The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-09-13
BRUTALITY OF MEDICAL ETHICS.
A Great Surgeon Barred from Mem.
bershlp In Medical Association.


from the National Druggist for June,
l9O7D
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 t~Ireiess and exhaus.
tive worker in the field Of original
surgery. He performed the first sue
~cesstul Caesarian section In 1889 in
st, Louis, and also the first successful
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 neeessitated
operations, seventy-one in succession
were with perfectly satisfactory re-
suits. the seyenty.second patient fail
ing OF recovery, but the subsequent
nine cases were successfully treated.
And yet, with such a record, match
less al 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.
M nhnRna9 E.Fnp l.-..-IA
against him which, 10 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 unbccoming a man or a gentle.
man THE head and front of his of.
Tending had this eXtent-no more!t'
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 MS being inspired, or
having any binding authority on him
where his Judgment told him 1t was
wrong. And no, twenty years ago
or more, OF account of some trivial in.
fraction Of this sacred Code n
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 IA dropped by the
national organization.
And so, though he had saved thou.
sands of lives; though other physi.
clans had proHted by his art; this
brilliant surgeon; this great and able
man, has, during all these years, been
an outcastra medical 'scab;" not
recognized as ethical or worthy OF
fellowship by that body of physicians
banded together in the American Med.
lcal Association!
And this is the association which,
under pretense of working for the
good, Is, IN reality, only seeking
70 control Congress and the State
Legislatures In the interest of their
selfish schemes; which is trying
10 create a Cabinet position and to
place one OF its members in that po.
sition; which is endeavoring by law
o exclude from the use of the mails,
Ill manufacturers of medicines who
10 not comply with the absurd re-
lairements that they choose to set
which. in short. is trying to put
lpon the statute books Of State and
lation laws that will, In effect, estab-
ish a kind of medical priesthood, to
which only their own members will be
with power and control over
he health aad lives of the people!
God help the druggists, the drug
manufacturers, physicians not mem.
'ers of their guild, and the people
generally, II this association ever sue.
eeds in its undertaking. II it does,
/ will, after the fashion of the labor
dictate a CLOSED shop" and
ay to doctors who prefer to be indie
endent. you must join our union
r, falling to do SO, compel them to
ct out OF the business. 1t will say
hat medicines shall be taken. and
ow they shall be made. II will hedge
people about with q lot of petty
equations under pretense OF protect.
ng the public health, In fine, a medi.
al bureaucracy will be established to
yrannize over the people.
Let no man call this a false alarm.
there are those who are inclined
do so, let them read the journal Of
A, NJ, A. Let them scan the
roceedings Of the association. held 4,
ways behind closed doors. and care
edited, as they are, before they
e published In its official organ. II
will do this they will see that we
Q not trying to create a bugaboo to
their timid souls {,