New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-11
PHYSICIANS AND THE CODE.
MARsHALLED IN TWO OPPOSING CAMPS
THE DISCUSSION II THE MEDICAL JoURNAIs-TALhs
WITH pRs. sAYRE AND ROOsA.

THE DISCUSSION II THE MEDICAL JoURSAlS-lALho
WITH DRs sAYRE AND R0OsA.
Nothing could better illustrate the eaInestness oil
the physicians in the present contest over the ethca
code OF the American Medical Association than the
ghness OF the workof organization now gong
on. The state Medical Society cannot consider the
question again untl next Febru1ry; yet 1t IL pToO-
able that long before that time nearly every reg
uiar practitioner Ia the state Will have been ashed
to commit himself by signature for or AGAINST inc
ro-epactment of the ola code. When next pitched
battle is called, therefore, the contestants VIII go
into the field each side with perfect knowledge OF
not only the number but also OF the personality OF
the other This city has already been very thor
ouqhIy canyassed and large majority of the
EIGHT hundred or nine hundred members OF the
Comfy Society have formally arrayed themselves
under their cOlOrS. The canvass IS now 10 he e&-
tended all over the State and rival literary bureaus
have begun to prepare the mind Of the rural pract
toner for the irrepressible conflict.
In the medical reviews the controversy has been
going on for several weeks. The two largest ano
most influential papers are pronounced IN their "p-
position to tho old code, with this difference While
The Mar York Medical journal believes the new code
10 be a stem in the right direction ts preference Is
for no code at all taking in this regard the position
which Is main aimed by Dr.. Rosa and DR.. Loomls'
among many other eminent physicians The Nee-
York UedcqI Record in at-fOOted y III favor OF the
new code TIE Medical Gazette and GGitdrd's Medical
Journal both uphold The of tho conservatives
AS does also The Ephemcris, published by Or. Ia IL.
Squbb of Brooklyn
The polemicai warfare has been carried on with
good deal of dignity tins far. In The Medical Jour
nal DR.. Austin Flint, the leader OF the cohserVa-
tves is publishing "a series OF articles IN the form OF
n commentary on the old code. IN which. oil course,
A arfeQ n
same review Is to Do begun in the next number by
Dr II G. Pifard who advocates the new code. DIR.
H. r. Hopkins of Buffalo, has written on the same
side and 80 has DR. G.. X. Agnew, who published
rap.r in The RfcOrd and The journal simultaneously
Dr. Roosa has also paper in type " On the Neces-
siiy of a Code Of Ethics Dr. Flints position
taken in his comments on the section oil the code
which forbds consultations with physIclahs
whose practice is based on au exclusive dogma" is
| in substance rs follows:
The true ground for refusing fellowship In consnltA-
tonS. ~ other respects Is maine ana an otgdhH'-
! ton District and opposed To the medical PROBES
SION Mi, ne yer practitioners distinctive APP
nratin SEE III az popular favor on the ground that they
belong 10 "A new school based on truth ana productive
OF good whereas the regular profession peIohE 10 an
OH school based on error and productive OF harm
how can there hc ship either IN consultations or 10
practically been abandoned 10y most OF those VINO I"o1
ne under tins nanr or :" arc i nn, rtia, dsren.
from tAoec OF the regular profession, way retain ne
sci
pTbic radical therapeutic distinction II the a,ser-
lion be true. the name ana the oIgaHnaI , u,ns inn,
moral ground OF completely In fraud upon the
public.
VIEWS or DIR. sAYRE.
A view similar TO this vas taken by DR.. Lewis A.
Sayre II a statement to a TRIBUNE reporter ie"
days ago. ina.much.' said lie, IS homeopathic
practice l. founded on fraud, II cannot De sclen
tile ,naiiia ss,ii,ba, craniur i,a db'urdity that
fttttf ..s,r L4sn. n
,pons.ble to the puolic for bolstering up a fraud
There Is scarcely man III tho homeopathic
ran,s that prlct-cs the principles ot liahnemanu;
vet they ietain the naWe A. trade marx, IN
! order 70 curry favor Win a very large anu very
rtc elias of the public All thrv have got 10 do 10
he recognized j. 10 drop the distinction III titlrs
- long as they don't they are pii aies sailing uhd"r
ial-e co.nrs they are dere' the lcople ana alo
unit to he recognized by honest men
! Dr. SayIc added that the new code leaders had
( taken the position winch they bad taken because
they w-.o specialists vino wanted thc consultations
| of homeopathic physicians. ne m"ih'dh'u tiiIL
the State Soc ETY. had d-nonoled Itself ~ repeating
| the old code without inst Withdrawing iron the
! National Association
WHAT DIR ROo-A SAYS.
! Dr. Rosa sad. in taking al the matter: The
u.cti,i al Dr. jacob, house on last Friday night
was held brcarsc the mend, of the old code wrre
clandc.tinciy attempting 90 influence the members
OF the profession no. did MOI fully understand the
HISTORY Of the action of the New-lork state
Medical Society. They wcra obtaining
signatures to paper by making
| incorrect statements. For pie, they said IN
! ON. ,,-fau.e tat the ACTON o! the state Society
was uudcrhaudc! an taken ia a packed assembly.
1hc new code camo mp for discussion
oac year after committee was appointed
| 10 consider thr subj ct and report revised code.
! Two wears before that the Comfy society had r.
| cciyrd a report AGAINST the old coic win APP
prevail The r.port to tn sr S'''G roH society ~
tie members had tccn Presidents OF the society
| Two only were specialist. The sat" society," ga d,
no more be packed than can tie senate OF I'M
! Unit,d states. It's mem are chosen with care
aud tncir number liked by law. =
I'VE tound mat III kinds o. p,ossure were being
| fs.d to corrce yOuUp men into committing them
selves lor the old code. We w-re compelled to or
| fEreats of professional hu;n t. individuals
| 81. m the State OF New-York have 10 reverence
| rartlcularlv for the American Medical Association
il - not "a chartered DOiy. ! lsa KIND OF cornwall
| medical mas iHcrthR' manager ~ r." iHon'
! The New-YOrl delegate were never even heard by
them. h. com.nit'er throw out Their credentials
| simply. II the American Association meets IN ~:
Paul. ITS policy far As 4 has On", - controlled
| 10y Western and Southern nen-or at least
| may be. The New-Y0TG State AssoclatiO
adj ptcd ia code as part of its bylaws, and then,
cxcrcI-ng lis cue right. repealed those bylaws;
| fAe State 50 Irty i chartered, representative aud
iuc.pibl- of being managed by any Junta.
Specialists are "a much divided about the OLD
code rs other practitioners. II j. entirely incorrect
10 say thar they are benefited by change In code
| They nave few consultations M9st patents
are handed over 10 them. tut II men believe that
the specialists OF NcWl Ork are ~ bdd Udi iheN are
WI ling 10 harm their profession for pecu1lary GAIN
and 10 ii honor their craft for that reason. argn-
| mcut - wasted upon them. The opponents al The
| Old cd. are not believers in homeopathy or any
| pathy. That Is question about as pertinent
| to the subject as the one 50
familiar in antl-slavery times, when the Abol-
| tonists were asked If they wished their daughters
| To marry black men. MANY of us, perhaps ma
| jority, wish code al all. The laws OF the land
will punish crime. and the uNases Oh decent society
| Will take care of etiquette"
THE BOSTONS AGAIN yICTORIOUS.