Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-04-07
Annual Meeting Of the State Medical
Society.

The Presidents Address Proposed
COnstffutlOn-EIecfiO Of Officers for
the Ensuing Year.
The State Medical Society met in the
Senate chamber at the capitol, at II A. NJ,
yesterday, with DR.. James B. MuIfree, Of
MurireesbOro, President Of the SOCIETY,", in
the chair. After prayer by DR.. j. B.
Lindsey, the roll was called and the fol-
lowing answered TO their names:
MEMBERS PRESENT.
Dr.. J. B. Lindsey, Of Nashville; DR..
Paul F. Eve, Nashville; DR.. c. K. Win
ston, Nashville; DR.. Thomas Aenees.
Nashville; DR.. V. ). Lindsey, Nashville;
DR.. j. D. PlUuket, Nashville; DR.. ". s.
Cheatham, Nashville; DIR. Thomas A.
AtchisOn, Nashville; DR.. Thomas Lips
comb, Shelbyvills; DR.. J. J. AbeIIathy,
Decherd; DR.. 7. Davenport, Pulaski; Dr..
James B. MuIfree, MurfreesborO; DR.. Z.
NJ. Wright, Chattanooga; DR.. A. 5. Brown.
Sielbyyille; DR.. j. 3. Mcconnell, Nash
vile; DR.. J. =. Henry, Nashville; DR.. J.
II. Van Demen, Chattanooga; DR.. j. B. ".
NUWlin, Nashville; DR.. George w. Moody,
Shelbyyille; DR.. j. II. Dickens, Readyville;
DR.. J. w. Bowling, Nashville; DR.. ". c.
Briggs, Nashville; DR.. Duncan Eve, Nash
vile.
NEW MyABERs.
DIS. Dickens, Menees and Alternately
having been appointed a committee on
propositions Tor membership, reported the
following ali Of whom, upon motion Of
DR.. Van ). Lindsey, were admitted to
membership:
DR.. s. Il. Bun5y, D.. NJ. c mpbell, DR..
). X. himbTCugh, DR.. RCbt. d. Winselt,
DR.. @. VI. D. Cauuel, DR.. a. BIitz Nash
vile; DR.. 7. J. Elan, Or. q. w. Overall,
MmfreesbOrO; DR.. q. a. Bailey, CLatta-
nooga; Dc. Derien J. Roberts, Henderson
vile.
AN OLD TINE MEMBER.
DR.. W. 2. Jones, of Nashville, stated
that he had been a member Of the society
fifteen years ago, but had not attended the
meeting since. He now wished to re-
join the Association and the President Ge-
cided that he was, Ia fact. still q member.
GREETINGS.
DR.. Bowling presented and had read, by
DR.. j. D. Plunket, the Secretary, the fol-
lowing telegram which he had received:
''HENDERSON, KY, April ., ISI5.-Dr.
w. h. Bowling: Kentucky Stale Med
lcal Society sends greetings TO your State
Society. j. BAKER. President"
On motion Of DR.. j. B. Lindsey the tel
CC-am was received and a suitable response
ordered.
PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
4 lengthy and interesting address was
delivered by the President Of the Society.
DR.. James B. Hurfree, who, in closing,
made the following very sensible suEges-
tions:
Il would repeat the Recommendation
made by my hOuOred predecessor in regard
10 mCmCralZiug the General Assembly Of
our State for the establishment Of an Inc
bIiate Asylum. IutemperanCe stalks abroad
over our land, and is carrying UHhappiness.
misery and want, TO many and many a
household. ! am fully satisfied that Iegis-
laJiOn can DO nothing in the way of sup
pressing iulemperance. but in the spirit of
conservatism it can do much towards COM
teTaCtiug The effects which result from IL.
Recognizing confirmed drunkenness as a
disease, Il is worse than folly 10 read tenn
peTance lectures 10 that unfortunate class
Of individuals, or to Try and put the cause
beyond their reach. The habit is so fixed
that they cannot resist IL. The brain IS GO
weakened, so diseased by the poi
son Of alcohol, that they have lost
control OF their wills, are al the sport of
their vitialed appetites. To tell such
man to quit bis drinking, why, YOU might
as well tell a dead man 10 breathe, 20 live.
! would suggest to the society the propTie'y
of taking some steps 20 secure from the
State some compensa'i ion for services rem
dcTed 10 the poor. Not thai the destitute
do not receive sufficient attention, for u is
a noteworthy fact that the medical profess
sion have ever been ready TO minister 90
ailments Of those who have TO worldly
goods whe-eWIth TO compensate them. |
With item IL IS a daily habit % practice !
that Craudest Of al the virtues clarity.
But this class Of patients has become so,
numerous that IL IS a great burden upon the
profession, and via lr | would not diSCOuT-
age the rendering Of medical aid to the
Fenuiless, feel il wOUld be Just for the
State To make some provision for or Te-
lief
ain regard TO the sale Of patent medicines, [
l would suggest that some legislation
Is needed to protect the public from their
poisonous effect. Ia view Of the extensive
use Of patent medicines, and the danger of /
poisoning by 0yerdOsing, l believe that The /
public Interest would be subservej by re- /
quiring the prOprietCTs If each patent med /
iciue 10 ~ with the county court clerk l
When they are exposed for sale, the formula /
by which they are prepared. This recon-
mendatiun is not made ia the spirit Of !
yindicliyeuess, but for the public good. /
IF the people will take pateus medicines I
land believe they will rs surely do so as I
the drunkard viii take his dram) | have /
20 objection, but if called 10 treat a |
ease Of poisoning by patent medicines, !
do want TO know what particular sub !
stance has produced the mischief In con !
clusion, gentlemen, permit me again TO |
thank you for your Partially in elecing |
lie 10 this Office, and for the kind consider /
alton with which yOu have treated me while I
presiding over your deliberations. l do as |
sure You my gratitude shall never cease |
while life lasts, and / viii ever TcCur 40 il |
with the fondest rec Elections. I love the /
profession of medicine, and every cOnsis- !
tent member seems like a brother 10 me- |
CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS,
The committee appointed at the last |
meeting Of the Society 10 present amend |
ments 10 the constitution aud bylaws Of /
the Society, presented az elaborate report /
through their chairman. Dr. J. 3. Limbs /
ley. After ueciting the advantages result !
ing from combined and organized effort In /.
any direction, giving a detailed account of /
what the Medical Societies Of other States |
are doing ard urging the necessity Of G !
more complete publication of the Irausae- /
lions of the Medical Society of This STATE, /
DR.. Lindsey says:
The advantages, influence and bearings
Of an efficient organization Of the medical |
profession may be well summed up under
four heads:
l. As tending to develop high culture,
especially of a scientific character. Those !
O us who have had occasion TO study The
liyes and doings Of the physicians whose
names adorn the early annals Of tennessee, /
have been much impressed with the fact
that not only in mental endowmeuts, but /
IL general education they were the peers I
81 any i'm the land, while their acquire /
IN MS in medical, physical aud natural sell /
cnce placed them ON pr0ud ami peculiar |
emiUencr. On the other hand. at this day |
even If the profession has not refrigerated i'm |
material and training vet as teachers, cIer-
Gyluen, engineers, and others, now pay
gres. attention 10 scientific branches. of