The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-01-11
ACADEMY OF MEDICINE.
Interesting and Instructive Meeting Last
Evening.

night at the Maine Eye and Ear InfrmarJ
building. There was large number O.
physicians present from out of town ano
no attended meetings Of the academy fol
some time were also in attendance last
night. DIR. Wedgewood of Lewiston, the
president of the academy, presided and
called the meeting to order. The follow
ing were chosen fellows of the academy
DR.. !. G. Gehring, Bethel; DR.. j. B.
Wescott, Bath; c. A. Palmer, Bowdoin.
ham; DR.. W. FL. Hawkins. Lewiston; Dr.
A. A. Cobb, Auburn; DIR. John Gray,
Freeport and Charles Fl. Peterson, Esq,
Portland
DR.. H. S. 7. Harris, assistant surgeon,
U. S. A., stationed at Fort Washakie,
Wyoming, was elected a corresponding
fellow OF the academy.
The following were elected honorary
fellows of the academy: DR.. Albion
Paris Snow, Winthrop, and M. N. Rich.
Portland.
The paper of the evening was by Mr..
G. W. Merrill on Digestive Agents. -
MIR. Merrill said in beginning: "It
occurs to me that if the medical profession
could ameliorate or overcome the rayages
of dyspepsia it might tend to improve the
temper and disposition of mankind in
general, for who is not better with good
digestion. Some of us who may be a
little cross and Grabbed might be spoken
of as dyspsptio old fellows, and by a
liberal use of more digestive such a
magical change might be wrought that it
would extend the fame of his doctor and
the patient could find some good in life as
WE'LL"
Mr. Merrill then took up one after an
other all of the digestive agents known in
materia medica, told how they weressob-
tanned, how used, decribed their effects
and altogether gave very interesting ac.
count of these important drugs.
DR.. Daniel Driscoll of Portland de-
scribed the natural process of digestion
aud had many interesting things to tell
about the stomach and other digestive or
gans.
The paper of Mr.. Merrill was also dis
cussed by Mr.. e. S. Everett of Portland,
f. L. Dixon, NJ. D., of Lewiston, S. G.
Gordon, M. D., of Portland, j. +.
Thompson, NJ. D., of Portland, S. P.
Warren, NJ. D., DR.. Small of Lewiston,
Dr. Meserve of Portland, and DR.. Elwell
of the Togus National Home.
AT ten O'Clock banquet was served
and when cigars were lighted, DR.. Wedge
wood called the assemblage to order and
introduced DIR. Albert Walton of New
York, who spoke for some time in high
ly instructive and interesting manner on
the use of oxygen and kindred gases in
the treatment of pulmonary and other
diseases. A s preface to his remarks DIR.
Walton said that he had been born in
Portland and was glad to meet with the
members Of the Academy of Medicine.
He said that it seemed to him that there
was one thing above all others which the
academy needs at present and that WASTE
permanent home where its library might
be always open to the fellows of the
academy and where it's sessions could be
held. He hoped that in time the academy
ul4lU l1ey0 huCu "a lOlli6 tlu dS d US-
ginning to the fund which he hoped
might soon become large enough to war
rant the building of a home in Portland
he would subscribe $50. The announce
ment was received with applause. j
DR., Wedgewood called upon Judge
Percival Bonney for few remarks.
Judge Bonney said he had been men,
Der of the academy for nearly year and
this was the first time he had found
chance to attend any of it's meetings 1t
seemed to him that he had chosen a most
inppportune time to attend the meeting
of the academy for the evening had been
devoted to discussion of the uses of
pepsin and similar agents to promote
digestion. and any one could tell by look
ing at him that he had never as yet felt
the need of a digestive agent of any kind.
He had never up to this time been aware
that he possessed such an organ as
stomach, from any trouble that it gave
him, unless he felt that such an organ
existed when he was extremely hungry.
He said that he was glad to say he was
in perfect health, and hoped it would be
some time before he would be obliged to
call upon any of the medical professionals
administer pepsin to aid his digestive or
guns.
Judge Bonney then went on to speak of
the effect of the stomach upon the temper
of man. He told Of the old custom,
which has now fortunately for every one,
become dead letter in courts, Of sending
out the jury to arrive at verdict before
they were either given food or drink.
Ihe modern custom in this matter is to
give to the jury all they want to eat and
feed them in good shape. He had found
that when jury had been out some time
without arriving at a verdict if the sheriff
was instructed to take them out and give
them good square meal that verdict
was arrived at by them not long after
wards. A good dinner makes men feel
and SO it wasaalways essential
for a juryman to have good stomach
and good digestion. Judge Bonney said
that in the future of jury seemed to be
far away from arriving at verdict on