The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-06-10
Ham pering Physicians.

On Thursday the American Medical Asso-
citation, in session at Cleveland, hurriedly
tabled for year resolution to revise the
Code OF Ethics for the medical profession.
That code handed down from tho last
century, was adopted by tho association in
1s47 and has since been tho recognized
standard Of medical ethics throughout the
Union, except that the Medical Society OF
the State Of New York. at Its annual meeting
In February, 1882 radically amended 1t for
the first timo by granting to physicians
larger liberty In consultations. In article
Nv. OF the old code 1t was declared that
"No one can be considered as regular practitioner or
NJ associate in consultation whose practice based on
exclusive DOGMA to the rejection Of the accumu.
lated experience Of the profession and Of the aids actu
ally furnished by anatomy physiology. pathology. and
organic chemistry"
This, Of course, was directed against the
HON popaths specifically. Tho prohibition Of
professional intercourse with the hOmDo-
paths was expected to crush out that school OF
medicine as ahumbug. But 1t had the oppo-
slte effect. 1t gavo the homeopathic tho ben
eft which Is pretty suro to accrue from what
is popularity regarded as persecution Under
such tabooing they prospered amazingly.
taking off from the regular school large
part OF the best practice in all considerable
communities. They were the moro able to
do this because many homeopathic gradu-
ally began to treat their patients very much
as the others would have done, sending pro-
scrlptions to ordinary apothecaries. TO be
compounded OF the drugs In common use by
the others for the same maladies.
Regular physicians In largo practices were
irritated by rule which hampcrcd their in
dependence OF action and forbade their OK
erclsing their own judgment rs to what was
best for a patient 1t might be necessary for
them to meet q homeopathic practitioner
who had been treating man, to find out the
history of the case. They were confident,
too, that the true way to overcome homnop-
athy was to meet 1t and show tho people
that the regular school was more scientific
and trustworthy, not to try to Ignore 1t as
mere quackcry, unworthy OF attention, when
1t had really gained so strong foothold in
the confidence Of q large share Of the intelli-
gent community. In fine. they found that
the old policy of contempt did not work.
The State Medical Society, accordingly, by
q vote of so to 49, substituted for the above
prohibition In the code the following:
members Of the Medical Society OF the State Of New
York. and of the medical societies In afiation there
with may meet In consultation legally qualified practi
TONERS Of medicine Emergencies may occur In which
all restrictions should in the judgment Of the pract
TONER yield to the demands Of humanity"
This amendment made very radical
change, for 1t practically left 1t to the physi-
clan to use his own judgment In deciding
what he should do in tho matter OF consulta-
ton. In this State both homeopathic and
eclectics are legally qualified practitioners,
and the liberty permitted In emergencies al
lows the regular physician to do whatever in
his judgment is advisable in the way OF con-
sultation for the salvation OF life.
That Is common sense. Tho old restrlc-
ton was degrading to the physician. He
had no liberty Of Judgment, could not do
what he knew was necessary for his patient.
and could not obtain facts regarding his case
which no ought to know, because Of the
Anticipated rule. And yet the American
Medical Association refuses to follow the ex-
ample OF tho New York Society, and will not
receive representatives from that body be-
cause It has removed . prohibition which
was an insult to the intelligence and pro-
fessional capacity and honesty Of physicians.