The Monticellonian., 1907-09-12
BRUTALITY OF MEDICAL ETHICS.
A Great Surgeon Barred from Mem bership in Medical Association.


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 Dr. Augustus Charles Bernays. who died few days ago in St. Louis was, probably the foremost surgeon ia 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 i'll 1889 in St Louis, and also the first successful coeliotomy for gunshot wound of the abdomen and the first gallstone opera tion in Missouri. A record held by Dr. Bernays has never been equaled: Out of eighty-one successive eases of appendicitis which necessitated operations. seyenty=one in succession were with perfectly satisfactory re- suits. the seYenty-secend 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- fensiYe 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 surgeon; his moral character was never the subject of attack; he was never accused of having done any man. The head and front of his of lending had this extent-no morets He dared to think He refused to mold his opinions and 10 govern his actions by the arbitrary rules which 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" 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 dependent 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 or 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 a 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 to puo upon the statute books of State and nation laws that will, in effect, estab- fish kind of medical priesthood, to which only their own members will be eligible with power and control over the health and lives of the people,
 God help the druggists. the drug manufacturers, physicians not mem bers of their guild. and the people generally, if this association ever sue ceeds in it's undertaking. If it does, 1t will, after the fashion of the labor unions, dictate "closed shop" and say to doctors who prefer to be inde- pendent, You must join our union or, failing to do so compel them to get out of the business. Il will say what medicines shall be taken, and how they shall be made. 1t will hedge the people about with lot of petty regulations under pretense of protect ing the public health. In fine. a medi cal bureaucracy will be established tc tyrannize over the people.
 Let no man call this false alarm If there are those who are inclined to do so, let them read the journal of the A NJ. 4. Let them scan the proceedings of the association, held always behind closed doors. and care. fully edited, as they are, before they are published in it's official organ. If they will do this they will see that we are not trying to create bugaboo to frighten their timid souls.
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