The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-23
WANTS STATISTICS GATHERED IN FORM pr. Mohr Points Out The Phy-
 Sician'S Duty M'WHORTER ON EPILEPSY pr. spratIind Unable to Attend Because of IlIness-several Names Men
 toned for Presidency of
 Association.
M'WHORTER ON EPILEPSY

The meeting of the Alabama Medical association last night was notable for the plea for the collection of vital nor tuarY and infectious disease statistics in Alabama hy C. A. Mohr of Mobile. Dr. Mohr regretted the opposition to public health laws which so often develops, and he urged every doctor to do his part in collecting these statistics. He placed all the responsibility on the physicians shoulders declaring that Alabama has the most perfect system for collecting statistics in the union.
 Among his reasons for the collection of these statistics were, that they are useful to show the direction of inherit ance, to give the exact age for important purposes and to prove the rights for pension He said that it is necessary for the authorities to know the nature and extent of the diseases before they can stamp them out.
 Dr. Mohr pointed out that among the first inquiries of the prospective indus trial operator is that about the health conditions and the death rate. "If we show a reasonable death rate it will mean an added wealth to the state" he said.
 He said that the report has gone out that Alabama has a higher death rate from typhoid fever than any other state and that the deduction resulted from the fact that the cities having epidemics were the only places which gave full reports of deaths, showing that imper- feet statistics give a state a black eye. Dr. c. L. Wilber, chief statistician of the census bureau in Washington partici- pated in the discussion.
 pr. G. T. McWhorter made a short talk following the announcement that Dr. w. D. Spratling of : altimore would not be able to be present on account of illness to discuss the epileptic colony in New York pr. McWhortor Is the
 senator who introduced the bill which
 provided for the establishment of an
 epileptic colony in Alabama. He said
 that he had assurances from Governor
 Conner that there would be money in
 the treasury shortly which would set
 the colony on it's feet. At his instance
 a resolution was passed expressing great
 thanks to Dr. Spratling Tor his offer of
 400 acres of Alabama land for this home.
 Dr. Spratling made the offer immediate
 ly after the bill was passed and he was
 given a rising vote of thanks.
 Dr. McWhorter said that during this
 year several epileptics in the state have
 come to death by fire and falling, and he
 urged the importance of furnishing re-
 lief for this unfortunate class of suf ferers.
 Other papers read last night were "Os- teomyelitis of Tibia With Transplantation of Fibula," by Dr. Gaston Torrance of
 Birmingham; "A Study of Burns In
 volving the Periosteum of the Vault of the Skull" by Dr. J. Nj Mason of Br-
 Transmission" by Dr. J. D. s. Davis of
 Birmingham. The programme was not completed but on account of the late
 hour 1t became necessary to adjourn. The meeting of the Alabama Medical
 association will come to an end this morning with the only business session
 yet held. Officers are to be elected, reso- lutions adopted and final matters dis
 posed of.
 This is the only convention yet held in Birmingham where there was not some kind of a frame-up for the election or , president No one has yet been pushed forth and there are but two mentioned, II. w. Blair of Sheffield and w. M. Will
 kerson of Montgomery.
 These will both be nominated and a number of other names will most prob ably be voted on. The report of the board of censors will be one of interest The year under the presidency of Dr. B. l.. Wyman will then come to close. It has been one of the most successful in the history of the association. It Is stated there have been few such pro- grammes as the one just finished.
 Papers Very Technical. Yesterdays sessions of the State Med- ical association were perhaps the most im- portant to the physicians, but the Il
 papers read during the day were all so technical as to be beyond the understand ing of the ordinary mind.
 In the morning, however, Lawrence H. Lee of Montgomery addressed the conven- ton on the need for better expert testi- mony by physicians on the witness stand. He told of the Importance of this class of testimony and it's great weight with the jury, and insisted that the judge should | always appoint a commission of really ' competent experts. He urged the conven- 1 ton to recommend such a course to the l legislature.
 | A paper was also read by Dr. Richard | M, Fletcher of Chicago, former Ala | bamian, on "The Surgery of the Spinal | Cord" He made a fine impression, and a general discussion of the subject fol- lowed This was his reference to his old home:
 And now, MT President and gentlemen, ! I beg you to grant me the privilege of extending to you and the members of | this association my very sincere apprecia- ton of the high honor you have conferred upon me.
 Ut is just 22 years since I first attend ed a meeting of this society. From early boyhood I have had the pleasure of being at this meeting with my father, and from the beginning of my professional career it
 was my privilege to be one of your mem bers Notwithstanding the fact that the flag and duty and ambition have caused me to follow far distant paths during the past decade, beg to assure you that my appreciation of this splendid organiza- ton of the lamented Cochran and his CO.,
 workers has daily increased, and my love
 and friendship for all of these members has been been vastly augmented In the years since I have been away from you. If you have not been wanderer you can not fully appreciate the joy and happiness that Is mine as I stand here and look into your friendly faces. l cannot ex- press to you in words my deep love of | each of you and how much I appreciate your friendship and generous hospitality. | l can only beg. you to do me the honor | whenever you may be in Chicago to make