The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-02-12
THE DOCTORS.
Interesting Meeting Ofthe Travis County
Medical and Surgical Association.

The regular m2lthlv meeting of
this association Was held Thursday
night at the library rooms. Dr..
Sillen in the chair, President Bennett
arg, Vice-PreSideut Burt being de-
Lalned ny slight inisposition,.
The subject presented for discussion
was: rs pneumonia an essential
fever?' DR.. }. w. Mclaughlin main
tanned the affirmative, and made an
able and interesting exposition of the
disease in all its phases, and drew a
/ strong distinction between pneumo-
MIA proper (croup0uS pueumonia)
| and the pneumonia caused by traumat-
lsms or the inhalation of irrita-
ting substances or Vapors, the
former being a specific fever caused
! by a poison. as yet unknown. and ac-
| cOmpanied with, or resulting in, an
Inflammation of, the lung, while the
| other forms OF pleur0-pneumonia ars
primarily Inflammation of the lung
! tissue. producing and being attended
! with fever, the two progressing and
declining pari passu; whereas, in
croupOuS pneumonia there is marked
want of correspondence between the
lung lesion and the constitutional
symptoms, as We often have severe
fever with little lung trouble, and vice
versa. extensive pathological changes
III the lung, the result of a scarcely
perceptable fever. 1t is, moreover, a
self limiting disease, as are most or
all specific feverS, and runs definite
cOurse-infectiOus hut not contagious
and cannot be aborted, as claimed
by some.
This subject is one OF great impor-
tance and is occupying the attention
of the profession largely, at the present
time. especially III connection with the
pleuro pneumonia amongst cattle.
The views advanced at the meeting
last night by DR.. Mclaughlin, and
showed very generally by the mem
beTs, are gaining ground with The pro-
fession. The practical Importance OF
thorough knowledge of the different
kinds OF pneumonia is great and obvi-
Gus, and it Is OF the highest impoT-
tance to be able to distinguish between
the true and the other forms, mas
much as the former requires quite an
opposite method Of treatment sustain
ing, while in traumatic Or other cases
OF inflammation OF the lung, producing
fever secondarily, an anti-phlogistic
treatment is Indicative.
Inc SUDJCCO 1OI uIOCuoSlOu ttO hCAS
meeting (irst Thursday in March, is
7 ubefGie."
The association is in Il prosperous
condition, after period Of inactivity,
the members seeming to have caught
the inspiration of the spirit of organi-
zatiOn and progress now stirring the
profession from Red river to the Gulf.
1t is pleasant to know that the socie.
ty. NSceciating the idea which some
persons have, that such societies hold
star chamber sessions and secret meet
1ngs, passed resolution inviting
members of the press and scientific
persons outside the professional ranks,
to attend their meetings Citi-
Zens as feel an interest in such dis
cuSSiOns.
After the meeting adjourned, those
present enrolled themselves as the
nucleus of an organization for the
study of histelogy-by the micro
scope. 1t is intended to make this a
district society, and perhaps later, a
state society. 1t is proposed to equip
with the best microscopes and all es-
sentialS Tor thorough study Of his
toICgy, both normal and pathological,
quite number OF physicians from
joining counties where they have
no local organizations, and even from
San Antonio, where there is splen-
did medical society, have given notice
of their intention 10 become mem
karS