Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-06-08
ANNUAL MEETING
ofths STATE Homeopathic Medical Society
in this City.


The Maine Homeopathic Medical Society
held its seventeenth annual meeting on Tues
day, in Granite Hall, some twenty or mors
gentlemen answering to the call Of the roll
The members of the association are an in
telligent looking set of men, and the PRO
ceedings Of the day. which were very in
teresiing throughout, and highly enjoyable
proved that the appearance of intelligence
| was not a mask. Those who were in atten.
dance will agree that the session of the
doctors was very satisfactory and profitable.
Business seemed to be the order of the day,
and promptly, therefore, at the set time-a
quarter past ten o'clock the president, DR..
>. T.. Sylvester of Portland, called the meet
ing to order. Rev. Mr.. BradIee Of the Meth
odist church, offered a fervent prayer. after
which. on the appointment of Will S.
Thompson as secretary pro tempore, tie
president read an excellent address to the
members and visitors present, which. Judging
from the demonstrations. was keenly appre-
ciated by them. After some historical refer
ence to the growth of Homeopathy, and the
more general recognition of the principles of
Hahnemann. with few good natured hits
upon the unconscious ~ adoption of some of
the Homeopathic ideas and principles, by the
breiheren of the older school, the doctor
turned his attention to the eminently practi-
cal matters of the profession.
The following is an abstract of the address
Among the most important matters that
have interested the profession during the past,
is that of homeopathic Hospital During
the years 1856. there was a movement on
foot for the establishment of such hospital
and considerable enthusiasm was manifested
in different parts of the State, and during the
winter OF 1876, an act of incorporation was
obtained, and if the number of distinguished
gentlemen who were the cOrpOratOrs was any
guarantee Of success, homeopathic hospital
would now be in good working order.
The Board met in due season. organized,
accepted the act Of incorporation and chose a
board of trustees, who still hold the Office u
which they were elected. Here the matter
ended for the time, in consequence Of a crisis
in the money market. Many of the friends
OF the enterprise became financially embar-
rassed and it was thought best to postpone
TIE uiiiil btttSl tiiueo
That there are many advantages to be de-
rived from homeopathic hospital, | think
all will concede. The habits of people, es-
pecialy in the larger towns and cities, are
changing, and many are found seeking hospi-
tai treatment in preference to any other.
Surgical cases can be much better treated in
a hospital than elsewhere. The physician in
general practice cannot devote the time re-
quired in the management of difficult surgical
cases cases which often require the constant
care OF n physician and trained and expert
enced nurses. Within the past few months
the sum OF $1,000 has been conditionally
pledged for the purpose, and this with be-
quest of $50 is what we now have to start
with. The question now before us is. shall
any thing be done? 1t is quite proper that the
profession should take the initiatory steps in
the matter. The friends and patrons of
homeopathy in the State are numerous and
wealthy. and would doubtless give of their
abundance: but some organized effort must
be made if anything is accomplished. The
labor, time and care required for the estab-
lishment and maintenance of a hospital
should be considered, and while | think it
would be found no light and easy undertake
ing, leave it for your consideration to
take such action as you may deem proper.
The subject of medical Registration" is
one that is now claiming the attention of the
profession at large. not only in this country,
but in Europe. As means of elevating the
standard of medical education, | think it will
commend itself to every intelligent, candid
physician. In this country, the States, many
of them, have different laws to regulate the
practice OF medicine. Some are quite eff
cient; others less so, aud while, with perhaps
one exception, they do not wholly suppress
tha, protucfiya nf rnnI
Three years ago a resolution was adopted by
this society authorizing the committee upon
legislation to cooperate with the dominant
school in efforts to obtain a suitable and eff
cient registry law. At our next annual meet
ing the committee reported draft of a bill.
but no action was taken by either school until
the present year. During the last session of
the legislature an opportunity was afforded us
to act Two bills were introduced into the
legislature; but the one which deserved and
receiv ed the attention of our legislature was
a revision of an act drawn under directions
of committe chosen BY the Maine Medical
Association several years ago.
This bill many of you will remember was
introduced and defeated at that time. Be-
fore being again presented to the legislature
it vas submitted to a few members of our
school. and several changes suggested. As
not refer to it in detail
But the most important change which was
effected was the one allowing proportional
representation upon the Board of examina-
ton; thus giving the dominant school three
members, the homeopaths one, and the cleo
tics one. As revised the bill appeared to be
a very fair, liberal and effectual one.
| think it deserved to become law.
But such was not its fate. Violent opposl-
ton from Druids and Electcs succeeded in
defeating the measures for the present, and
il is matter of surprise and chagrin to many
If our school, that we appeared to have been
included with this opposition. Having placed
ourselves on record As favorins the law. we
hold ourselves in readiness to lend our aid to
its passage whenever practicable. There
should be some standard of medical educa-
tion. however. or whenever obtained. as a
requisite qualification for physician, and as
the proposed law does not in any manner
specify where, or how said medical education
shall be obtained, and being very liberal in
other respects, can hardly see how there
can be SO great objections to it, unless IT is
npon the ground that we should have no law
whatever.
now desire to call your attention espec-
ially to another subject; one that has OF late
been prominently before the profession, as
well as the public generally. refer to that