The Savannah morning news., 1903-04-17
TOO QUICK FOR THEM
DOCTOR DIDN'T WAIT FOR AN IN
VESTIGATION.
HE ANTICIPATED ANY ACTION
AND RESIGNED FROM THE MEDI-
CAL ASSOCIATION.

Association mt Columbus Had an
Interesting Case With which 10
Dcal-Charged That "a Member
DiscOVered-COunte Publication
Followed, and His Resignation
Was Sent In-HaVinE Been Ac-
cepted, He Was Immune.
Columbus, Ga, April 16.-The Geor-
gia Medical Association had novel
question before it to-day, and one
which brought on quite an animated
discussion. In effect, it was Has
the secretary of the association the
right to accept the resignation of
member when he resigns presumably
to escape arraignment for conduct I'M
becoming a physicians?"
The matter was brought before the
convention this morning, when the
Board of Censors, through the chair
man, Dr. Floyd w. McRae of Atlanta,
said it wished instructions from the
association in matter of importance.
DR.. McRae said he would state the
case in an impersonal way.
In a certain Georgia city physician
was practicing medicine. who adver-
tised that he was a graduate of three
institutions. Another doctor in the
town wrote to- the presidents of these
institutions for confederation of these
published statements, and the presi-
dents replied that the name in ques-
ton was not on the rolls of their in
situations. In the same paper in which
the original advertisement appeared,
the physician who had written to the
institutions, published the replies from
the presidents and stated that he
would bring the matter before the next
meeting of the medical association and
have the doctor expelled.
Then the Doctor Resigned.
About that time the doctor in ques-
ton wrote to the secretary of the as
ISOLATION, paying his dues and resign
ing from the association. The secre-
tary was ignorant of the charges to
be preferred against him, and wrote
expressing regret that he was to resign
from the association. etc.
DR.. McRae said that what the Board
of Censors desired to know was, whetn-
er it could consider any charges
against the physician, did the secre-
tary have authority to accept his res
iGnation?
Dr. NJ A. Baldwin of Cuthbert.
sprang to his feet at this juncture
Il am the one who preferred the
charges" he said. II think the as
ISOLATION ought to take action In this
matter. l would be ashamed to be-
long to an organization that would let
such conduct pass unnoticed."
Upon being put to a vote. the as
ISOLATION, by a large majority, voted
that the doctor was still a member
and that any charges against him
could be investigated; that the secre-
tary's letter did not bind the body
The point was then made, however,
that the association had already ac-
cepted the members resignation, from
the fact that on yesterday the BODY
adopted the secretarys report. and IN
this report he gave the number of
those who had resigned, or been
dropped from the rolls of the associa-
ton, and the members name was
among this number
To Guard Against 1t.
President Hicks then ruled that the
doctor was not member of the as
sociation. Upon recommendation of
the Board of Censors, the following
resolution was unanimusly adopted:
Whereas, member of this associa-
ton, apparently guilty of conduct un-
becoming a member of this assocfa-
tion, and who on being put on notice
that charges would be preferred
against him, rendered his resignation
to the secretary of the association
which body, ignorant of the charges
about to be preferred, accepted the
report of the secretary, thereby legal
izing the act of the secretary.
BE 1t Resolved, First, That in flu
ture the secretary shall not be allowed
to accept the resignation of any men,
Der of the association; second, that he
shall report, by name, the resignation
or designations of any member or
members of the association, at it's next
regular meeting, so that the body, as
a whole shall be put on notice of the
pending resignation or designations,
and take such action thereon as 1t
shall deem proper"
The leading feature of the day was
an address by DR.. Arpad G. Gerster,
the noted New York surgeon, on
Acute Suppuration of the Larger
Joints and Their Modern Treatment"
The address, which was quite an able
one, was very much enjoyed, and DR..
Gerster was thanked for 1t by the as
ISOLATION.
Among the papers read at the after
noon session were two by Savannah
physicians as follows:
Some of the General Diseases and
Their Relation to the Eye" by DR.. j.
Lawton HERS.
"Antiseptic Inhalation Treatment of
Phthisic," by DR.. NJ M. Saliba.
Tonight the doctors were given a
banquet at the Rankin.