Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-04-03
Address Of the President-Yery Feeling
Memorial Address by DIR. Wise, OF
Memphis, who Paid Touch
ing Tribute to his Dead
Comrades OF the Late
Epidemic.

| NASHVILLE, April 2.-The first days ses-
| sion of the forty ninth annual meeting Of the
| State medical society was held in the supreme
/ courtroom at the capital, on Tuesday, COM
mencing at eleven o'clock IN the forenoon.
| The following named delegates we're present:
| Haywood county medical society, 7. b.
| Powell; Knox county medical society, L. A.
Ramsey, b. b. Lenoir; Smyrna medical So
ciety. B. B. Graceyj Jackson medical society,
| T. b Hamilton; Marshall county medical
| soeis t., t. G. Smith, J. B. Neal; Bedford
! County medical society, D. w. +. Clary;
! Davidson county medical society, W. F.
| Wh,ttemore, W. A. Haml ton, ID. ID. Stub
beheid, }. G. Connell, w. G. Ewing, o. II.
Menees, J. I. STEPHENS; Rutherford county
medical society, VIM. freeman, j. II. Wash.
ington; Henry county medical society, John
| T. Irion, A. P. Waterheld, Joseph Jones,
| A. J. Weldon. DR.. r. f. Evans, president
of the society, Shelbyville; DR., Thomas Lips
comb, Shelbyville; DIR. Pruitt, Grand juno
ton; DIR. A. H. Young, Ripley; DR.. c. q.
| Fife, Shelbyville; Dr. Alexander, DIR. Swain,
Gleeson station; DIR. E. 81. Wight, Chatta-
nooga; DIR. Bailey, DIR Larkin. DR.. Cantrell,
/ Clarksville; DIR. ]. f. Grant, Pulaski; DIR. B.
p. Key, Tracey City. The delegates from
Davidson county are: DIS. G. G. Atchison,
A P Grinstead, D. R. Stubble6eld, I. II.
| Miller, w. A. Hamilton, R. W. Steger, M.
| o. y.
| w. II. Whittmore, j. 2. MFarland, w. h.
| Whtworth, III. Campbell, ID Forbes, J. r.
| Harwell, }. w Gaines, M. II. Bonner, G.
Charlton, 0. H. Menees, N. l.. Carney and
| w. r. Harris.
President r.. F. Evans, OF Shelbyvllle, was
in the chair. Prayer was offered by Rev. L,
| A. Hoyt, ID.
An eloquent and appropriate address of
welcome was delivered by Dr.. w. c. Black
man, president of the Davidson county med
| zeal society.
The principal feature of the days pro,
gramme was the address of DR.. r. F.
Evans, of Shelbyville, president. 1t re-
ferred mainly to sanitary measures. We make
the following extract from it:
The sad history of last summer and falls death
harvest Is speaking 10 US ia tones not TO be disre-
torily performed It is sad exhibition Of neglect,
| or ignorance, or BOTH which might have been pre-
fui and horrid Scenes that we're so numerous In our
own ana sister southern States Far be 1t from any
upon the record of impertshable honor our profess
sion won in the heroic struggle with The dread pes
thence Of 1873. Look through the various ceme-
teries of our own and southern States at the long
rows OF double graves hlled by our fallen brethren
and you can form some IDEA OF the dread conlllct
there And this fearful epidemic may come again
and agn-6gt as Jenner stTlpt S9aiIpo1 OF hts us
shown US the cause and nature OF soil in which
choeda thrlvesi may we not De oy Hee1s
not far distant for some of the present genera
anon SS Sss eDSemcs and say Thns far shalt
thou 60 but no farther" The investigations now GO
bring forth fruit to the honor of those engased
; IN 1T, and for the benefit OF a common human
profession "the formative crystal and germnal dot
are alike transparent" The retort, microscope and
mysteries Of life and giving expression somewhat
''tO the laws by which a mote or mountain Is
these new developments and discoveries are
playing havoc with many OF the teachings and pTac
fgaaa ~ IF "a Ia vat
untrled and bOundless field before US for inyestiga
tlon and research: THE sunlight falls upon elOd
lies black as ever and sheds out light. But the
sunlight touches diamond, and the diamond almost
the igbt tina. has fallen upon ~ just so the pres
emit age il being illuminated By the sunlight o
Science and many wondeti discoveries are IN store
for the generations that will succeC1 US we ma
not and do expect to arrest death in lis course
1 for
: Life evermorei is fed by death,
In earth, In sea and sky,
. And that rose may draw its breath,
e Something must die"
But we do not expect In the future to control man
S u 16G snd Prof Bowdtch has mad
three divisions Of the present centennial period
q the epoch Of theory and dogmatism." Second
from 1882 to 1889. the "ep9eh Of observation a. an
the ''epoch of preventive medicine" I'm this la
{ ter" he says, 1.-THE profession Joining heartily wit
the laity and aided by the material and ntelectua
" resources of the great States, will study to unrayt
e the primal cause OF al disease With 1he object
sor says THAT In answer to questions prop0undet
forty-four States answer that observation-disclosures
facts attest the truth that any prevalent disease ha
It been crushed by State action From many CLUE
4 and towns answers like questions were that vel
many report either inefficient enforcement or con
y | plete allegiance of such laws And the exaggerate
J. death rates last year in the southern States ais
a. show that what may be called preventabe disease
: still Stay their thousands; and as far as the TIM
n epoch is concerned tue material and great resources
= OF the government collectively or individually
as States, Is subject more dev0uty wished Tor ina
realized, and only seen by the prophetic eye In Il
faF Al future.
