The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-06-01
M i 8 q ella ne O IN 8.
The Medical Society Of Hartford
County, Md.

| Havrc de Grace, on Tuesday, May Sth, 1877, at
| the late residence of the late Dr. Thos. c. Hop
kins, under the auspices and through the hospi
tality of DR.. w. W. Hopkins. Notwithstanding
| the inclemency of the weather, there was quite
a respectable number of members and visitors
| present.
The President, Dir. w. w. Vidn, was in the
| chair. The minutes of the preceding meeting
were read by the Secretary, and approved.
The names of DR.. S. Atlee Bockius, (M D. and
d. d. s. and Dr. VIM. p. Taylor, were duly
| presented and recommended for membership
| were ballotted for, and unanimously elected -
| Both OF the gentlemen being present, they then
took part in the proceedings of the Society.
Dr. &. +. lddings, who was appointed Mt the
| last meeting to prepare paper for the Society
on the subject OF "Neph,itic collie" having re.
moved from the county in the interval, was not
present at the meeting, but sent an interesting
and Instructive paper, which was read by the
Secretary. The substance of the paper was
composed of the relation Of typical case,
which had occurred in his own practice. Those
of the members who had met with cases of this
Characteristic pain in which is extremely
violent so long as it lasts-though the maady,
fortunately, is not of very frequent occurrence,
were able TO recognize at once the correctness
Of the portrayal gived by DIR. Iddings.
In such cases, as related by DR.. lddngs, dur
ing the passage of the gravel from the kidney to
the bladder, while approving fully of the treat
ment adopted by DR.. l., DR.. John Evans asked
if any of the members had ever tried the efficacy
of the hot Sit@both. He had great confidence IN
it as muscular relaXant. DR.. Forwood remark
ed, in reply, that he had met with two or three
such cases, and had seen each of them in two or
three separate attacks-for there is a great ten
dency to recurrence-and he had invariably used
the sitzbath in connection with opium and other
medicines enumerated by DR.. lddings with do
cidcd apparent relief to the patient-so much
so that, in any subsequent attack, the patient
always got himself into the hot water before
the arrival of the physician.
DR., VIM. j. Evans inquiring what prophylactic
or preventative treatment was the best to adopt
in cases where there was predisposition to such
attacks. DR.. Forwood and other members
thought that could best be determined by a
chemical examination of the urinary secretion
In his experience he had always found it acid
generally little dcia-and thought that he was
usually successful in decomposing it, and thus
rendering it innocuOus, by the use of the Bicar-
Donate of Soda and the Nitrate of Potassa He
gave fifteen or twenty grains of each combined
| in water three or four times daily until the dan.
ger of an attack was avericd. This treatment
met the concurrence OF those members who had
had experience in this class of cases.
With reference TO the administration of
Opium, or the Salts of Morphia so necessary for
the alienation of the acute suffering IN this mala-
dy, DR.. Jno. Evans advised the hypodermic use of
morphia in this complaint, as it acts in this way
more quickly, more certainly, and more etlec-
tually. This method of introduction is inds-
pensable when the stomach is irritable and when
vomiting is taking place, as so frequently occurs
in these cases.
DR.. Iddings was voted the thanks of the So.
ciety for the practical case that he had presented
and for the method of treatment instituted
The retiring President, DR.. W. w. Yirdin, then
| cad his Address:
" Gentlemen Of tie Medical Society Of Hartford
county: 1t is to memo very easy task to comply
with that provision of your Constitution which
President frnp
to deliver Public Address" The want of
training which | experience in such matters,
coupled with the intelligence that pervades your
body forcibly reminds me of my Incompetence
to fulfil the duty in an instructive or even en-
tertaining way, but the honorable position to
which it was your pleasure year ago to assign
me, demands that must at least recognize the
distinction by saying, if nothing more is added,
that thank you for the honor. Gentlemen,
congratulate you upon the prosperous condition
of this Society, now in the eleventh year of its
life. Although decided majority, including
the greater part of the most prominent physi-
clans OF the county, are already enrolled as men,
bers of our Society, still it must remain a source
of regret that number of the profession of the
county have failed to see the advantage alike to
themselves and to the communities in which
they practice that would result from uniting
with in our efforts for the relief of individual
suffering, and for the prolongation of human
life.
The idea with many persons is that our Med.
| ical Association, instead of being scientific as
sembly, designed for the promotion of correct
information for the benefit of its members, and
for the promotion of the health of our patrons,
is really intended TO make Fee Bills q and to
otherwise design against the health-inlerests of
| the community This error, however, is not al
| together the fault of the people, but to our
shame be it said, that very charge lies at our
| own doors. Many of you may recollect the
paucity of members of the profession at the first
assembly of this Society, and the reasons given
for their participation in the movement -
Various pretexts were made when any was OBJ
tanned, for their disinclination to unite with us;
but the prominent and actgating cause was the
popular suspicion as to our objects that prevail
ed with the people, and by pandering to that
mistake their commercial Interests would be en-
| HANGED and to this day we have been placed in
this unfair and unmeried position
1t is the business and the duty of the medical
| profession to teach and form public opinion in
all matters bearing upon health subjects; and
no where can these objects be better accomplish.
ed than by assemblies organized for scientific re-
search upon subjecls for the prevention and cure
of disease. But why should presentation of
| this character be made to gentlemen of your
intelligence and enthusiastically alive, as
| you are, to the most delicate and responsible
| duties of your high offices? 1t is done simply
in refutation of the disguised motives and
careful purpose of those who join in the cry OF
g. Fee Bill arrangers, and conspirators against
the public veal" Let us show them that the
members ofthis Society cherish the God like pre-.
cepts that have been transmitted to us from a
long line of illustrious predecessors. For the
special interests of our section, you must show
them that in world of self-love and selfinter-
est, where the actions of every man are critically
examined, however good his purpose may be- ii
q world where even Div,nes do not always prac
tce the Charity and Goodness that they preach
we are willing to forget self, and work in common
for the benefit of those who most probably will
neither appreciate nor thank us for the good
work done for them.
let us point to the long list of illustrious
names of our own State Medical and Chi,7ngicd
Faculty, as well as TO those of the great nationa
organization,- the american Medical Association
both now representative bodies of the State ant
County Societies, who SO ably and so long have
| Al 4, . Il ,f th,s..