of the State could inflict.
All other organizations legal and vol
untary deal thus with their members,
and why shall VIC not have our Com
| mittces and our Courts also to engage
in trials and to acq1lit, censurc or eX-
pei members. If there is not enough
| moral courage and devotion in the
profession to thus come up to the re-
| lief and honor of our name better that
| in sorrow and shame we should dis
| band our State Medical Society If
| those now assembled to form Il large
| auxiliary, which l trust may be Wig
orous offspring competent to re-aSsure
and re-animate its aged and slowly
moving parent, should disappoint the
| high expectations formed of them in
relation to medical Improvement. or
| should hesitate as to the means indica-
| ted for professional elevation, let us at
| once halt, retrace our steps and return
| home with the words tinidity and fail
| ure written upon our banners.
| But whatever our decision let us
cherish as incentives to duty the
| glorious recollections which cluster
in noble prof1lsion around our illus
trious profession. It's proverhial use
| fulness was never so much III demand
as now. That great scourgc Of our
Southern Atlantic slopes, yellow fever,
which IN days past cnvel"ped in sad
ness, gloom and The woes of death,
sudden and awfuiIy extensive, the
cities of Norfolk, Wilmington, Charles
ton. Savannah. Mobile and New
Orleans, and more recently spread, in
its horrible traces Of sorrow aud death,
emblems of grief and habiliments of
| woe every where around the iiiiated
town of Shreveport and the depopulat-
ed City of Memphis, found medical
heroes, as on trying and dangerous oc-
| CtsSioli tIit.f are sti"atN - loililtl III
marshallirg host, ready TO DO and
die in the interests Of suffering human
ity. The physician who runs from
disease is Justly regarded by the pro-
fession rs a coward and traitor. s'He
who guards the portals of the grave
must not fear death" In our late ter
rible war it nohly illustrated that un-
! surpassed patriotism which has always
distinguished the true medical man.
No portion of Our armies was more
heroic in duly than the medical staff
And where, upon the famous ground OF
| AppomattoX and under the fearful
eyes of orr glorious old Commander,
| the immortal Lee, our arms We're
stacked and the Confederate banner
was furied, none OF the satidened
hearts Of those who remained on duty
to the last were more faithful than the
medical officers, or submitted upOn
their return nOnc with more commcn-
dable resignation to t!lc decisions and
issues OF incxorable necessity and
duty. The profession as Yo;I all know
has always been in the front ranks 10
the foremost in the faithful discharge
of all those high duties and paramount
obligations due to friendship, to the
community, to good order, to human
ity, to our country and to our God
Superior to all other callings in its
ministrations of charity, none others
excel it in those self-sacrifices and he
roism which Will make its pages of
history immortal with the records of
the illustrious deeds and lives of its
noble savans, philosophers, heroes,
Christians and MARTYRS. Wherever be-
nevolence is needed, or the cause of
aIT1R tn..
riotism needs 4 friend, or human
suffering calls for relief. or Chris
tianity requires defence, you will
find the faithful physician among the
readiest Of the ready for labor and
sacrifice. He refuses to party what
was intended for mankind Since the
war no one has been moro ready and
| dcsirous to allay the troubled waters
| and to heal the wounds incident to
| those difficulties and disruDtions
| which have prevailed between the
| North and South but are now passing
away, as we trust, forever. Upon the
mountains and by the sea, through
| every valley aud plain, everywhere
| throughout the wide expanse of this
Southern land, SO lately the scenes of
trampling soldiery, roaring artillery,
and the bloody conflicts of contending
hosts, you Will lind no heart more res
ponsiye than his to the ties of affection
or the calls of sorrow and distress.
! and none more full of sympathy for
| the down-trodden aud struggling peo-
pie of this oppressed Southern land
Wearied as the patriotic and true
hearted medical man is with the pas
sions and issues of those partisan
struggles and sectional strife which
have too long kept up to the injury of
all, national discord and sectional
evils, he yields to none in love for,
and devotion to, the South, while at
the same time no one surpasses him in
standing mp squarely for the country
and our whole country"
The Convention then proceeded to
the work OF permanent organization
and to practical details of business. by
the appointment of committees, and
other practical work lOolyino To tba