Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-05-07
THE MEDICAL MEN.
An Attack on The American Associations
Venerable Secretary.
THE USE OF THE KNIFE.
Too Great Tendency Thereto,
Says President CoIe-Too Great
Avidity, Also, to Rush Into the
Newspapers.
Newspa

ATLANTA, GA. May 6.-The feature
Of the American Medical Association
proceedings this morning was a fight,
made on the venerable secretary-Dr. At
knson-who has been in charge of the
records Of the association for the last
thirty years. quite an opposition was
developed but he won, and will hold his
place for another year, at least.
Last year resolution was introduced
that there be a change in the constitution
Of the association. so that the sec
rotary should be elected annually. 1t
was necessary. under the rules, that
,his motion should be laid over until the
next annual meeting, and that IL should
take its place on the programme that
was TO be published before the meeting.
This Is what was not done, as no men
ton OF the resolution to change the con-
stitution was made in the published
programme. DR.. /. n. Love, Of 81. Louis,
who introduced the resolution last
year, called up 'the matter, stating that
the resolution had not been placed on
the programme. He now asked that the
resolution be read a second time. and he
constitution should be changed before
the report Of the Nominating Committee
was made. The Nominating Committee,
consisting OF a member from each State
In the Union. he said. felt that the sec
rotary OF the association should be a
younger and more vigorous man.
Or. Isaac Quimby, of New Jersey,
moved that the whole matter be laid on
the table. and. after some delay. a vote
was taken. and the resolution was laid
on the table. AS soon as this was done,
DR.. Love arose in an excited manner,
and said. MIR. President, / move that
we declare that this association cannot
change its secretary"
There were cries OF shame Shamew
from different parts Of the hall. and the
president refused to put the motion.
DR.. Ellis, OF California. referred to a
resolution he had introduced last year,
which had not appeared In the proceed
ings. and called for a reading of the
minutes Of last years meeting.
NO OFFICIAL RECORD.
Secretary Atkinson took up a copy OF
the Medical Journal and began % read
from that, when the point of order was
made that the Journal was not the official
organ OF the association. The Chair was
asked IL there was any official record of
the association, and he replied that he did
not know, as he was not the custodian
Of the records Things were beginning 10
look very embarrassing for the old secre-
tary, who had not a word TO say when
the hour Of adjournment arrived, and
the Chair declared that the matter OF
change I'm the constitution would not be
considered again until next year.
This afternoon the doctors were enter
tanned at a barbecue at Lithia Springs
President Beverly Cole, Of the associa-
ton, stirred up some of the members by
his address yesterday, when he declared
that there is too great a tendency in the
profession 10 use the knife when IL IS
not necessary. He criticised the avidity
with which doctors now adays rushed into
the secular papers with any important
discovery they have made, the tendency
TO bring the profession TO a commercial
basis, the loose manner in which promi-
nent clergymen gave their unqualified en-
dorsement to patent nOstrums, with the
component parts Of which they were not
familiar the eagcrness with which young
doctors seized upon even the slightest
pretext TO operate for appendicitis, and
the readiness with which certain surgeons
used the knife on women, changing her
nature. without making an examination
OF sufficient care to see II there we're not
other remedies besides the knife.
Dr. Joseph Price, OF philadelphia. de-
Tended the specialists, while admitting
that il may be true that young doctors
are too quick to use the knife.