The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-04-12

tary science Louisiana has leg16lateu Oh
paper State board OIL health ana vital STATS
a city, board of health. organized under laws
which nobody except politicians land mean
class Of these) can possibly approve. The
efforts of the Legislative committee" OF
careful consideration, and probably. our sup
port. II consolation Is derivable from the
superior folly of others, then Louisiana ls
consolable; for some other States have Ger
tainly surpassed her. Georgia, Virginia aild,
alas my native State Mississippi, have leg
slated State boards OF health into existence,
have imposed on the officers Onerous ana OK,
pensive duties. and then have appropriated
for the execution Of these laws, anu the Us q
charge OF these duties-not one cent but ~
any record of legislative quackeryt North
Carolina cannot be omitted, for her Legisla-
ture. apparently emulous to humiliate Vlr-
gina. l1sT4 Georgia ns75l and Mississippi,
| l1S77l, passed similar law, qs77l, requiring
| the discharge of equally 0narous ana expeh !,
siye duties. and then enacted section b,
which deserves prominent place In that san-
itary museum, which VIC some day will have.
as Great Britain now has. 1t reads, For the
purpose Of defraying the necessary expenses
Of the board Of health Of the State OF North
Carolina In the discharge of Its official duties,
| there shall he paid annually out or the treas.
ury of the State TO the treasury OF the said
board Of health, upon the requIsltion OF the
president and secretary thereof, the sum o,
IL ONE HUNDRED D9LLhhS 1SplAI GkiD ESfy5
another legislature has surpassed all these III
ludicrous legislation. For years the Maine
Medical Association has been In vain solicit.
Ing board OF health, which, however, 1t will
very certainly soon get, because Y ~ using
all such means as public lectures, newspa.
pers and journals to teach thepeople. About
| 1876 the doctors urged on the Legislature,
among other things, the argument that, mas
much as the State paid annually $4,000 bounty
on wolves and bears to protect its sheep, its
,l, ff al
| Ii to less favor. to protect them from such
wolves and bears as variola and scariatlna.
| The solOns of Maine, by scratching their per,
picked heads, at last appreciated the loglcal
bait prepared by cunning doctors w ehs al.I
them, and having concentrated the full force
4 of their iuridical minds on devisDg con
slstent method of escape from the trap, they
trlumphantly enacted an immediate repeal
Of the bounty on wolves and bears thus
leaving wolves, bears, voters and sheep un-
m olested bv the equal hand Of Justice III
| their struggle for existence. me four PAT
ties Interested were all deprived OF farther
right to complain Of 'class Legislation, 9ut
| there can be no doubt that the sheep OF ~ aiiie
| have oncluded that TOO mhcn ieRisiHeioh e
| dangerous ,u
Thus far. effort has been made to Illustrate
the benefits to the profession, ana 70 lLe
people which this society. should seek
| Hon will be given to the last portion vi my
subiect-to proofs that these benefits, which,
| i'll free country have never been attained
| by other means, can be conferred by an or
/ ganized medical profession.
What has been effected by the 2o, 600 physl-
clans of Great Britain will serve, In part, 70
nrnva what might be effected by the 10000
physicians of these United States; and be-
cause Of like language, laws and institutions
the successive steps by which Great britain
has made Its noted progress ~ State medi-
cine are worthy Of our special study, since
| through like progressive steps must we ad-
vance. In 1882 $40 physicians founded the
British Medical Association which. extending
now Its arms by thirty-on branch assoc ,la
| tions into every part OF the three kingdoms,
numbers more than 1000 members; and,
though these pay an annual fee OF only 70,
the revenue OF the association amounts to
s5o,ooo.t What power has II gained over .,
and what benefits has 1t conferred on the
profession and on the public2
IL has promoted friendly intercourse, and
thereby streng thened the links binding the
| units to the mass; II has gained immense
control over medical ethics, and thereby
conduct. and greatly increased both It's social
and Its political influence; 1t has fostered
scientific debate, as also greater accuracy IL
clinical and all medical studies; In addition
1t appropriates some $4,000 yearly Tor pro.
noting original researches, which. exalting
the profession. have blessed humanity, and
| thereby 1t has vastly stimulated the progress
OF medical science. 1t has ral sed by. volun-
tary subscription q benevolent fund.-, which
Yields more than $4,000 annually, and thereby
to distressed medical men, their widows
and orphans" 1t did In 1853 establish
and III 1866 greatly improve, Its weekly
official organ, that noted first class pc
riodicaI the British Medical Journal, anc
thereby 1t has constantly instructed ant
stimulated Its members furnishing this
yaluasle journal without cost-has increased
its membership since 1866 at the rate Of 5o'
annually, and has added a large surplus Y
the revenue derived from the annual fee o
its members. But, great as are these benefits
to the profession, they are insignificant whel
compared with those conferred on the public
Rmi pdssu with tue progress OF the Brit
ish Medical Association, medical and sanitar!
, measures have been forced upon the attention
, OF Parliament and are now receiving iron
this enlightened body more consideration ant
, wiser action than given by any other nationa
, legislature. Parliament, Influenced by TIN
] British Medical Association, has. by law
/ greatly improved the status and efficiency o
the medical officers OF the army, navy ant
Poor Law Medical Service" has, by tn
, registration act OF 1858, greatly represse,
charlatanism, and notably stimulated medi
cal education. note only by this means, bu
also by establishing boards independent Q
J medical teachers to examine and grant dilao
? mas; and has by the four different acts O
of 1863, 81, '67 and 1871 forced s'compulsor.
vaccination" on all infants over three months
Ola LHHS OUNlhllIlk LAc pOpulhI huR io-huS
lean cutlery against invasions Of the 'per
: sonal liberty Of the subject" But, surpass
ing iii Importance all these and other unmen
, toned laws, are the six public health acts,
enacted from 1S4S to 1875, which have estab
lished on solid foundation an efficient sys
} tenn Of public hygiene, with $1,000 sanitary dis
atlicts and the requisite number OF sanitar.
!, Gtof1icers. These acts have rendered Grea
!: Britain pre-eminent in preventive medicine
| and have secured to this great nation tn
preservation Of its power and a constant 10
i crease to its prosperity: But, as science 1
! ever progressing, SO the British Medical AS
sociation is constantly finding old structure
l to demolish, new editices to erect. AmoR
) these it will soon demolish the coroner, bull,
t up inebriate asylums and other means to con
J troll habitual drunkards; establish compul
sorry revaccination at puberty, and erect 10
! our envious admiration a few stately stated
"conjoint medical examining boards, whcl
| will secure the people not only qualified ply
sicians but also competent mdwives, phar
{ macists, dentists, and even professions
nurses.
!, With this imperfect statement Of what ha
/ been, and will soon be accomplished by TIL
British Medical Association, attention shout
Al ~ "a nap WI tyaG al