The Portland daily press., 1889-06-12
Thlrty-seventh Annual Meeting In
Portland.
Doctors In Attendance From All
Parts OF the state.
Or. Weeks's Remarks on the Reg
lstratIon Bill.

weeks Vi tnls CITY, ana prayer was 0uerod
by Rev. w. H. Fem. ID. d., OF High street
church.
After the presentation OF the treasurer's
report, which showed the usual satisfactory
condition Of the finances Of the association,
DIR. ID. NJ. Skinner Of Auburn. read a paper
on "Glaucoma."
DR.. Jason Walker Of MInot, read an inter
esting paper upon epidemic Jaandlee In
Children"
DIR. A. g. Young OF Augusta, secretary OF
the State Board OF Health. read statistical
paper on "the prevailing diseases Of the
year." mainly pointing out the need Of some
system Of collecting vital statistics, 10 fur
nlsn information which will add greatly 70
contagious disease.
sctsa Tss following 70 named gentlemen were
DIR. Z. A. Chandler Addison.
l. Dr. w. l.. Dana, Portland
DIR. j. G.. Dyer, Portland.
DIR. Thomas Fillebr0wn, Portland.
DIR. n. L. Mari. Skowhegan.
DIR. II. B. Palmer, Phillips.
DR.. Alton Sawyer, Gardiner.
DR.. Addison s. Thayer, Portland.
Dr. Horato Woodbury., South Paris.
A communication relative TO vital statis-
tics was received from the secretary Of the
Portland Board Of Health and the following
resolution was passed:
| Resotved That the members Of the Maine Med
| lcal Association viii gladly cooperate with the
census ONCE In the work Of collecting vital sta
| tlstlcs for the eleventh census To this end we
| request the census ONCE to send 70 each member
| OF the profession In this State the "Physicians'
turns 81 death rates during the s year ending May
| 81, 1890.
DIR. j. o. Webster Of Augusta, read a pa
per ON The Sanitary Duty Of Physicians In
Diseases Of the Community"
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The association met at $40 O'Clock and af-
ter the Introduction of delegates from the
Massachusetts and Connecticut Medical So
cieties, the president. DIR. S. Fl. Weeks Of
this city, delivered his address:
| 1t is well known to the members Of this as
ISOLATION that in 1887 an act was passed by
both branches Of the Legislature, termed An
act to regulate the practice Of medicine" The
history Of this act need not stop to recount !;
it is well known to you all. At the last meet
ing OF this society the following resolution
was passed:
| Resolred, That the special committee on restora-
ton OF the registration law be hereby directed to
take such action through counsel, as shall secure,
II possible, the opinion CT the supreme court as
70 The validity and present standing Of the medl
| cal registration law OF 1887.
/ very curly IN July, 1895, soon after the
| meeting at which this resolution was passed,
the eminent counsel. Judge ]. w. Symonds,
and the lamented Judge Charles w. Goddard,
BY due process Of law, submitted this ques-
ton 40 the supreme court. All who have read
the petition for writ Of mandamus, and the
petiaoners brief, will agree with me that the
question was presented in the most foreible
and logical manner.
Inasmuch as the supreme court has decided
that the registration act is net a law Of the
State, / recommend that a committee be ap-
pointed whose duty II shall be to appeal to the
| next legislature for a new registration law
The Importance Of this subject we may very
| properly stop a moment to consider. What
| qualifications does the State require Of per-
son TO practice medicine in order to enable him
| to collect by law a fee for his professional
| servicess The qualification is found in section
| Of the Revised Statutes:
No person who has not received a medical de-
gree at public medical Institution In the United
states or license from the Maine Medical asso-
clatlons SHAH recover compensation for medical
surgical services. unless previous TO such services
he had obtained certificate OF good moral charac.
he then resided.
For the practice of medicine and surgery in
this State the law does not require even a GER
| titicate Of good moral character; IL only says
that in order for him to collect compensation
for such professional services, he shall first
secure a certificate OF good moral character.
Derogatory as this condition Of things is to the
intelligence of the people of Maine. all our
efforts TO secure the necessary legislation to
protect the people from imposition, have sig
nally failed.
What does the law require of other persons
who occupy places Of trust. having the care Of
the lives and property Of the people' Revised
Statutes, chapter 50, section 20:
Every person employed as master, pilot or en-
gineer ON board any vessel, shall be examined by
the inspectors TO his qualifications, and II salts
fed herewith, they shall grant him license for
the Office for one year; said license 70 be framed
under glass and posted In some conspicuous place
on board such vessel Whoever acts as master.
license, shall be fined fifty dollars for every day he
so acts.
No person can practice law in this State
without some knowledge Of the law acquired
by course of study. Revised Statutes,
chapter 10, section %:
No person who has not been a member Of the
bar of another State in good standing and In active
practice, for at least three years. shall be admitted
TO practice law in the courts of this State. unless he
some attorney at law, or part Of the time In such
ofiice, and the remainder In some law school. and
has also passed satisfactory examination In his
legal studies.
Chapter 70, section 80:
practice law in this state, advertses as or repre-
sents himself to be an attorney or counsellor at
law, he shall be fined net exceeding five hundred
dollars, or imprisoned not more than three months
The people Of the State have by proper leg
islation, protected themselves from dangers at
sea by requiring that masters Of vessels,
pilots and engineers, shall be examined by
board Of inspectors as to their qualifications
for their respective positions. They have
made ample provision for the protection
OF their property and their liberties, by re-
quiring that every man VIII, enters upon the
practice OF law, shall have proper qualihca-
tions. l sincerely believe. that il the Maine
Medical association is true its trust. il win
| not be long before law is enacted, that win
require Of every person who enters upon the
| practice of medicine, TO give evidence that he
| possesses a medical education.
A medical education furnishes the only
presumptive evidence Of professional abilities
and requirements and ought 10 be the only
acknowledged right OF an individual to the
exercise and honors Of his profession. Il the
duty Of physicians, who are frequent wit
nesses of the enormities committed by
quackery, and the injury to health and even
destruction Of life caused by the use Of quaek
medicine, to enlighten the public on these
subjects, and to expose the injuries sustained
| by the unwary, from the devices and preten-
sions Of artful empires and impostors.
/ believe the people Of this State are as en-
hghtened as intelligent and as jealous for their
| lives and health as the people Of any other
| commonwealth. The fault is not all with the
| people. Il is in a great measure with our
selves. The medical profession exercises a
commanding influence over the masses Of the
people in matters Of this kind. No autocrat ex-
ercises more absolute power than good ply
scian in the line Of his profession, among those
with whom he lives and moves, and TO him
| are we to look for the diffusion Of correct
views. 1t is not the medical profession that we
| ask for law TO regulate the practice Of medi-
cine, but for the people Of the State.
A responsibility rests upon us, as a class
and this subject should receive the serious con-
sideration of every member Of our fraternity
throughout the State. The voice Of reason,
the claims Of humanity the dictates Of wise
legislation all demand that those who stand be-
twixt life and death, and have in their keeping
the health and even the lives Of the people, shall
be even Of the highest type; highest in educa-
ton, in character, in morals and IN skill. No
course of education can be too thorough for
him. no preparation for the stupendous work
Of his life too exacting. In no trade or occu
patton do men rely on the skill of an untaueht
artist; and in medicine, eoniessedly the mo,t
difficult and intricate Of all the sciences. the
world ought not to suppose that knowledge Il