The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1907-09-13
BRUTALITY OF MEDICAL ETHICS.
- :
A Great Surgeon Barred from Mem
bership in Medical Association.

| DerSnlp III mSUiCdi HSooS'oeiS'''
| (From the National Druggist for June,
| 1907
DR.. Augustus Charles Bernays, who
died a 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 tireless 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 succe5slul
coeliotomy 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 necessitated
operations, seventy-one in succession
were with perfectly satisfactory re-
suits, the seventy-second patient iall-
| 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
| full as were his accomplishments, ne
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" gentle
man. 1.-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 when
those whom he knew to be his INFER
iors 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 it was
wrong. And so, twenty years ago
or more, on account of some trivial in
] fraction of-this sacred --"Code,
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. M. A, is dependent upon. mem
bership in the local and State socie-
ties, his name was dropped by the
national organization.
1 And so, though he had saved thou
sands of lives; though other physi'
clans had profited by his art; this
brilliant surgeon; thisSgreat and able
man. has, during all these years, been
an .outcast--a medical "scab;' not
recognized IS ethical" or worthy or
fellowship by that Body of physicians
banded together in the American Med
ical Association! Cf 81
And this is the association which,
under pretense of working for the
I 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 a Cabinet position and tc
place one Of its members in that pc
sition; which ic endeavorinS by law
to exclude from the use of the mails
all manufacturers of medicines VINO
do not comply with the absurd re
uuirements that they choose to sci
up; which, in short, is frying to pul
upon the statute books of State an6
nation laws that will, in effect, estab
lish a kind of medical priesthood, tt
which only their own members will b'
eligible with power and control Owe
the health and lives of the people! {.
Il. God help the druggists, the drut
manufacturers, physicians not mem
bers Of their guild, and the people
generally, if this association ever sue
ceeds in its undertaking. II it does
It will, after the fashion of the labo
unions, dictate a CLOSED shop ant
. say to doctors who prefer to be indie
pendent, you must join our uniol
or, failing to do so, compel them t.
get out of the business. 1t will sa.
| what medicines shall be taken, ant
, how they shall be made. 1t will hedg
/ the people about with a lot OF petit,
! regulations under pretense of protect
ing the public health. In fine, med
cal bureaucracy will be established
tyrannize over the people.
+ Let no man call this a false alarm
e II there are those who are incline
!. to do so, let them read the journal c
( the A. NJ. A. Let them scan IN
] proceedings of the association, hel
. always behind closed doors, and care
fully edited, as they are, before the
are published in its official organ.
they will do this they will see that W
}. are not trying to create bugaboo t
/ frighten their timid souls.