The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1907-11-29
ADDITIONAL LOCAL.
Dr.. McCormack's Lecture.


When it was announced that Western Mary
land College proposed to have doctor OF
medicine deliver the first of the annual lect-
ures, and invited the community 10 hear him
talk Of his profession, 1t was a question with
many If the occasion promised much interest.
But large and representative audience did
come to hear him, and the opinion was quite
unanimous that il was one of the most inter
esting and instructive lectures from start TO
finish ever heard here. He spoke for an hour
aud half and was followed with the closest
attention throughout. When complimented
on the force of his address, be modestly re-
piled sit was only common sense'-buti il was
surely presented In an uncommonly straight
forward way. He took high ground for the
profession and for the laity, and could his
suggestions be carried out they would work a
most invaluable reform in the betterment Of
life's conditions.
He said in part :-''Laymen have always
| looked upon medicine as one of the occult
| sciences Doctors, their methods and every
| thing concerning them, certainly in recent
| years without intention, were kept in the realm
| Of the weird. the mysterious, almost the super
natural, and hence they have always been
| easily misrepresented and constantly mlsun-
| dersiood.
"a few years ago my profession was aroused
| TO the enormity Of this evil and to It's banetul
| effects upon it and the people, and We banded
| ourselves together to exterminate 1t; and
| probably never before in the history of the
| world did a reform so sweep a profession.
| Now, regardless Of schools or pathIes, ours Is
rapidly becoming one of the most harmonious
| of the vocations.
| DIR. Mccormack advocated the taking up OF
medical research and scientific work by the
| Government and pointed out the help it would
! give in essening disease and suffering.
| bad as the record Of disease has been in
| the nation; he said, Figures show that it is
worst in Maryland. One.third of the people
| sick in this State last year and every year and
one third Of those taken to your cemeteries
were sick and died of diseases which present
knowledge make practically preventabe.
| Your profession in this State and nation
has unsefshly tried to secure legislation
| having these ends in view, but large number
| of legislators believed that these efforts were
| selfish, were not made for the good of the
people, not stopping TO consider that, so far
| as doctors prevent sickness, they diminish
their own incomes. Legislators found no
| other vocations urging bills antagonlstic to
| their own interests, and they could not under
! stand why medical men could do so.
Had our profession been as harmonious,
! as wise and in as close touch with the people
| in public way during the formative perloo
| Of our Government as the lawyers, health and
medical boards would have been as much a
part Of the warp and wool of our political
| system as the courts
a great central health department at
! Washington, endowed in accordance with the
power aud wealth of our Federal Government,
| engaged every day in such laboratory research
work as would develop the causes Of many
diseases not yet understood, with such com,
prehensiye system Of collective investigation
as would make it possible to gather the facts
in regard to every case OF sickness and death
which occurs and utilize them in preventing
other sickness and dischargiAg the other func-
tons belonging to such department, is just
as much necessity, if our people are to have
the benefits of modern scientific knowledge
applied to their daily needs, as the Supreme
Court of the United States"
Hon. DR.. j. w. Herring, in the double ca
pacity OF president of the Board of Trustees
of the College and as senior member of the
Carroll County Medical Association, presided
and with him on the stage were Judge VIM.
| II. Thomas, DR.. S. Simpson, County School
Superintendent; B. Frank Grouse, DIR. j. NJ
| Fitzhugh and Prof. w. r. Mcdaniel, all OF
whom made brief speeches commendatory Of
the admirable address of the evening.