The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-04-26
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.

THE PRESIDENT address,
At this point President j. H. Sears
of Waco spoke to the convention as
follows:
To the Members of the State Medical Associa
ton.
COMPANIONs-It affords me great
pleasure to meeG and greet so many OF
my old and tried friends, from the
different sections of this great state
We have been toiling for a quarter OF
century l hope, with no greater dis
turbances than are usual to trail
humanity. feel now that we are a
harmonious brotherhood and that we
shall meet at this meeting in the
beautiful capitol of our state, have a
Joyous time in renewing our pledges
of fidelity and brotherly love. We
have finished our boyish misunder-
standings and "scraps," and arrive d
at years of full matucity to do the work
of men in most harmonious manner
Let us rejoice that we have reached
thus far with faithful few who have
Weathered the storms and reached
| the heaven of safety OF the first quart
er. Our faithful secretary in his last
annual report gives the number of en-
| rolled members a. ALI, now, if these
| were all delegates, as they should be,
representing five members of local
or district society, we would have
here today, represented about 20O0 OF
the 1000 or 5000 regular medical men
of this state. If this were true ii
would not make avery brilliant show
| ing for quarter of a centuries work
1t leaves a large field still unculti'
waited in our territory. The question
naturally arises, can we do anything
to remedy this state of affairs, ought
we not at this meeting to adopt some
| measure to induce them to unite with
us in the good work we are trying to
do. Would it not be we'll to send
| them some pressing invitations to or
ganize and send representatives tC
this association Can we not in some
way induce them more interest in the
elevation of the profession and the
advancement of science? Who will
go as missionaries TO them? Or. II
Nj. SweariDgen our efficient health
officer, in reply to letter written him
asking him what legislation was
necessary to make our present health
department model replied:
First-A law by which mortuary
and vital statistics can be gathered.
Secoud-Authority given the state
health officer to appoint an expert in
mis- scroscopy and chemistry in ascer-
tanning the causes of diseases and
epidemics, when in his Judgment such
Investigations are necessary. | would
recommend that this association in
struct it's committee on legislation t
make their best efforts to procure such
enactment, would also recommend
| that the same committee be instruct
ed to secure law creating board oI
examiners before whom anyone pro-
Teasing to practice medicine in this
state shall go for examination before
being admitted to practice. am not
certain that we ought not ask a sepa
rate board for the different schools re-
sponsible for its own work. woule
| likewise recommend that the same
committee do their best to get an ac
requiring that every patent nostrum
offered for sale in this state shall have
on every package formula OF its con
tents printed in plain English so tina
all can understand what they are
swallowing. DR.. R. M, Swearepgtn,
az Fort Worth in 1890, go perfectly anC
beautifully discussed the subject o
stste laws regulating the practice o