The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-22
OUR DOCTORS.
Annual Meeting Of the State
Medical Society.
The Delegates Welcomed to Sacramento by
Mayor COmStOCk.
Address BY President ClGnesS-Tho System Of
Prescription Percentages and Society
Practice Condemned.
Special to THE MoRNINs CALI.

ate Chamber of the Capitol this morning.
Representatives from all portions Of the
State were present Those present at the
opening of the session were the following:
w. r. Cluness, Sacramento; William Watt
Kerr, San Francisco; Il. S. Orme, Los Ange-
les; Charles c. Wadsworth. San Francisco;
P G. Reynolds, Upper Lake, Lake County;
Charles S. Cowan, Fort Jones; NJ. NJ. Chip
man, San Jose; William J. G. Dawson, st.
Helena; c. A. Rugges, Stockton; J. H.
Wythe, Oakland; L. Wedges. II. D. Law
head, Woodland; w. L. More, Oakland;
Fl. N. Sherman, San Francisco; J. S. Sar-
gent, J. F. Boyce, Santa Rosa; Thomas
Ross, Woodland; G. L. Simmons, Sacra-
mento; P II. Bsilhache. San Francisco; Il.
N. Pond, St Helena; F. X. AinswOrth. Los
Angeles; George T. a. Shields, San Fran
cisco; D. D. Crowley, Oakland; c. w. Mutt
ing, Etna; w. G. Cochran, Los Angeles;
George II. Powers, San Francisco; William
Lemoyne Mills, Los Angeles; R. II. Pun
mer, San Francisco; William Ellery Briggs,
August Z. Bruno Sacramento; r. Beverly
Cole, San Francisco; /. NJ. Gray, Wood
land, William D. Babcock, Los Angeles;
Albert Abrams, San Francisco; J. r. Lame,
Sacramento; G. W. WeStake, Red Bluff;
David Powell, Msrysville; J. NJ. West,
Red Bluff; c. E. Stone, MarySyIle; j. S.
Kahn, San tTancjSc', and w. j. Hanna,
At IL o'clock W. R. Cluness called the
society to order and introduced DR.. @. L.
Simmons. who greeted the society on behalf
of the Sacramento Society for Medical In
proFemeut.
DR.. Simmons, after few words of greet
ing, briefly Tecapitulated the history of the
society, and congratulated It on having at
tanned its majority, this being the twenty
first anniversary Of It's birth.
Mayor W. d. ComstOck then welcomed
the society to the city as follows:
Mr. President and Honorable NJ. DIS. Men,
bers OF The California Medical Society, Ii Is with
much pride that apueaf before your large and
Intelligent bodg TO tender IN behalf OF SacTs.
mentO our hearty welcome, offer you our hOsp
tally and extend the freedom Of our city. The
calling or profession YOU have adopted is the
most hOuOred of all. You promptly respond to
the call vi duiy and faithfully minister 10 lie
wants OF the SICK aud suffering
Let me urge thai while Won are here you make
our city your ely. cur homes your homes.
hope the impressions YOU VIII receive OF US VIII
be so favorable that you viii often Visit Us, ana
We will show you that our people and city APP
preclHte its visitors.
DR.. james II. Parkinson, Chairman of the
Committee on Arrangements then briefly
addressed the members upon the work done
by the committee and the programme ar
ranged
w. K. Cluness, President of the society,
delivered the annual address. Among other
things, he congratulated the so iety upon its
having had so long and successful an ex-
istence He desired that the question
whether il should be 4 requisite to member
ship in the State society that the applicant
should be a member of the local medical
society where such exists should be dis
Gnssed. He thought that this requisite
should be considered necessary. He depre-
= nh .is.i,
percentage from the druggist to whom they
send prescriptions, and also condemned the
practice OF writing prescriptions in cipher
only understood by the particular druggist.
