The Portland daily press., 1889-06-13
TnE DocToRs.
Second Days Proceedings Of the
Medical Association.

The association met at $50 O'Clock yester-
day morning with large increase In the
numbers present.
A telegram Of eongratulati0n was received
from the Oregon State Medical society now
in session at Portland, Oregon, and was an
swered by a similar message.
DIR. r. d. Bibber of Bath. reported case
Of disease Of the brain, with an interesting
description Of the pathological features Of
the case by DIR. II. G. Boyer, U. $. n.
DR.. @. A. Phillips of Ellsworth, read pa
per on Gases Of Wild Parsnip Poisoning"
DIR. E. T. Neatly Of Bangor, read a paper
on "The Relations Of heterogeneous to
Injuries and Surgical Diseases"
DIR. E. e. Holt Of Portland. read a paper
ON Treatment Of Ulcers Of the Cornea."
DIR. Abial Libby of Richmond. reported a
case of ''Puerperal Commissions treated by
bleeding"
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The association met soon after o'clock
and at once proceeded to the election Of OFF,
GERS for the ensuing year:
President-Dr. b. Il. Sturgis, Auburn.
1st Vice Pres.-,Dr. A. S. Hersey, Oxford.
I'd Vice Pres.-Dr. X. ID. Bibber, Bath.
Treas.-Dr. A. s. Thayer, Portland.
Rec. Sec.-Dr. Chas. d. Smith, Portland.
Cor. Sec.-Dr. j. L. NJ. Willis. Eliot.
ve BSaTd ssds q dns Mas5 A
gusta; 8. p. Warren, Portland; ID. A. Robinson,
Bangor.
(ex-oficio) Portland; II. III. Gerrisn, Portland; A.
X. II. Meserve, Portland; A. G.. Young, Augusta;
II; +. rwitchell, Freeport. -,
Business COmmittee-DrS. i. Is. klmDa!l, Fort
land: @. A. Ring, Portland.
DR.. II. F. Twitchell Of Freeport, read a
paper on "Pleuritic illusions.
DIR. ]. A. Donovan of Lewiston, presented
areport on Double Typhoid Pneumonia
followed by Empyema."
Dr. E. N. Hill of Lewiston. read a paper
entitled the Central Maine Hospital urg-
ing the need and propriety Of establishing a
general hospital near the large manufacture
ing cities of Lewiston and Auburn.
The necrologist, DR.. A. X. p. Meserye,
presented obituary notices Of the following
members deceased during the year:
Drs. r. K. Cushing. Bangor; Galen j.
Tribou, Steuben; j. S. Gushing, Skowhegan; !;
j. o. A. Hawes, Hallowell, and Geo. II.
Chadwick, who died in 1888.
EVENING SESSION.
The association met at the appointed hour
and listened to a most scholarlysoration from
Dr. f. L. Hitchcock of Rockland. upon the
subject Of 'Euthanasia."
The speaker considered in detail Natural
Anasthesia" showing how In nearly every
form of death its pangs are soothed and its
terrors veiled by kindly nature. This was
shown by citing various diseases whose
characteristics are dulling or abolition of
sensibility or consciousness, such as
asphyxia, apoplexy, collapse. coma,
syneopae and uraemla. The nearer
the dying state Is reached the
less is found of the bodily sufferings sup
posed in the popular mind to exist and, ma
ture's shocks such as death from tempest,
earthquake and lightning. by their sudden
ness and velocity are free from pain.
The speaker also alluded to artificial anes-
thesia by either chloroform, alcohol and
other drugs tracing its antiquity and illus
Euthanasia in its relation to the death
penalty inflicted among nations was touched
upon and attention called to the fact that In
proportion to the advance and progress OF
Iocial government 1t had been softened and
deprived of its more brutal features. con-
trasting death by the cross and guill0tiue
with the painless refinement OF electricity
No better example of the wise influence OF
nature in producing euthanasia, can be
found than the fact Of mans Ignorance OF
the mode and time Of his own decease. A
question Of vital interest In this connection
is how far is the physician or surgeon war
ranted in contributing to painless death
when the inevitable is at hand and suffering
seems unavoidable. Morally and legally he
cannot abridge life by one minute. Common
law guards this point by most sacred author
ity and man may only aid nature by indirect
means applied in the legitimate exercise Of
his art.
Following the Grafton the members, their
ladies and invited guests were entertained
by the retiring president, DR.. 5. IL. Weeks,
and Mrs. Weeks, until late hour at their
residence on Congress street.
This forenoon will close one OF the most
successful meetings of the association for
many years and will be devoted mainly 10
closing reports and routine business.