New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-19
THE CODE IN THE ACADEMY.
DIR, BARKER,s AMENDMENTS DEFEATED.
THE RESOLUTIONS PASSED IN APRIL R%sCNDED-
PARTIAL VICTORY FOR BOTH SIDES.

| Tho Academy Of Medicine at q stated meeting
last night ended for the time being the troublesome
| controversy on Code of Ethics in manner that
| sent home both factions as ViCtOrs and both
! as yanuuished. The amendments to the cOnstitu-
tion and bylaws offered by the president, DIR. For
dyce Barker, and supported by the liberal party,
were defeated by a minority Of tho Eel
lows of the Academy after a contest that
was carried on with great earnestness and
some little bitterness. After this had been
done the liberal maiority-nOt large enough to carry
the amendments but yet large enough for the ordi-
nary parliamentary business of the Academy
rescinded by an emphatic vote the obnoxious
resolutions introduced by DR.. Austin Flint, jr.,
and carried over the heads of the surprised
minority last April. With these two performances
the Academy accomplished the circuit of the Ques-
ton and stood after adjournment precisely where it
did before the ethical war had entered its doors.
| That the fight would be fought to the end was
manifest at the meeting two weeks ago. when DR..
Barker introduced his amendments after having
sent them to the Fellows with letter urging their
adoption The resident Fellows number 1857; the
average attendance at the meetings when scientific
subjects are presented is hardly more than fifty last
| night the registry showed 215 names. Only one
subject was talked about The leaders in the fight
! came early and secured commanding seats. The
| methods used were the ordinary methods of pOiti-
| cal bodies. A caucus had been held by
! the upholders of the old Code of
Ethics on Monday night, at which count of noses
had fixed the strength of their contingent and the
plan of the campaign had been laid out. Dr. Flint,
! jr., led the forces and they remained as
implicitly obedient throughout subsequent dis
cussions and vOtngs as ever did
| ilbustering minority in Congress. DTs.
Loomis and ROosa managed the majority, and it
showed no break from the opening of hostllites to
the end. Both sides were anxious from the start to
measure their strength and 1t did not take them
long to reach test vote.
PRECIPITATING TEST VOTE.
| The amendments of DR.. Barker abolished the
! bylaw which made the Code of Ethics of the
American Medical Association the code of the
Academy. On this the issue was joined. Two
! weeks ago the amendments discussed In Com
mittee of the Whole, and resolution was passed
recommending to the Academy tho adoption
| of the amendments Previously the Council,
! composed Of the officers of the Academy and the
chairmen of its standing committees, had disap-
| proved them The Committee of the Whole had
reported progress and asked leave TO sit again.
| had been granted. When the subject came up in
regular order last night therefore President Barker
declared the Committee of the Whole again In seS-
sion Dr. Ellsworth Eliot again took the chair and
! asked the pleasure Of the committee touching the
| matter under discussion.
REMARKS OF DIR. FLINT.
| Dr. Austin Flint, jr., arose and said
! have 10 remarks To make upon the amendments "y-
ccptng word OF simple explanation IhcI' >rGih' 10
mc necessity for the discussion OF thy'c an,
| seems To and to many who hold me same "tlIW'
that there was no reason why Inc Syl,A WGiE =" Ne
/ last meeting. simply submit that al tue I,a' meeting
Of the Academy before II wont n,g oI.nI,' ,, ~.
lion mat these laws De- adopted were not IN order TOT
The reason thai there was nothing before IA" Academy
| aNl fhtTp FgIl Dee
mittee of the Whole. am simply the -rok, ,man OF
certain number OF gentlemen who are deeply Interested
in the Academy, who nChrNr tna' I'D. t y,n Nv
preserved best IN its usefulness by maintaining l-lrs
ent Code Of Ehic- ana are ucompIoi'lntR oPlpIg%t !"
these amendment5-on" ana az In' ~ All, i,r
have one great Object; lhat oytCIl J. my my .
from the bylaws and the constitution OF TINS Academy
everything relating to medical ethics which OF couE7
makes the Academy incorporated society with certain
privileges given TO II by law ana 10y us tAt! yer "
circs which are useful Of course, for scientific p poses
bat have nothing 10 do with the general welfare o the
UI cOg i ' odo,t tL, Cd' o. Tiilrs Of the American
Medical Association urrr,-tItr- certain amount %!
change I'm the wording OF The constitution and h{ paw
Even %nG r. r qas% rc ta T i hat IN J@r "
talnna the Code OF Ec- tina, hn- been adopted by iD,
Academy viii vote AGAINST everyone Of ihr'c amend
ueuts don't believe that any "gq9gn,c is -n4crnl to
convert those mi.gidcd lnrul.l," ~ the profession WHO
believe IN another Code OF Ethics or Who believe ln
making the Academy Il no, ode "l-.h|,,I"h. .,,.,
the fellows OF he Acady.nN Not only do lh-r n I"iI-
abolish the Code OF Ethics. but m the uhruns H." lA"
/ " fp-
il Drcanc necessary to provide hat ne Council shouid
not appoint delegates 10 certain hodc- for ne simple
reason mat without Code Of Ethr, they could not ap-
point or were not entitled 10 appoint, delegates any
where and IN addition, Notwithstanding the i3ci maj
Obtain a quorum of the Council and that rho-c failure.
have occurred only in summer the quorum OF me 'on,
other place how that operate, upon ihc Academy OF N"
cine have explained l,A' In' En''' =" W., r cii
subordinate that they take the ulatiyci In cN'Eing
IrIatTg 10 change Of Investment the disposal Of
nine 10 five make possible Tor tire" mcIuhcSo OF inc
ACADEMY 10 mtioducc subjects questions rcyou-
ti1nary mai any Fellow Win the interest of the Academy
nj Heart must feel certain amount "t fear and hpp'r-
u, II',' unlrr 10 not imagine that these gentlemen
who have proposed the mn.ndn.nis care inlgh about
they want to Ect the Code Of LtAic, out; We want 10
keen the Code Of Ethics in; want 10 keep the conai-
futon and bylaw Of this Academy intact.
Again and finally an informed that al hoI me III the
milan or by laws b6on proposed without having been
sgbItted 10 the Council am also informed that never
Ie CoIuctI failed 10 pas We had formal communira-
lion from Council In which II was recommended That
tir.c amendments withdrawn, and which was arreHr
panied by Il resolution disappearing OF them At thc last
meeting they did not receive the -cni' RESPECT oil nc,hS
rise and t We proceed IN the Academy to pass on these
amendments.
TACTICS OF THE OPPONENTS.
The spcecb made clear the tactics of the oppo-
nrnts of the amendments. A vote was 10 be forced
o. som q, possbc for a thrcc-fou majority
necessary to pass the amendments, and this 1t was
luovyn could not be obtained. Dr. Eliot ruled that
f,. ,nofiou 70 rise was not open to discussion and
an an appeal being taken by DIR. Roosa,
tbo committee sustained the chair. Tho
motion was adopted. President Barker on Iesum-
inc the chair. called for the report of the committee
DR. Flint objected on the ground that the matter
had bcen disposed of at the last meeting. Dr.
Barker maintained the correctness Of
hs call, and the Academy sustained
his ruling on appeal. DR.. Carpenter
the secretary of the committee, then reported lhat
t,o Committee Of the Whole had recommended that
the amendments be approved.
H. vlirt r.. moved that the committees report
,ia,r I,e table. Dr. ROosa called for the yeas and
~ - - = .nnnnLed Inv the renmIaiie mnmber Of