The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-06-12

fald Board OF Health. Observation-Disclosures, Sc 43
| Censors. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 70 90
For advertising meeting ................,.... 10 so
Paid Secretary for blanks and postage. .... 30 SO
Total.................................s553 81
Balance on hand -. ......... ........... $39s &C.
In concluding the report he offered the fol-
lowing resolutions:
Resolved That none of the officers or committee of
whose salary shall be $50 year, shall receive pay for
their services or expenses while performing the du-
ResoIued That no bill excepting the salary of the
secretary shall be paid by the treasurer until it has
been approved by board of censors and ordered
| to be paid by the association.
These resolutions were discussed at some
| length but finally were laid on the table until a
future meeting.
Dr. Horr of Lewiston from the visiting COM
mittee of the Portland Medical School made
very full report of the condition of that school.
The report was very fattering to the school,
DR.. E. E. Holt of this city made very inter-
esting report on atalogy. The paper was dis
cussed at some length by DR.. Horr of Lewis
ton, DR.. Jewett of South Berwick, DR.. Bates of
Yarmouth and DIR. Gordon of this city.
DR.. Sanger of Bangor presented a petition
from DR.. Sprague of Milo who was expelled in
1875 for issuing circular advertising wonder
full cures asking that he be rsinstated. He
stated that he was fully convinced of his ways
and was prepared to do better. 1t was referred
to the board of censors.
DR.. Adams of Island Pond delegate to the
Canadian Medical Association made report of
his visit to that body.
The following were appointed q committee on
nominations 81. N. Small of Portland, o. A.
Horr of Lewiston, F. @. Thayer of Waterville,
B. F. Dunn of Windham and D. L. Lamson of
Fryeburg.
O'clock
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The meeting was called to order at 8 o'clock
President Jewett in the chair.
The first matter before the association was
the reception of the Presidents address, The
speaker made several suggestions of Importance
to the profession. The first thing considered
was medical jurisprudence. The condition Of
the public was deplered on account of the ig-
norance of the people. He thought that the of.
fee of coroner should be abolished, as at pres
ent they were of no use. Complaint was made
that the courts were not able to try cases when
medical knowledge was required. This associa.
ton should act promptly and take the lead. A
staff of medical experts should be established
to assist the courts in deciding important cases.
1t was suggested that committee be chosen to
consider this matter and report at the annual
meeting.
The hygiene of the state was next consider
ed. This state has done nothing to better the
condition Of our citizens by establishing boards
of health or requiring vaccinating, regulating
tenement house occupation, proper drainage,
or sanitary survey The importance of this
subject cannot be over estimated 1t was sug.
gested that committee be appointed to pre-
sent the matter to the next legislature.
Therapeutics or medical practice was consid-
cred at some length. The fundamental prin-
ciples of therapeutics are yet virtually unknown
to the medical profession. There is need of
thorough overturn on this subject.
The theory of practice was then considered.
He thought that pathology was too much stud
| led while observation was neglected. He said
| that defeat in the sick room often occurred by
| depending upon authorities instead of investi-
| eating for each other. Junior physicians must
| 60 by the books until their eyes are open when
they must work for themselves. The different
Il
the question asked what are medical opinions
worth? He thought the trouble was that men
did not follow nature in their study, but rather
followed other men. Relief can only be found
in the practical men of tolay, who will ex-
change ideas at each gathering. When we al
| low nature to teach us instead of being taught
| by men then shall we have better condition
of things.
DR.. Kendall of the New York Society, Dr.
Davenport Of Vermont, and Dr.. Hill of New
Hampshire, were introduced to the association
and addressed the meeting
The President appointed Drs. Thayer and
Dana as auditing committee.
Drs. Horr, French and Pendleton were NOM
mated a committee on the Presidents address.
A vote of thanks was extended to the Presi-
dent for his instructive address.
Dr. E. Stone of DeeriDg read what he called
a sketch of his own experience upon "Etiology
of typhoid fever.
This paper was referred to the committee on
publica ton.
DR.. S. G. Gordon of this city, then read q
paper upon the mechanical treatment of ster-
ility.
The paper was discussed by DR.. Tewksbury,
DIR. Bricketto Of Augusta, DR.. Pendleton of Bel
fast, DR.. O'Bron of Bristol, DR.. Dana of this
city and others.
At the close Of the discussion the session ad
journed until 8 p. m.
EVENING SESSION.
The association met at s p. m.
A paper by DR.. j. A. Spaulding entitled
"Five hundred cases of disease of the eye, and
notes and remarks was presented and refer.
red to the committee on publication.
A paper was then read by DR.. Geo. f.
French of this city on the eradication Of
syphilis and crime by the extirpation 10 that
class of the provocative power.
Syphilis of all diseases is the most terrible
scourge of the human race. 1t is maady as
old as sin and pervades every grade of society
from the howell to the palace. 1t is estim ated
that 10 our own country there are more than
two million at the present time infected will
syphilis There are over fifty thousand cases
of this diseases in New York city alone. II
London more than a hundred thousan,
syphilitics are treated annually in the publ
hospitals In less than a century IS per CEN
! | of the population of the Sandwich Island
have died of this disease.
After tnlS disease mas Doen transmitted
. through two or three generations it appears q
scrofula. Three-fourths of the communit
are tainted with some form of scrofulou
disease. Almost all forms of tuberculou
disease are of q scrofulous character. Althoug
comparatively few die of the primary disease
| in the secondary and tertiary form the sam
, cannot be said. Of the mortality of children
under five years of ago in our large cities
per cent. is due to this disease, and the los
from premature births occasioned by tn
infection is incalcuable. Under such influence
;. the race cannot but deterorate and as ever
sanitaryand legislative measure hitherto devise
has proved Intellectual some more radical NEAR
should be resorted to- Crime and disease ar
q allied and the one intensifes the other. Grim
. is as hereditary as disease, as shown by tn
r statistics collected by Mr.. Dugdale in til
t. Jukes Criminals as q class are almost invaris
.. bly, diseased, and if in addition to impriso
ment for life extirpation of the procreativ
Q. power could be made substitution for capta
re punishment vast amount of disease az
"a crime would die out with the individual N