New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-01
THE QUESTION OF THE CODE.
THE ACADEMY OF MEDICINE QUARREL.


vUE MEDICAL coLLEGE-soME METHODS OF
ADVERTISING.
1t needs only few talks with the physicians who
are interested in the matter to convince one that
the most emphatic and decisive step that has yet
been taken in tho quarrel of the doctors was the
action of the old-code party in the Academy
of Medicine at its last meeting. The Academy
was founded for scientific purposes, and was
not only by general consent but also by
positive agreement, as DR.. Barker stated
in his speech printed In THE TRIBUNE Of last Sun
day. looked upon neutral territory, so far as the
question of medical ethics was concerned. Un-
fortunately 1t has the power to send delegates to
the State Society, and the two parties being more
| equally divided in it than in the County Society,"
there was the temptation which DIR. Flint jr., and
| his well-ordered and aggressive party could not
resist of carrying the battle into 1t for the sake of
| winning another victory The effect has been what
might have been anticipated-the neutral ground is
| gone, and partisanship has been stung into more
| bitter activity than ever.
THAT action of the od-coders worth thou
sand men to us,n said liberal yesterday. There
were large numbers of men who for one reason and
another wanted to be let alone in the controversy,
whO IN fact were on the fence the ethical ques-
tion. But such breach of etiquette was more than
they could stand, and they came down promptly on
| the side of the progressive element. Think how
much pain it must have cost DIR. Barker to come
out as he did at the meeting at DR.. Ja-
| cob's against his old friend and colleague,
| DIR. Flint! It's a pity that we doctors wing have
for years had standard Of etiquette and dethics to
conform TO should not have been able to adjust our
differences without publicly airing our soiled linen
| bnt it cannot be helped now. Henceforth the fight
will be more bitter than ever"
This feeling strong among the liberals, who,
besides the weapon which the Academy of Medicine
melee placed in their hands have been provided
with another argument against the American Medi
cal Association, by the publication of the de-
tails concerning its next meeting In the
list Of men placed at the heads of the various sec
TONS there are, they say. only three or four who
have in any way distinguished themselves IN the
profession, and who have. by scientific accomplish
ments, achieved distinction beyond their own
localities.
WHAT TIE BELLEVUE DOCTORS HOPE TO GAIN.
As 10 the position OF the medical
schools OF the city in the contro-
versv, there are some Liberals who do
not hesitate o saw that the cause of the energetic
activity of Dr. Flint, Jr and his lieutenants is the
desire 10 make capital out OF the controversy Tor
the Bellevue Medical College, of which the yo'nger
Flint is secretary and his father one of the professors
Intellectual attempt to take the lead in the champi-
onshlp of the higher medical education III the CITY,
The faculty sought to Introduce graded course and
lengthen the time of study, but as the effort was
in advance of the popular demand
year or two fnancially, besides losing some OF
its prestige. The code controversy beng confined
to New-York State AZ present, the conservative
of tho country which aro looked upon as
tributary TO this city IN the mat
ter of students. In consequence Bellevue hopes
, 70 win the favor OF the membcrs of the profession
who are yet free from the taint OF liberalism IN
ethics aud reap the harvest OF students which they
send annually to the medical schools from the cross.
roads and interior cities. Through Dr. Flint and
other professors Bellevue is kept before the world
as the bulwark of regularity in practice and
in ethics, while the College of Physicians and
Surgeons In rwenty-thrd-st and the Medical De-
pariment OF the University of the City of New
York are tainted with the ethical heresy that has
possession OF the County and State societies.
THE VIEWS OF DR.. SAMUEL SEXTON
Dr. Samuel Sexton has recently entered the
poemical warfare over the code that is going on in
the medical Journals and has come out rs a de-
fender of the new order of things To a TRIBUNE
reporter DR.. Sexton SAID yesterday " This is not
a new question. There were a number of
members OF the County Society who agtated\
for a reform Of the ethical code long before the
action of the State Society last year, but they con-
Quoted their agitation quietly and without giving
offence. 1t may be that If mistakes had not been
liberty we want without tie unfortunate
trouble has grown ont OF the tact that attempted
to have a code at all but on that subject there ~
conservatism akin to that elt III religious matters.
and when he reform movement was begun, IL was
met with the feeling that there ought To be code
of some kind. So the present one was drafted, and
II Is poor thing.
"The fact ls there has long been feeling among
the younger members of the profession that the
code unjust IN its operations toward them. III
increased tremendously the dlfhcuity OF
establishing q lucrative practice and kept
from the younger members the advantage ot
advertising which older and established practli0h-
ers reapcd by an evasion of the code promoted by
trade interest. For instance. the code iorDds aa-
vertisng In the public prints but pick up any med
ica journal anu you will find the names OF physi-
clans attached to recommendations OF mineral wa
ters nutrients and other preparations. rev pe-
sides college professors are ever solicited TO give the
OF thor names TO such purposes, but to them the
effect of the publication is the same as card IL
makes them known. Their plea III Justification un-
der the code has been that they make the recon-
mendations to the profession, ana not 10 the puDlic
but there is ohng to prevent the tradesman VINO
solicited the names from printing the medical
papers by the thousand ana distributing then
broadcast. o.
Practices like these which gave all the benefits
that supposed to accrue from public advertising
i'll lrepute in the profession, frequently aided IN
making the lot OF the beginner harder than was
necessary and there grew up u spirit OF reform,
having for its aim the increase OF lhdl-
vldual liberty, so that practitioners not only
in the cities, but everywhere might ADAPT then-
selves TO the circumstances with when they were
surrounded The methods OF the od-coders are
trade-unon methods; they want to Dln9 physII,
clans together by ice-bls and rules OF cohuuc' ano
this is foreign to the spirit of to-day"
REPORT TO THE COUNTY SOCIETY IN 1880.
Dr. Sexton also recalled the fact that the Com
mittee on Ethics of the County Medical Society had
in 1880, when he was Its chairman, made an effort
to suppress the Objectionable style OF advertising
referred to- 1t sent long report on the subject to
the society," in which the need OF change
of the code was distinctly set forth. A
search In the minutes of the society showed
that the report was submitted on September "a
1880. 1t is devoted to discussion OF various
phrases of the advertisement question and other
supposed violations of medical ethics, such as a