The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-07-14
Selett MisrrlIunQ.
Remarks of DR.. G. A. Wells
AT THE FIRST REGULAR MEETING OF
THE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION OF
PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY.

Or. Wells commenced his address
by thanking the members for the honor
of being selected rs its first President.
He quoted at length the language of
DR.. Bowditch on the attitude of the
profession towards the general public,
and declared with Bowditch that zone
of the first duties which the physician
owes to the community in which he
lives is to organize He then pro-
ceeded as follows:
We are assembled here, gentlemen,
not alone as members of learned pro-
fession, but as collective investigators
of opinion, of truths and of principles,
by the common interchange of which
we not only hope to derive mutual and
immediate benefit, but we hope to add
something to that great body of facts
which will he the heritage of posterhy.
That the advantages Of the Assocla-
tion will be commensurate with the
zeal and steadastness of our members
goes without saying, and, it we
Judge by the interest which has already
been awakened, the results will be
more tar-reaching than we can now
conceive. For among our own prae-
tise we may find as interesting cases,
as perplexing problems, as rare and
curious pathological phenomena as if
we were members of the learned Acad-
emy of Science of Paris.
The Country Physician indeed has
larger and more fruitful field for
study and observation than the Metro
politan practitioner, since he must
alone and single c-handed do battle with
"every i'll that flesh is heir to- while
our city brother when perplexed and
discouraged can summon by telephone
the specialist or professor to his aid.
The countryman must be Dentist,
Surgeon, Obstetrician and oittimes
nurse. He must know something of
Baleology, Gynaecology, Derrnatology,
Laryngoloyy Otology, Rhinology =
and all the other ologies, including, at
least, Il conversational acquaintance
with Theology.
This brings us unmcasured rcspon-
sibility and often unrequited labor, but
it affords us greater opportunities of
studying diseases in all their protcan
phases than can he found elsewhere
outside of 4 general hospital.
And it is to these opportunities
which beg YOU as members of the
Association to address yourselves.
We should make each succeeding
meeting of this body veritable clinic
and add our quota, however slight. to
that great generalization Of truths
which the Profession is pursuing.
If you have an unusual pathological
specimen, let us all share its interest
with you.
Ii there be Il tavorite prescription
which has been your cornerstone in
time of need give each one of us the
opportunity to weigh its merits in sim
| liar cases.
II you have been in the habit of pur,
suing Il line of treatment of your own
in any particular malady You are war
ranted by every tradition of the pro
tcssion in discussing it before this body
Do not be unwilling, gentlemen, to
bring to our attention any case which
has given You unusual trouble and
anxiety.
Prepare 4 paper or be ready to make
an oral presentation of all the impOr-
tant points whether the case be still
under your treatment or whether
happily you have succeeded in rcstor-
! inc him to health, or, if he be gone to
! that bourne from whence no traveller
returns, he may yet speak to Us