Evening star., 1912-06-18
ATTACK OLD SCHOOL
Eclectic Medical Society
Speakers Criticise A|Iopaths.
MEDICAL FREEDOM URGED
Forty Second Annual Session Opens
Today at Shoreham.
LARGE NUMBER OF DELEGATES
Welcoming Speech by Commissioner
Rudolph-Addresses by Promi-
nent Members.
MEDICAL FREEDOM URGED
LARGE NUMBER OF DELEGATES

Alleging the old school of practitioners
is unwilling to allow patients to choose
their own type of physicians. and that IT
is trying to force on the public through
legislation and other means only treat
ments of diseases such as it advocates,
speakers before the opening session OF
the forty-second annual meeting OF the
National Eclectic Medical Association al
the Shoreham today charged allopaths
with being narrow in their views and
fearing to enter the field Of practice OF
medicine in open competition with fol
lowers Of other systems.
DR.. George H Mcdonald Of Washing
ton characterized the American Medical
Association as a "green-eyed monster
and Medical Trades Union which was
against the spirit Of freedom In the prac-
tice of medicine.
Dr. John T. Sibley Of New York said
that repeated invitations from the allo-
paths asking eclectics to join In their
fraternity were not made In good faith
and that behind the invitations was the
hope of the allopathS to make the eclec-
tics lose their identity entirely.
"Amalgamation," said DR.. Sfbley.
means either assimilation or annihila-
ton. and we will lose our identity. 1t
is plain case Of the allopa thic spider
fore some state boards Of examination
test the knowledge of the physician on
plumbing and gasftting, but medicine Is
practically overlooked. Bedside practice
is too much ignored to give time to lab
oratory work. I believe in this associa-
ton and believe that it will fight until
all the laws curtailing medical freedom
are stricken from the statute books.
Attitude Toward Discoveries.
Almost every new discovery In medi-
cine has been met with derision. Even
the thermometer. which Is in such gen.
eral use now. was not used for more than
fifty years after 1t was discovered Old
time physicians were slow to take up with
anything new. The time must come when
patients shall have the freedom to choose
their own physicians
DR.. Mcdonald said the proposed legisla-
ton to form a department of health and
have the commissioner of health a mem
ber of the Presidents cabinet was simply
scheme of the old school of doctors to
make one clique predominant, and that ii
would mean that only members Of the
clique would have the right to practice as
they pleased. II want to impress upon
you," he said. that one of the underly-
ing principles Of eclectics Is to build up
and not deplete. The eclectics will fight
to the finish for freedom"
DR.. Mcdonald gave a resume of the
development of eclectfcs. telling Of the
various oppositions which, he said, the
new school had encountered from other
practitioners.
said that there is need for all schools of
medicine, and those following the eclectic
system felt kindly toward other physi-
clans He said that the various eclectic
schools In the country were striving for
betterment in the practice of medicine.
Welcoming Address.
Commissioner Cuno H Rudolph wei
coined the delegates to the city. He said
that he knew little Of medicine. but that
II the principles Of eclecticism were, as
he understood them, to use the best
methods Of all branches. he thought the
base was a good one. He spoke of the
efforts to make Washington the most
that the delegates urge their members
in Congress toward this end-with "allo-
pathtc'' doses.
Rev. Henry N. Couden. chaplain Of the
House Of Representatives. pronounced
the invocation. Other speakers this
Taunton. Mass: DR.. G. T. Fuller of the
state board Of health of Kentucky and
DR.. J. A. Munk of Los Angeles. Cal.
The association will remain in session
until Friday. Delegates are in attend
ance from every section of the United
States. The program includes discus
sions Of all phases Of medicine. The
association has a membership of 1000.
There are many woman delegates,
among them Drs. Mary B. Morey Of
Texas. Ella Richardson. Illinois; Flor
ence Truax, Atlanta, Ga, and DR..
Blanchard Of St Louis, Mo.
Officers in Attendance.
The officers Of the association, all OF
whom are in attendance, are: President.
Dr. A. r. Stephens Of st. Louis, Mo-: first
vice president DR.. q. T. Fuller. Mayfield,
Ky: second vice president, Dr.. Thomas
Owings Of H1nkley. ILL.,: third vice presi-
dent. Dr. Mamie M. Glenn Of the State
College Of Pennsylvania: recording secre-
tary, Dr.. William p. West Indianapolis,
Ind: corresponding secretary, DIR. w. N.
Mundy Of Forest, Ohio, and treasurer,
DR.. e. G.. Sharp Of Guthrie. Okla.
Business sessions will be held morning,
afternoon and evening.