Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1907-09-14
BRUTALITY OF MEDICAL ETHICS.
A Great Surgeon Barred from Mem
bership in Medical Association.

From the National Druggist for June,
1907
Or. 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 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 successful
coeliot0my 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 necesstated
operations, seyenty-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-
tensiye as was his learning, wonder
full 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
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. 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 profted 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 a Cabinet position and to
place one of its 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 put
upon the statute books of State and
nation laws that will, in effect, estab-
lish 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 its undertaking. If it does,
it 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 union
or, falling to do so, compel them to
get out of the business. 1t will say
what medicines shall be taken, and
how they shall be made. 1t 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 to
tyrannize over the people.
Let no man call this a false alarm.
If there are those who are inclined
to do so, let them read the journal of
the A, NJ. A. 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 its official organ. If
they will do this they will see that we
are not trying to create a bugaboo to
brighten their timid souls