Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-05-12

sisai agent upon gwen condition and
We have epecifsc mecieine.
Ii wac my pleasure recently TO hear \
most earnest aud accomplished profes-
sor ia q so-eaiied regular college dis
course as fellows: I'VE must be more
accurate in noting conditions before
Me- prescribe. Dlglta,is must not be
given in every case OF heart disease.
Where the Hearts action 10 weak, with
q SLOW, broad, easily compressed pulse,
give digltatls-lt Is as near q specific as
= remedy could be. With narrow,
sharp, high tension pulse, never give Il.
Nefatrum and seonlte. with . knogl-
edge of proper indications for their use,
arc the most valuable additions to our
materis medica in the past ten years,
and am satisfied that their action is
primarily through the sympathetic
nervous system." To US this seems
rather old news, but from such quar-
ter II is encouraging. More than thirty
years ago Prof. John King announced
this doctrine. and proposed that the
medicine OF the future would be di.
reeied almost entirely, II not quite, to
the nerve centers, in which resides the
control OF all functions and structures.
No yeueratton for the Old.
To venerate and stand in awe Of an
old method because II 10 old 10 absurd.
As we'll might general expect 10 learn
the art of war 10y examining the dead
on the field or an artist by the study
Of skeletons, to catch and flx on canvas
the soul IN the human face divine, as
the physician to learn the expression OF
lie in health and disease ana 10 direct
it's subtle forces by the revelations OF
the morgue or the Investigations OF the
laboratory. The voice that comes from
the deadhouse and the clolstered
micoscropst is voice from the dead
with no hope in it's sound, and IS not to
ne, Tor the physician has only to deal
with life.
To put pepsin into the stomach be-
cause it cannot digest food, or 10
crowd iron into the .sa me hopper be-
cause the blood lacks hem cglobin. is
at best a miserable nlake.shIft, on a
par with the charity that throws dol
lar 10 beggar instead OF arouslng TO
self-helpfnlnese the soul of the man.
But, alas. my colleagues. viewing the
world - II is, We can not yet dispense
with armies, police, scavengers, or
surgeons. In the main they belong to-
gether and 10 phase of civilization.
that wc sre the more ANXIOUS TO put
ASIDE asa trtler and better becomes
ever more clearly defieed. A clvlliza-
ton with teachers IN the place OF
armies, homcmakers OF cleanliness and
purity, instead OF police and scaven-
gers, and for surgeons. physicians.
Physicians educated and alive to
the idea that their province OF
labor is the whole realm OF
human life, life not death.
Lift, with its manifold expressions IN
health and disease. life with It's equally
manifold springs OF acton and forces
that may be touched and diracted.
hold up tn you as better ideal, the
physician who recognizes these express
SONS and knows the conditions, who
can touch these springs and direct
these forces.
He Closes Eloqucntly.
While the necessity for armies can
tinues, lie. US have them well dlscip-
lined ard we'll equipped. While we
must have police aud scavengers, let
them I've alert and efficient. While the
need of surgeons remains, let them be
intelligent and skillful; but let us never
lose sight Of the better ideal, nor glory
in the methods and conditions that are
our shame. Let me hold mp for conn.,
par:sou two sentences: The one, cry
of exultation at an attained ideal; the
other, an utteraace OF aspiration for an
ideal attainable.
For the first I quote again from a
paper by an eminent surgeon presented
at u late international medical congress:
with anaslhetlcs and antiseptics at
our command and ability TO control
loss of blood, the surgeon is To blame If
drop of pus is seen. or the slightest
blush of inflammation follows, or union
by first intention fails in any amputa-
ton, and with these means the young
est and most inexperlen ced may safely
perform the most daring surgical leafs.
There is no limit TO what We may at
tempt and do"
For the second / write: With senses
trained TO recognize the expressions "
life in health and disease, with tested
and proven means ut hand to direct
and control vital forces as manifested
in these expressions, the physician Is TO
blame if the slightest blush OF inham-
nation is ever seen or single drop ci
pus is ever formed, or any surgical
operation ever required, excepting II be
from traumatic causes. With these
conditions gwen, conditions not beyond
reasonable expectation. taere is nc
limit TO what we may attempt and do
Proceedings of the Day.
At the afternoon session the censors
w. l.. Marks, ". NJ. Bell and q. w
Nafe reported on applications for mem
bcrship.
The application of DR.. J. A. Lovett OF
Vickersvllle was reported fayorarly
and that of Dr. Ross Of this city was
rejected.
The practical business OF the con
vention was then taken up. DIR. VII
liam Bell OF Smyra read some clint
cal memoranda. +. T.. Gurus of Sagi
nav read paper on appendicit
The paper was discussed at length, the
majority of those present favoring ar
early operation. The other papers
read were:
',t;all S.ones''-J. la moreaux.
1.-THE Value of Au.opsels and vivi
section to the Surgeou"-Z. l.. Bald
win.
"6unsho; woundsr--C. II. Lamo
reaux.
minor Surgery. d. Crum.
William Bell read some timely reso
lutions relative 60 the recent death oi
Prof. Andrew Jackson Howe, who oc
cupied the char OF surgery IN the Ec
lsctic Medical institute ~ Cincinnati
Several members eulogized the dead
surgeon aud at the close the resnlu
tons were adopted and copy ordered
sent 10 Mira. Howe.
Evesiss session.
TIE evening session of the meeting
was called TO order by President r. II
Wright OF this city. About twenty-five
members OF the society were present
The uncompieled program OF The after
noon WAS taken up. pr. Wnght called
n. laft a. ,aE. rh.rea ~ 49, s.rfsor