This system probably prevails as largely in
San Francisco as in any other city in the
Union. Some of the physicians even write
prescriptions free, trusting TO this percent
age Cor profits. Where this 81 stem prevails
the physician Is tempted TO dose his patients
more largely than they should be In order
TO increase his income. Society practice
under color OF benevolent associations, sick
clubs, etc, also came in for its share of
condemnation, and all honorable physicians
were urged to unite in crushing GUS both the
peTnlcluu5 systems referred to. Attempts
have been made in various cities to form
medical organizations in opposition to the
system OF society practice, but so far such
associations had not been marked with sue
cess. The speaker looked TO the accom-
plisbment Of the desired reform through
uhAul al lbf ulNlOll d1hilob d pElulIlUub aJS-
TEN and the gradual spread of knowledge
that cheap and hasty methods are at fault
in the face OF death and disease. The prae-
tice of advertising by practitioners Was con-
demned IN strong terms, and 1t was de-
nonnced as "a badge of quackery." 10 be
respected we must be respectable, and self
respect is the foundation"
On motion Of DR.. K-rr the address of the
President was referred to the Committee on
Publication, and 1t was decided that COM
NnnA ~ Nnau 1frAs.l
suggest plans for remedying the evils re-
feTred to.
In the absence of Henry Gibbons Jr.. Chair
man OF the special committee on division
Of the society in sections, etc, j. II. Parkin-
son read report. The conclusions of that
committee were that it was not advisable to
divide the society into sections. 1t recon-
mended the appointment of an Executive
Committee of three, to whom all papers
proposed to be presented to the society
should be referred. unless such as are spe-
cially provided for, for consideration, and
they TO arrange such discussion as they may
see fit. The report was adopted, and the
following Executive Committee appointed:
g. l.. Simmons, j. ID. Parkinson aud r. II.
Plummer.
This committee will consider all matters
pertaining to changes in the bylaws, and
all matters connected with the meeting of
the society not already provided for.
DR.. j. H. Wythe of Oakland called atten-
JlO0 10 the IaCL JlaL three mem DerS OF the
Board of Censors were absent, and at his
suggestion c. A. Ruggles of Stockton, J. T.
Dawson of st. Helena and William d. Bah
cock were appointed to fill the board
At tie afternoon session Dr. n. NJ. Chip
man of San Jose read an interesting paper
on the progress of the study of botany in
California.
DR.. J. II. Wythe Of the Board of Censors
reported favOrably on the following named
candidates for members to the State
Medical Society: James W. Blake, A. W.
Horscholt, j: /. Ross, E. w. Loveland,
G. c. Vanderbeck, William L. Moore, E. s.
Clark. Martin Schnabel. Stephen NJ. Harris,
I. F. KumbOld. w. r. Cluness Jr., F. K.
Ainsworth, a. E. Brue, William E. Hodg-
kins, r. L.. Rierson, w. E. Bates, A. G.
White. James R Todd, J. A. Mckee aud
D. l.. Deal. They were all duly elected.
A motion was adopted which virtually
eensures DR.. William a. Edwards Of San
Diego for Withholding report, which, it is
claimed, is the society'a property. The
doctor, it is said. is in the habit of giving re-
ports out for publication before the society
publishes them.
Dr.. Albert Abrams of San Francisco read
paper on pathology and pathological an
atomy.
DR.. G. F. Shiels of San Francisco read
paper on clinical surgery. and the Secretary
read one from A. ]. Pedlar OF Fresno on cpl
denies.
d. D. Crowley of Oakland spoke on intes-
final sutures.
At to-nights session papers were read by
Thomas +. Rumbod on Nasal Catarrh,"
George II. Powers on AFTER Treatment of
Cataract Extraction" n. Russell on Fol
Iicular Troahoma" and by A. P.Whittell on
"Eye Strain"
After the session the visitors were ten
dered an elegant reception by the Presi-
dent, W. R Cluness, at his residence.
For the entertainment of the visitors
there has been arranged a reception for
each evening during the continuance Of the
meeting.