The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-09-13
BRUTALITY OF MEDICAL ETHICS.
A Great Surgeon Barred from Mem.
bership in Medical Association.

tffom the National Druggist for juno,
1907
DR.. Augustus Charles Bernays. who
died few days ago in St Louis. was,
probably, the foremost surgeon in the
United States. His fame was CO.
extensive with the civilized world. lie
was not only an operator OF the high.
est order, but a tireless and exhaus-
tive worker in the field OF original
surgery. lie performed the first sue
cessful Cacsarian 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 equalcd:
Out OF eighty.one successive cases
Of appendicitis which necessitatcd
operations, scventy-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 record, match.
less as was his skin, varied and ex.
tensive 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 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
Tors 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 1t was
wrong. And 50. 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 prohted by his art: this
brilliant surgeon; this great and able
man, has, during all these. years, been
an outcast--a medical "scab;" not
as ethical" or worthy OF
fellowship by that body Of physicians
banded together in the American Med
zeal Association!
And this is the association which,
under pretense of working for the
public good. is, in reality. only seeking
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 cndcayoring 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 a 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
physicians not mem.
bers Of their guild and the people
II tnis association ever sue.
ceeds in It's undertaking II It does
1t will, after the fashion Of the labor
unions, dictate CLOSED shop" and
say to doctors who prefer to be indie
pendent, "Yoc must join our union
Or, falling to do so, compel them to
get out OF the business. II 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, medi.
cal bureaucracy will be established to
tyrann!ze over the people.
Let no man call this n false alarm.
II there are those who are inclined
to do 30, let them read the journal OF
tie A. NJ. A. Let them scan the
of the association, held
always behind closed doors. and care
'ully edited. as they are, before they
ire published In It's official organ. II
hey will 90 this they will see that we
ire not trying to create bugaboo tc
tighten their timid souls.
Oldest Congregational Church.