The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-09-02
VIRGINIA MEDICAL MEN.
The Largest New Membership of Any
Single Year.
TEE WOMAN QUESTION SETTLED.
IL Was Made "a Fixed Policy With Little
Discussion-Dr, Landon u. Edwards
Elected for the 2sth Time Record.
ing Secretary-Other Officers.


acted, including the election Of nine new
members. a total Of sixty-three. for the
session up TO the present, making the
largest number elected at any one meet
ing
Dr. Greer Baughman, OF Richmond.
was elected a member. One woman was
nominated, but as the question OF further
admission OF women was made, the spe-
cial order FOR this afternoons session,
her name was not acted upon by the
committee.
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
The hour set aside for the purpose hav-
ing arrived, Dr. George Ben. Johr ston, Of
! Richmond, delivered the presidential ad-
dress choosing for his discourse "Ihc
Value 10 the Public of Stale Medical So
am sensible Of the high honor confer
red on me by my friends OF the Medical
Society of Virginia i'm eleyating me 10
the exalted Office of president ana 1
wish TO thank them sincerely Tor the
mark Of confidence and regard.
This Office imposes the duty or speak
ing to mixed audience, task not
easily accomplished for IL Is difficult To
choose Il subject alike interesting and
profitable to lay and medical hearers.
Because the real reason for the exist
once Of such organizations as thls ls nol
not properly appreciated ] will dwell
briefly on the 'Value to the Public OF
State Medical Societies"
pr. Johnston disclaimcd the belief that
they were trades unions or social organ
izations They have no commercial as
pect and the social feature Is only sec
ondry TO the serious affairs. we are or
ganized solely 10 accomplish three pur-
poses; TO advance science. promote
philanthropy and foster good fellowship.
The first and second require proof To-
| dav there Is neither State nor Territory
which Is without its state or territorial
Medical Society. all being modelled on the
same plan and having the same OBJECTS IN
view and i'm membership they range from
forty to three thousand and the tOtal OF
an is 2f570. which almost equals the nu-
merical strength Of the nations standing
army Most rigid and cXacting require
mcnts for Instance arc imposed. Greed,
| political affinities and social stautS are
| ignored The gauge Is laid on merit.
! Sound morals. good citizenship, proles-
sional rectitude and the technical sNl
are demanded
THE BEST MEN.
This standard OF morals and intellec-
tual excellence brings into their ranks
| only the best element Of the profession,
| men whose character ana attachments
entitlc them 20 rank with the best IN
| their communities, whose professional ac-
| umen and honesty ht them TO discharge
| the duties Of their high calling with con-
ndonco, prudence and skill and aNho<c
| trained faculties constitute them guard
| fans OF the public health. Dr. Johnston
| said he believed that N the aims And
| purposes Of these societies were better
| understood by the public. their eiorts
| would receive greater sympathy ana more
cordial support than hitherto accorded.
| our labors are entirely in behalf OF the
| public and are marked by absolute unselt7
| ishncss. We are educators and public
| bencfactors in the fullest meaning OF the
| term.
The Doctor then gave statistics Of the
| various publications maintained by the
| societies and which reach thousands OF
| readers beyond the confines or the state
| from which they emanate ana whlch are
| permanently preserved IN text BOOKS ana
| disseminated I'm the class room.
UNSELFISH EFFORTS.
| The massage of laws such as we have
| advocated before. national, stale ana
municipal legislative bodies nave lhVa-
riably been Tor the protection OF our
| neighbOrs and never In any way such as
| would result I'm personal or professional
| gain To us: and this has been done in
spite Of unreasoning and unreasonaDlc
| opposition on the part or the people
| Where have you seen men OF Other pro-
| fossions banded together in leagues striv-
| ing TO reduce the business rom Wnlch
| they gained "A livelihoOdY Many OF as
| recall the day when no quanhcatohs 10
| practice medicine were called Tor by the
| STATE, beyond the mere payment or IL
cense tax The most ignorant unscru-
| pulous. debased person who paid this tax
was constituted by law doctor win an
| the rights and privileges enjoyed by the
learned upright and beloved physician.
Happily this has come to an end and
to-day we see in almost every State and
Territory laws for the protection or the
peOne Upon Official information. the
doctor asserted, that IN every State eN-
cent Oregon and Utah, the state Medical
Society was the direct means by which
these benehccnt measures were secured
TO the people.
The effect was 10 exclude graduates of
inferior colleges and men whose previous
qualifications renders them unfit for the
practice Of medicine. thereby raising the
standard Of medical education, extending
the time Of study and requiring more
rigid examinations.
THE EXAMINING BOARDS.
The national consequence OF these dis
tinct advances and the attraction Of pub
| lie attention To the work in this line or
societies and licensing boards brought
about the formation Of the "Cofederation
| of National Examining and Licensing
Boards" Its objects are to exalt medical
education, establish a fixed standard OF
| requirements 20 enter the profession of
medicine. procure uniformity of laws reg
! ulating the practice Of medicine and re-
| ciprCcity between the various State
| Boards by means Of which the license Of
| one organization will be recognized and
accepted everywhere.
States which have State Boards OF
| Health have been secured, through the
| efforts and wisdom of the State Medical
| Societies. with bur few exceptions.
They have been OF inestimable value 10
| the public IN the way OF promulgating tho
| laws OF hygiene, in the prevention OF cpl
denies the suppression or those already
existing and the conduct Of commerce. in
| times of public fear state and munich
| pal governments and the people are blind
| 10 their own welfare not 10 give more
| general encoura cement to those guarding
| their health, wealth and safety. Before
| the establishment Of these boards there
| was scarcely a year that some section Of
| our country was not scourged by one or
more dread epidemics. Now, this is all
| changed.
HYGIENE
| DR.. Johnston then stated some require
menfs that should be further enforced as
| teaching hygiene IN public schools. com
| pulsOry vaccination. disinfectiOn OF con-
| tamnated buildings, inspection OF meats
] etc All these measures executed hv
/ men who are either not paid al an or IL
| compensated insufficlently so. have add
ed greatly added TO the average of human
| life md given 10 the people a sense OF
1 security they scarcely deserve because
| they have not borne their part i'm procur-
| ing the means which have brought about
| these blessings.
| These boards. in time OF pestilence
| stand in the same relation 10 towns and
| tties which military Rarrisons do in
| tines Of war Dr. Johnston went on TO
detail the methods OF protection ~ one OF
| our seaport toYns should become the
| centre of an outbreak OF yellow fever or
| cholera.