IN lated so much OF oar country In the year that
&c sionai brethren while brayey hghtIng to arrest
' ravages, prOelaims the sad bitter truth that Il
blessed epoch Of preventive medicine has not yet
a. rived. Our repeated calls and warnings to the a
m tnoTltes has herelooI passed unheeded by or bee
DC treated with silent neglect All other important
We terests and some not important, have had egsl
on tive actions and enactmentS upon enacments are
frequent that the mass of the people can scarce
y understand law before 1t is repealed and anOtn
u takes It's place. In our own state we nave
ge record with pleasure that former legislature ga
us State board of health, and that the rece
legislature increased Its powers and made an ann
more efficiency This is right and good, so far as
goes, and the benefits of said board OF health b
been seen and felt, as local organization, In tn
L. city But motive power is necessary TO accOl
plish so desired and so important measure as
contemplated and necessary. The state board
health should have authority and means to see th
in many. If not all the cities, counties and towns
snt and instruct the local authorities the great be
- efts Of sanitive preventive medicine. Iu our OF
State our lawmakers have always oesn ayerSe 10 L
re- IsatiDg for doctors, as they term It. class lie
ed let practice medicine That 1eelS q
: posed so to do but as medical men we do not des
- any special legislation for our own protection,
ise physicians of the State being amply able to prot
as themselves What desire of legislators is for
ne pTot5cton and benefit of the public to protect the
" from the charlatans and Quacks, who, with long ha
)g | broad-brim hats and lack of knowledge apparen
a | bOttomless, go about vending nostTums that
1 out of the State to assist materially in paying mu
OF | Of the taxes now due and overdue. Again, we
an sire this protection for the people because we
IDS sumo TO be and are regarded instructors IN eac
he ing them the laEg OF health. and now to msi9a
m assist local authorities in psFfecng and admnst
nj Ing sanitary laws, and So II By t5s state ana TO-
es' furnished to execute these laws may be able
ties prevent many of the diseases which are preSail
of ! In our country and sweeping so many into IN
20 1 graves, it would be an achievement worthy of {
x, calling and he blessing to our common COZ
IN try Much COCA, VIC believe may be accomplish
at in this way; and spTaey, e prevent and arr
son epidemic disease 2eS.iiieRee enc E,&gpe wo!
the u most glorious achievement man could aspire
80 priation to nep 10 cleanse the Augean stables VIII
- - stencil is poisoning the pgre air given by God
ing man 10 breathe and their neaTt9 grow hard, II
hat purse strings grow rigid, and worse than all n
in Ignorance hides itself under hypocrltlcal ma
ters sho1id be lett 10 tie providence of God. I
is not so in other matters pertaining to the ordin
| affairs of lifs for where dollars and cents Snc 5
avs interest is concerned. the is law enough[laW
or TO protect self properly; law how to cheat,
Job give them credit for being conseryatoIs ana pres
ar ators OF law and or1er-will tell and instruct
leI bridge entaing accident injury, is just cause
iol- suit FOR damage according to the injury inuc
ers. But for a defective sewer, foul and undral
IA marsh or pond, OF fostering nuisance at your d
N there is little or no provision made Now, while
all state or things continues only protest ae
!, and again, and at last say, "GOd help and save
= ,"IonWealth of Tennessee" But we 60 not
CON- 'ame or condemn the laWgiVers and auth
i ,ehu ~ 80 is the people, after all, who
them in taeir oficai any Th S0np ns Sl az y.
to and so like master like man. Ss',cb for
Bull official position are put there not so
ev Gepts AND fsI%Te and While this 10 tS ans
The cannot expect more in the future than we have
lion In the past We may also ask the question Are
l. own skirts clear; Is our profession without iaul
In In chi rAlaI