Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1907-09-14
BRUTALITY OF MEDICAL ETHICS.
A Great Surgeon Barred from Mem
bership in Medical Association.

From the National Druggist for June.
1900
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 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
coeliOtomy for gunshot wound of the
abdomen and the first gladstone opera
ton in Missouri. A record held by
DR.. Bernays has never been equa1ed:
Out of eighty-one successive cases
of appendicitis which necessitated
operations, seventy-one in succession
were with perfectly satisfactory re
suits, the seventy 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-
tensive as was his learning, wonder
full as were his accomplishments, he
W DIS not COuSioSLGO, ny Tic &AIlICI1OCI1
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 mOrei"
| 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 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. M 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;" MOI
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 thei1
own selfish schemes; which is tryin;
to create a Cabinet position and t.
place one Of its members in that pc
sition; which is endeavoring by law
to exclude from the use Of the mails
all manufacturers of medicines VIII
do not comply with the absurd re
| Quirements that they choose to sc
up; which, in short, is trying to pu
upon the statute books Of State an
nation laws that will, in effect, estal
> | lish a kind of medical priesthood, t
: which only their own members will
: eligible with power and control owe
the health and lives of the people!
God help the druggists, the dru
manufacturers, physicians not men
bers of their guild, and the peopl
generally, if this association ever SUI
ceeds in its undertaking. If it does
/ it will, after the fashion of the labo
unions, dictate a CLOSED shop an
say to doctors who prefer TO be ind'
pendent, "You must join our unio
or, failing to do so, compel them
get out of the business. 1t will sd
what medicines shall be taken, an
how they shall be made. It will hedg
the people about with a lot of petit
regulations under pretense of protec
: ing the public health. In fine, med
) cal bureaucracy will be established
tyrannize over the people.
Let no man call this false alar1
If there are those who are incline
to do so, let them read the journal
the A. M. A. Let them scan tt
proceedings of the association. he
always behind closed doors, and car
fully edited, as they are. before the
are published in its official organ
e they viii do this they will see that "
, are not trying to create bugaboo |
Il brighten their timid souls.
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