Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-06-07
THE MEDICAL WORLD.
Continued from First Tsg'.
to be present, as reported by the committee
on credentials.
The president appointed the following as the

DE. a. y. Nedge, Dr. W. w. C"Soheyi anu
DR.. MeMurdock
While the committee was out DR.. Leasue,
from the committed arrangements, made
the following report, stating the details for
the care and comfort OF the members during
their stay in the city, which report was &C
copied and adopted:
REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF ARRANGEMENTS.
The committee respectfully reports has it
has procured Sherman hall for the Use of this
society in conjunction with the committee Of
arrangements of the ''American Medical AS
sociation," and pursuant 10 the instructions
Of the society at its last annual meeting MSS
acknowledgements for but ore session,so as to
get the business transacted In time to enable
the members to meet with the American Med
zeal ASSOCIATION in general session st theOpera
h9use at II o'clock q. m. To- QSy. Ii any
other sessions ave held they must be held in
this hall In the morning, as the section on
surgery aud anatomy OF the association viii
occupy it 10 the afternoon. All the regular
members Of the Minnesota State Medical So
riety having paid their dues, will be ma9e
sitting but not voting members OF the associ-
atom and as such VIII secure through Dr.. A.
j. Stone, chairman OF The committee of ar
engagements Of the association, certificates
which will enitie them to return fares by
railroads to their homes at oue-tifth regular
fare. These certificates will be given by the
treasurer, Dr.. S. B. sheardown, along with
the receipt for payment of annual dues.
Arrangements have also been made with the
permanent secretary of the American Medical
association, Dr.. W, B. Atkinson, BY which, on
the recommendation of the society, any of its
members in good standing may become mem
hers by invitation of the American Medical
association" for this year only, and on the
payment of five dollars, the ''annual dues"
they will be entitled to share all the hospital
tiles rendered to the members of the national
association and to the benefits of the courte-
sizes of the railroad companies during the
mouth Of June, and also entitle them to receive,
post paid, copy of the volume of the tra1sac
tons of the association this year. Members
by invitation are not entitled to vote on ques.
tons before thu association. Certificates OF
Recommendation to membership by invitation
will be signed by the president and counter.
signed by the recording secretary OF this soci-
ETY. and delivered TO all members Of the state
society recommended by its vote.
Anumber Of visitors from other states were
introduced and welcomed to seats in the con-
vention.
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
The president, DR.. Charles n. Hewitt OF
Red Wing, in delivering the annual address,
promised that he could not, if he would, avoid
the consideration OF the pressing problems
now compelling the attention of medical men.
He said: The present position OF medicine as
q science and en- art, is the resultant Of great
variety Of forces, some OF which date from
the earliest period of its history, and they have
operated by a'slow process of gradual develop
ment. Professions, like the indi-
viduals who compose them, are in some sort
the creatures OF their environments, aGd the
tombstone, the test Of their capacity, is
oftenest found in their ability to confront and
control the obstacles from within or with
out, which block the way they have selected
10 follow. Up to this time the profession has
been a unit III aim and method. Il cannot ad.
NIT standard peculiar to any section. In
its own interest it must MAINTAIN union
as perfect and entire as that which constitutes
the political bond of our people. aid our
stateS-medIcine as q profession must be con-
sentative. That is of necessity its duty as one
of the learned professions. 1t is only by
slow and often hating steps that it has at
tanned to such an organization as 1t now has
But elaboration does not imply hesitation or
vacllaticn, nor should any necessary discus
sion involve the methods or the spirit OF
hasty and heated debate. Il The code of
ethics is the subject of some very curious inter
pretations, and looked at from any stand point
the problem of professional conduct is a com-
pick one. The difficulty begins in student life
and continues through the whole of ones
professional career. He finds the struggle for
support, for competence, for reputation, for
individual professional Advancement as bitter
and unrelenting as IN any other business pur-
suit. In one respect it is more SO, in that the
physician is bound by a traditional and q
written policy, popularity aud professionally.
There can be no dispute that there is widt-
spread feeling OF unrest and d'5c.N'-
tent, which it is difficult for
many to define or explain. The
developed attacks on our professional union
are not SO dangerous in themselves as in
what they partend. 1t is misfortune that
there seems more regard for class than for
the whole body in some of these attacks. In
others one national characteristic appears,
in professional instead of a political field
Ia others there is evidence of hasty generaliza
ton from insufficient premises. All are
methods common 10 attacks upon established
rules everywhere. Whltever may be the
causes, there is surely before us changes in
the relations of physicians to each other,
to the irregulars around them, and to the
people who are the clients of
both; as also change ia the relations Of med
icine as profession and a practical art, to
other departments of human effort.
Medical education, both preliminary and
for degree, is confessedly dtficult and the
profession are feeling their way to its more
direct control. The C ode OF ethics is an at
Tempt to coordinate the work OF medical
men among themselves, and the profession
with other professions, In the common effort
TO educe from the forces Of the organic and
inorganic world, the materials and methods
which can be used to the best advantage for
the life, elevation and happiness of men.
Under its influence, as embodyipg
IN a common creed, the aims aud some of the
methods of its works, medicine in America,
within the past twenty five Years, has, from q
guild having no other object than the mutual
lecuuiary benefit of its members, become an
united profession in the hest sense and liberal
and beueticent art. It has allied itself and Its
members with every effort for human improve
mert-physical and intellectual as well. II It
has suffered from seli-imposed restraints of
its bond OF union, it rests with the advocates
of change to show bow and when, and to
suggest remedy. The general profession
have never Claimed it 10 be perfect.
1t is the work of failible
men, for their common guidance. It sets up
no higher standard of excellence than that
which all true physicians have set up for
themselves. 1t is a standard too high per-
haps for invariable attainment, but it can be
safely assumed thstit is not too high to be
the ambition of the strongest as of The
weakest in our ranks. No change will be
permitted WHICH places the general pracLl-
TONERS on a lower plane than any class in the
profession. Nor any change which will ad-
nit to fellowship, in a profession resting, as
medicine does, upon 8 sufficient general and
professional education, any who claim adj
mission on any other ground. The
code Of ethics is not an unchang-
able document, but there is one
right and many wrong ways to attempt such
change. The right wsy is to appeal by re-
spectful petition to the only body having the
power to make a change-the American Med-
cal ASSOCIATION, the chosen representative Of
our common profession in our country. The
right of appeal is indisputsble, and any sub
ordinate organization who makes it, will be
met in the spirit of manly disposition to do
what will further, the interests Of the whole
body whom it represents. Any other method
will provoke controversy very far removed
from the calm and Judicial temper in which
such matters should be proposed and con-
adhered