The record-union., 1891-04-22
STATE MEDICAL SOCIETY.
CONTINUED FROM FIFTH PAGE.

CIce worth four tunes as much.
The phosphate companies in malarious
regions OF South Carolina employ physi-
clans 60 make weekly visits to their negro
employees ab so much per capita. In the
coke regions of Pennsylvania physicians
form lists OF w0rlImen at dollar month
for married men with families, and
seventy-five CENTS for single men OBJ
stetrical cases are charged five dollars.
SurgIcaI cases are at the expense OF the
corporations. II has become customary
Tor hospitals ia charge of the Sisters of
Charity in Wisconsin, Oregon and Wash
IngtOn, to sell annual tickets for ten dol
lars, emitting the holder to treatment and
maIntainauce at the hospital. The Gus
toners are mostly men working IN saw
mills and in logging camps. These vari-
atiOns Of contract business are less de-
grading to medical men than the societies
before mentioned. but they are open to
serious objection Of virtually denying the
privilege Of choosing ones physician.
1 have not space enough here to dwell
upon various devices for advertising and
gaining notoriety brought TO my notice
by correspondents at several OF the small
er cities and towns. They could be dealt
with by the Code Of Ethics, provided the
perpetrators be members OF a medical
society; but these sharpers keep clear Of
such restrictions, at the same time con-
triving to be inside of the Penal Code of
their respective States. At this date the
most dangerous and troublesome Offend
ers are licensed and regularly educated
physicians. Unfortunately. a medical
education does not correct such j
MORAL MALFORlTATION
Or arrest Of development as congenitaI
absence Of conscience. though il un-
doubtedIy encourages the growth Of this
faculty when present. Besides, the news
papers encourage practice that contrib
utes so literally TO their gains. and affects
to believe that medical knowledge is as
legitimate subject for public bOasting as
the excellence of a horse, the qualities Of
groceries. or the attractions OF popular
amusemenLs; and 1t must be added that
large share Of the public fail to compre-
hend why physicians must cultivate rep
utatIOn. and uprOOt tu0JOrieJy as "A uOXi0us
weed. The same persons who understand
that their wives, sisters and daughters
must eschew gaudV dress and forward
manners because these are the signs Of
harlOts, wonder why regular physicians
must abstain from advertising. which il
the badge of quacks. The Medical Col
Iege Faculty Organization, as Il mode Of
publishing the names of a list Of profess
SOrs, while supplying an imaginary want
of educational facilities. Is an old device.
and does not require notice. But here Is
something new from a Chicago cOrre-
spOndeut. Possibly you know OF an ag-
gregatI0u Of regular physicians here,
which bids tair TO Guido all the societies
in contract work. The so-calIed beneV0-
lent scheme Is TO get needy young physi-
clans TO do the work. while the money
goes into the pockets Of their seniors. who
are more adept in politics medical and
otherwise than III the legitimate practice
OF their profession I suppose that this
ought TO be called Il medical trust. and
like other trusts, Is something to be dis
trusted by plain. honest folk This is an
already mentioned. by which the dispen-
sary doctor employs young assistants at
beggarly salaries, while he attends to the
business management.
PREDICTIONS FOR THE FUTURE
ct has recently been said of Us that. in
no country. perhaps. has charlatanisnl
licensed and unlicensed. been more
rampant, and yet IN no country are the
best nlen-Ehe men who love medicine as
an honorable profession surely based on
the gerraIuUes OF sCIeuce-ul1rE certainly
winning the day. OF the stars OF the
brilliant galaxy of names thar ad0rn the
pages OF the history of medicine think
you there Il one deserving the name OF
physician. or who stands out as a beacon
light for the guidance Of mis- less favored
brethren. who has ever been guilty OF the
repreheDSIbIe practices under COusidera-
ton Surely not one. Yet [ believe
with Dr. L0omIs that in the near future
the medical profession viii play even i
larger part IN the public life OF the e0jzr-
try and any one who has watched the
growth of a healthy professional spirit In
America during the past decade must be
persuaded Of the truth Of the prophecy.
Bat II II a common complaint among
physicians that the medical profession is
held IN low esteem by the public ard
some OF my correspondents make this an
excuse for their own shortcomings. This
way OF getting even Is bad policy and
bad morality. We snare the common Lot
To be respected we must be respectable.
and ~elf-respecU Is the fOuudation. He
who barJers ms self-esteeJu and his good
name tor pei1 IS IN worse plight than he
Of whom the great dramalisJ wrote:
Who steals nay purse, steals trash It's some
thing. nothing.
Twas nine. us his, and has been slave TO
thousands
But he that Eiches from me nv good name,
hobs me 81 that which not euriches him
And makes me poor indeed
On motion Of DR.. Kerr the address of
the President was referred To the Com
uICtee on Publication, and Il COMMITTEES
Of three WAS directed TO be appointed to
consider and suggest plans for remedy
ing the evils referred to.
DIVISION S0T FAVORED.
DR.. Parkinson read the report Of the
special committee appointed at the last
lEy of dividing the society into sections.
80 Is 10 facilitate the business of the
sessions. The committee had agreed that
the division idea would not be 4 good
one. Instead. It recommended that an
Executive Committee OF three be ap-
pointed by the Chair, 10 which committee
should be referred all papers and reports
that had not been scheduled To be read.
The report OF the committee was con
curreG III by the society and the Chair
appointed Brs. q. L Simmons and +. II.
Parkinson, Of Sacramento and 2. II.
RUNNER, OF san Francisco, as the COM
miCcee-
Or. +. H Wythe Of Oakland. called the
Chairs attention TO the fact that three
members OF the Board Of CenSors were
absent, and the business OF the board
could not proceed. The Chair appointed
Drs. G. \. EuEgles, OF Stockton. !. I.
Dawson, OF IT. Helena, and j. Babr0clS
CT Los Angeles. to take the places of the
absentaes.
Dr.. I. ". Huntington, Of this city. or
behilL OF the Suffer Club. extended the
courtesles u the cIu5 To the visiting doe
tors, after which recess WAS taken
Afternoon session.
President CIuness called the society to
order again ar 30 O'Clock, and an
DouuCed that the first business In order
should be the hearing OF the report OF the
Committee on Indigenous Botany, Na-
terra 3iedica, Pharmacy and Medical
Chemistry. The President said. how
ever. that the Chairman of that commit
tee, DR. w P Gibbons, OF Alameda. had
prepared no report, butt discussion and
other reports on the subject would be III
order.
DR.. " NJ Cbipman, Of San Jose. WAS
the first TO avail himself OF this opD0rru-
Dity. He had prepared an able paper on
botany. and the assem- hIad doctors