The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-05-21
WEST VIRGINIA MEDICAL SOCIETY
Addresses Made at the Recent SEES
sion in This City.
Address OF Welcome.
LBY lr. GOoTRa Baird

10 ult ITtblutH UHu OHWVGeV VIC @Atts'sN'
Society Of the STATE of West Virginia.
The pleasant duty Of welcoming you to
the Capital City Of our State is imposed on
me as the Chairman OF the Committee Of
Arrangement, and on behalf Of the msdi-
cal men OF this city extend to you q
hearty and sincere welcome, You have
fora brief time deserted the scenes OF your
daily toll and come up here to meet with
your medical brethren, and bya compare
son OF views and interchange Of thoughts
contribute your several quotas to the adj
yapcement Of your chosen profession. No
body Of men engaged In the same calling,
meeting from time to time and freely ex.
changing their views on their special pur-
suit, can fail to be benefited by so doing,
How much more In our profession Ia this
the case. Called on to treat the various
diseases and injuries with which man is
aillCted-no two oil which are ever exactly
allke-hoW much each members expert
enCe must tend TO enlighten and
instruct his fellow members, While
the older physicians can contribute
great stores Of knowledge from their long
and varied experience, yet the youngest
member present may teach them some.
thing which may have escaped their OBJ
seryation, To no one Is given the attain.
ment Of all knowledge, and never yet has
there been mem Der Of this society who
could 90 away from the meetings and
honestly and tTuthlully say, II have
F. learned nothing new" There Is another
way In which our meetings can be made
OF great benefit to US as physicians, I, e,'
In making us better acquainted with each
other. When patients present themselves
with an account OF their ailments We care.
fully analyze their statements, and believe
only such parts OF them as are Correbora.
ted by their symptoms. We do not pre-
tend to belive anything which has not an
apparent foundation Of truth. How dill
ieFent IL our usual course when the same
patients, through pretended friendship,
come to US with an account OF the manner
in which we have been CensuTed by q
brother physician-instead Of asking our.
selves II this can possibly be 80, or why II
should be 80, we act hastily and become
embiltsred at persons who more than likely
never harbored wrong thought towards
us. BY our intercourse with each other
in our yearly meetings erroneous impress.
sions are done away with and true friend.
ships are formed among those who
might otherwise have remained at o per.
petual distance. II no other good resulted
from attendanCein our meetings than this,
the time spent In 30 doing would be amply
compensated for. The Legislature Of West
Virginia at Its last session passed an act
establishing State Board Of Health, and
also acts regulating the practice OF phRrm.
aCy and dentistry In this State. The pas.
aage oil the acts ID In o great measure due
TO the medical men who were members OF
that body, BY their zeal aud energy and
hearty cooperation with each other, In
the two branches OF legislature, they sue.
Ceeded In scouting their passage over q
strong and determined opposition. While
twill not detraCt from their Just need Of
praise 1t would be unfair to omit q mention
Of the efficient assistance rendered them
by Dr.. James Il. Reeves, OF this city. Be.
ing the Trainer OF the act establishing the
State Board Of Health he watched Its pro.
greSs through both branches Of the leRia.
lature with Bteadiast interest; attending
the sessions OF that body daily to
the neglect Of his private business, and
always ready to counsel and advise with
friendly members, and when necessary 10
interview and win over opposing ones.
He in this way contributed not only bis
time but also sacrificed his peCuniary in.
terestB without the hope Of fee or reward
TO secure Its passage. The good which
will result 10 the people OF this State from
the passage Of these acts cannot be CalCu.
lated, but 10 secure their full benefits oil
classes Of our citizens must be made 10 ap.
preCiate, II possible, that only by their co.
operation eau they be enforced, and upon
lis, as their medical advisers, rests the re-
sponsibility OF educating them up. to q
proper understanding Of the fact that these
acts are intended for the benefit OF the
whole people, and also to free their minds
OF the idea that We alone are 10 be bene.
fitted by them. The act regulating the
practice Of medicine Board OF Health aCt)
is certainly 80 framed that no Communi.
ties will be deprived Of medical praCtition.
ers who have gained the confidence OF
their people by long years Of service in
their midst, be they regulars or any other
kind Oi practitioners. The great good 10
such communities will be that in
future medical men wishing TO settle
among them must come up 10 the medical
standard Of the age In which they live, and
give to their employers the benefit Of an
average medical education. II also pro.
teCts them from the robbsries OF travelling
quaCks, who are here to-day and gone 10.
morrow with their pockets filed with
money extOrted from wreLChed invalhls,
who, generally. are worse for the miser.
able treatment to which they have been
subjected, The usefulness Of the acts will
largely depend on the manner In which
the machinery for the enforcement IL first
put In motion. II started properly they
will provea success. II wrongly enforced
or enforced In q half way manner they will
never accomplish the ends for which they
are designed, and II will In the end prove
10 have been better for the people Of the
State II their passage bad been defeated In
the Legislature. 10 fully understand D
bad law 1t is better 10 hAvelt we'll enforced,
and how much more truthiully can this
be said Of good one.
All honor TO the medical members Of our
last Legislature. May their labors Ia |
that body be TO them q source
Of pride and pleasure, and let us as their |
fellows give 10 them that full measure OF
praise which Is justly their due. Hoping
that your session may be harmonious, |
your deliberations prove 10 be Of benefit
to our whole profession throughout the |
State, and that when you return TO your
homes you will carry with you pleasant |
Impressions Of your present nesting, and |
that you will feel that Il was good, both |
professionally and socially lof Us 10 have
been together, again extend to you on |
behalf OF your fellow members residing in |
this city cordial welcome 10 the hospital.
ties Of Wheeling.
Reply to the Foregoing Address.