The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-01-07
 HEALTH OF
 THE PUBLIC Doctors and Aldermen Met Last Night. NEW LAWS ARE ELUcDATED Alabama's System of Health Laws
 Explained. Aadresse. Were Made by state Health omeer W. H. Sanders, Other Physician. and By
 Aldermen.
NEW LAWS ARE ELUcDATED

dated the public health system of Ala bama. probably the finest of all the Hfate systems in the United States.f
 pr. ". H. Sanders. State Health Of- her, spoke first and afterwards intro- 1nced the physicians and civic officers Who spoke. Mayor ". NJ. Teague of MontEQmery. presided over the meet ing which was held in the Council Ennmber ip the City Hall. pr. F. M. 4ieGonniec was Secretary to the con Terence.
 The physicians of ether cities pres efaf last night were: Dr. John F. Fur nlss of Selma. Dr. V. r. Gaines of Mo- pile. D.. T. l.. Robinson, pr. E. Fl. Shaw and Dr. D. F. Talley of Birming ham.
 pr. Sanders, ceginning his address, said that the public health system of Ala abarna, gradually developed until 1t was now the best in the country, paid 4iEh tribute to the late pr. deroTn0 Cochran of Mobile, who was State Health Officer immediately before pr. Sanders, who has discharged the autles of the office for eleven years. pr. cochran. pr. Sanders said. had con Eetved and formulated the system. The Legislature had enacted the plans into law, and 1t now remained for the per- sons named in the laws to effect it's enforcement
 Just as the Governor was expected to assist in the enforcement of the health laws for the State the Probate Judge and the County Commissioners and the Mayor aud the Council were expected to see to 1t that the statutes were en : forced for the county and the city. All were necessary parts of the system
 The Legislature, Dr. Sanders contin- uad had created the health system by endewing it with legal powers. He dWe1t particularly upon the work of T F.nrF Hat fR, lne4f uary. The States law-paakers haU be- gun the work in 1877 and had gradual- zy extended 1t with their assistancet
 The speaker explained that the laws were distributive. not concentrative of the powers. The State Medical Asso- ciation. with membership of 1,200 or 1.So0, was created by the State Board of Health. g deIiberative body. that met annually.
 Much of It's work was accomplished by the ten members, elected by the As- sociation. who discharge the functions oR a. board of censors, who deliberate ana decide questions appealed by mem- berg of the Association, especially ques- xions of ethics: the functions of a board of cxamlpers for the examfna- tlon of applicants for licenses to prac- xIce medicine in Alabama; and the functioHs of a Public Health Commit tee.
 The executive force consisted of the State Health Oficer. the State Bacte- f1o1ogist and Pathologtst, the regis frar of vital and mortuary statlsics, and the clerical assistants. The cleo 4ion o3 all the executive officers by the State Medical Association divorced tho system from politics.
 Dr. Sanders then explained briefly the systems of the county and the city. Each county had its Health association and its county health officers, parallel with the officers of the State; and the city had it's health officer.
 The system can and should be en- forced, pr. Sanders said in conclusion. The laymen want health protected. Ex- pert Knowledge is needed. but the med fcal profession must have the cooper ati0n Of the citizens.
 pr. Sanders introduced the various speakers of the evening.
 Dr. Shaw of Birmingham, veteran member kof the Board of Censors, ex- plasned that the Board of Censors had n membershiD of ten. chosen for five years. and was committee of refer anca. especially for the deliberation and decision of ethical matters. To 1t fp committed the annual message Of the President of the Association and the nrepara tion of the message for its final submission to the Association Is a p9rt of it's work. The work is often olf- ficult and arduous. but it Is necessary.
 pr. Talley of Birmingham spoke for fhe Board of Examiners. He said there was probably no more important body in the State than the Examiners About 914,000.000 was paid for patent medi- cines in the State; no one knows how much Is paid to ouacks. The Board was the only barrier. he said, against the physicians turned out by cheap medical colleges. for the public could not well determine for itself who was a good doctor. Incompetent persons were prevented bv the Board, which does not demand diplomas. but accepts for examination any reputable candi- date. No discrimination against meth ods of practice was made. but all were required to have a general knowledge of the fundamentals medicine. The Board does not examine on therapeu- tics
 The abolition of the county boards by the Legislature affords a uniform system of examinations.
 The Board of Examiners may revoke the license of a physician for proper cause.
 The practice of medicine by a person not properly qualified is a misdemeanor.
 In the October examinations nine of the fifteen candidates were rejected.
 pr. Cameron of Eutaw. who was to speak for the Board of Public Health being absent. Dr. Sanders explained that bOFu was, so 10 SDeak, an duNlS- ory cabinet to the State authorities.
 Dr. Sanders spoke very briefly of his own office. State Health Officer who is the chief executive of the State Medical Association.
 Dr. E. M Mason. State Bacteriologist .~and Pathologist, spoke of the purposes and duties Of his office. To know the cause and the kind of a disease to be 4reated-the primary step in treatment of disorders-a laboratory such as the State would soon provide was neces- sary. In addition. field equipment would be provided. The laboratory and the officer would be for the use of all phvsicians in the State.
 Dr. Wilkinson. President of the Montgomery County Medical Associa- the unit. The Association meets once a week. As a country board of health. it has it's authority from the State. The meetings are usually scientific in tone and are we'll attended. It's duties are parallel with the State Association's duties, except, of course, that its scope is smaller. The County Association has also judicial and social sides.
 pr, Glenn Andrews. County Health Ofieer. spoke of the functions of his office. He Is purely executive under the County Board of Health, and has jurisdictions only without the corporate limits of the city of Montgomery. Ger taln diseases, which must be reported