The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-10-21

A.s IL ~ IGk3 Dh / I7,sJ.lNSJIllNll
any. very reliable evidence on the subject.
In the admirable report of DR.. J.sL. Cabeii
on "Defec:iue Drainage tnti Virginia" !"
made co the American Medical Association
in 1874, an outbreak of a peculiar form of
Sickness resembling cholera In mary respects,
fand put down on DR.. Toner'S cbolera.map
as this disease) Is described, which was
thought to be caused by the washing Of or
ganic impurities into springs
He next spoke of the kind and sources Of
some of the impurities in water which have
been found to cause sickness, and said that
DR.. Parkes states thst wells near graveyards
are liable to become contaminated, and he
quotes from Lefort statement that he found
10 O we'll at st. Didier, more tnan three hum
dred and thirty feet from cemetery, a large
amount OF organic salts and an organic mat
ter which was left on evaporation. 1t is now
against the law in France to dig well within
one hundred metres (ab0ut three hundred
and thirty feet) Of cemetery. ss..g.
The speaker next addressed himself TO de-
fsctive drainage as fruitful cause of disease,
and contended that the influence of marsh
land in the development OF fevers, cholera,
aud consumption has been recognized from
time immemorial. III ltt ICZEE---
The facts which have been adduced are
certainly sufficient 10 show the importance
ofthorough drainage, viewed from hygienic
standpoint.
There are many other preyentable causes
Of disease which it would be interesting for
us to notice. Prominent among these may
be mentioned the construction, Of dwellings
and other buildings and Tie arrangement of
sewers. Time will not permit me to elaborate
these points. Some who are present doubt
less remember the famous National Hotel
poisoning in Washington good many years
ago, which was traced to the escape OF noX.
ious gases through q defective sewer-plpc.
Many such cases have been recorded. The
illness of the Prince of Wales a few years
since was occasioned thus.
But fear l have already taxed your pa
tience too far. ,.o.ar...
In conclusion, let me bes you to examine
these subjects for yourselves. 1t is not diff
cult to get evidence. There is now estab.
| lished in this country an organization known
as the "American Public Health Assoca.
tiop," Of which many present have doubtless
heard. II is very hopeful sign that many
besides physicians have taken an active part
| in the deliberations of that body.
No one will suppose that all our sickness
| is caused by circumstances which are under
our own control but much Of 1t certainly Is
ain the scheme Of Divine Providence" >"
says DR.. Iarkes, it may not be meant thai
| man shall he healthy. Diseases of mind and
body may be the cross be has to bear, or il
| may be the evil against which he has to strug
| gle. and whose shackles he is finally to un
| loose. The last disease will disappear, We
may believe, only when man is perfect; an0
as in the presence OF the Saviour all disease
| was healed, so, before perfect virtue, sorrow
and suffering shall fade away, =.
Next in order on the programme was The
delivery of the s..r .....,,.u r-..2. S.. ....
ANIMAL ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT GLEAvEs,
on the subject of Medic.l Reforms. DR.. F
| D. Cunningham presided during the delivery
of the address. He commenced by congrat
ulatipg the Society upon the opportunity o
renewing fraternal relations, and upon the
fact that the annual meetiugis heldlin this
city. He speaks of the death of Drs. Owen
GILLESPIE, and Mcclure as "tbe nestors" o
four-score years, rich in all that could adorI
private or professional life, liugeriog, like
morning stars, beyond their allotted time te
shed their brightligh upon the coming men
of the profession. But they have gone to
| that country where the aImond-tree ceases to
flourish, and where the clouds return not
after the rain. -"..'- 81 -. ~. 80
The speaker next proceeded to discuss bis
subject-v,z., MedicsI RefoFm. Z He SAID tf1a'
| there had been some retrogression, but, upon
| the whole, reform had progressed and Is still
progressing. he then spoke OF the Influence
of the profession upon the moral and intel.
lectua] character OF itsfnembers astonishing
| q curious and interesting subject of inquiry.
He said that there was sort OF uniYersaiity
| to the profession which belongs to no other.
Medical science, however, is in its very ma
| ture peculiarly practical, and Is an epitome
| of the more practical parts Of all the physical
| sciences.
He pext spoke cf the confidential relations
of the physician. He advocated at consdera-
BILE length State examining board to sup
press Uuacks and other pretenders, and to
eximine candidates for the profession with
view Of better protection to the public at
! large ard tie profession itself. This State IS
oyerruu with pseudo doctors and systems
disDensed beneath the forms Of science, ln.
radipg the bounds Of the profession and
| tending to detract from its character and ln-
! fuencc. The balftsught and concelted up
starts, who know well the dangerous little,
but not enough to enable them TO perceive
their own ignorance, are an apt ILLUSTRATION
Of the present age of TRANSITION, which tor
lures regular medicine with purgatorlal.
The science of medicine is not only pro-
nressive but remarkably diffusiYe in its scope.
1t subsiG Zes every other; 1t embraces the
universe in it's grasp, and he who Knows
nothing beyond the limits of this profession
cannot be master of il.
He next discussed medical Jurisprudence,
and the necessity of an educated profession
to deal with '.
"a mind diseased,
Or pluck from the memory rooted sorrow"
He concluded by demanding the same i'm.
munity from quackery as is granted to the
clerical and legal profession, and calls upon
| the Governor 10 give bis irfluence to that
end, as we'll as the State Legislature. he
said t'Yes, we point with pride to our
living beroes-Selden, Moore, Tunstall,
Todd, and Nash ; and mourn with bitter
tears over our fallen martyrs : Go0ch, Blow,
Parker, Turstall, Upshur, who, without the
hope of reward, entered the harvest OF
death but to reap destruction. Like the
soldiers of forlorn hope, they marched to
the smined breach TO the 'van OF hayoc,
to die in obedience to professional duty and
convictions of right" he eclosed his address
with handsome tribute to the women oil
the South for the services rendered during
the war by them. ..-
f.5 s;fs INVITATIONS ,...-c. -.
The secretary read invitations from NJ, s.
Valentine, .Drs. J. S. D. Cullen and N. M.
Walker, TO visit their respective charges. >
!. go. NEW MEMBERS.
Dr., J. b. .McCaw, from The, Committee On
Nomina ions, reported The names Of about
thirty pro; o.ed mem ers of the Society-all
IF cphom were dujy elected, ,-----------------