Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1907-09-19
BRUTALITY OF MEDICAL ETHICS.
A Great Surgeon Barred from Mem.
bershlp in Medical Association.


Trom the National Druggist for June.
1917
DR.. Augustus Charles Bernays, who
died few days ago in ST. Louis. was,
probably. the foremost surgeon In the
United States. His fame was CO.
extensive with the civilized world. He
was not only an operator OF the high
est order. but a tlreless and exhaus.
tive worker In the field Of original
surgery. He performed the first sue
cessful Caesarian section in 1889 in
St. Louis, and also the first successful
coellotomy for gunshot wound OF the
| abdomen and the first gladstone opera
ton in Missouri. A record held by
Dr. Bernays has never been equaled:
| Out of eighty-one successive cases
OF appendicitis which necessltated
operations. seventy-one In succession
were with perfectly satisfactory re-
suits. the seventy.second patient fail
ing Of recovery, but the subsequent
nine cases were successfully treated.
And yet, with such a record, match
| less as was his skill, varied and eX-
| tensive as was his learning. wonder
ful as were his accomplishments. he
was not considered, by the American
Medical Association, as worthy OF
membership In that organization.
| No charges were ever brought
against him which, in the remotest
degree, reflected on his qualifications
as a surgeon; his moral character was
never the subject of attack; he was
never accused of having done any.
thing unbecoming a man or a gentle
man. The head and front Of his of.
Tending had this eXtent-no more!"
He dared to think. He refused TO
mold his opinions and TO govern his
actions by the arbitrary rules which
those whom he knew to be his infer
Tors had set up for his guidance! In
other words, he could not regard the
Code OF Ethics of the American Medi-
cal Association as being inspired, or
having any binding authority on him
where his Judgment told him 1t was
wrong. And so, twenty years ago
or more, on account of some trivial in
fraction of this sacred Code" a
movement was started TO expel him
from the local association, which was
only defeated by his hastily sending
In his resignation. As membership in
the A. NJ. a. is dependen: upon mem
bership in the local and State socie-
ties, his name was dropped by the
national organization.
And so, though he had saved thou
sands of lives; though other physi-
clans had profited by his art; this
brilliant surgeon; this great and able
man. has, during all these years, been
an outcast-a medical 'scab;" not
recognized as ethical" or worthy OF
fellowship by that body OF physicians
banded together in the American Med.
ical Association!
And this is the association which.
under pretense OF working for the
public good, is. in reality. only seeking
to control Congress and the State
Legislatures in the interest OF their
own selfish schemes; which is trying
to create q Cabinet position and TO
place one OF it's members in that po'
sition; which is endeavoring by law
: to exclude from the use of the mails,
all manufacturers of medicines who
do not comply with the absurd re-
quirements that they choose to set
up; which, in short, is trying 10 put
upon the statute books of State and
nation laws that will, IN effect, estab'
lish kind OF medical priesthood. "a
which only their own members will be
eligible with power end control over
the health and lives OF the people!
God help the druggists, the drue
manufacturer. physicians not mem
bers OF their guild, and the people
generally, IL this association ever sue
ceeds In its undertaking. II It does
Il will, after the fashion Of the labor
unions, dictate CLOSED shop" and
say to doctors who prefer TO be indie
pendent. You must Join our unicr
or. failing to do so. compel them e
get out OF the business. II will say
what medicines shalt be taken. ant
how they shall be made. II will hedge
the people about with a lot OF petty
regulations under pretense OF protect
ing the public health. In fine, medi
cal bureaucracy will be established Il
|. tyranniEe over the people.
Let no man call this false alarm
, II there are those who are inolIne'
20 10 so. let them read the journal o
the A. NJ. A. Let them scan thu
proceeG;<gs Of the association. hel'
always behind closed doors. and care
/ fully edited. as they are. before the.
are published in It's ofaclal organ. !
, they win do this they win see that WI
are not trying To create bugaboo b
brighten their timid Roula