The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-03-04

MAY ADVERTISE
COUNCIL OF AMERICAN MEDICAL
ASSOCIATION TAKES FIRST
STEPS TO REVISE coDE-oUEs-
TON TO BE DECIDED AT Ma
TIoNAL CONVENTION.

Steps have been taken al a meeting
at Chicago of the council on health
and public instruction of the Ameri-
can Medical association which may
result in the removal of the ethical
ban on newspaper advertising. After
a long discussion, in which the drift of
argument was practically unanimous
in favor of the revision of the ethical
code. the council decided to place the
question before the national house of
delegates of the American Medical
association at it's annual convention
in Atlantic City, N. j., this summer.
This is the first time he point has
ever received official recognition from
the organized medical interests of the
country, and those who favor it de-
clare that it means the removal of the
barrier between recognized medical
men and institutions and the advertis-
ing columns of the secular press. The
meeting was held at Congress hotel at
Chicago.
The discussion was led by DR.. ]. W.
Petit, medical director of the Ottawa
tuberculosis colony, who said in part:
There is no precept of our code
which meets with such universal ap-
prevail and the infringement of which
is So uulChly ISSSllLSu ny ZIG 4CPdtdDkC
element of our profession as the n
which prohibits advertising of that
fraudulent and offensive kind which is
so Justly obnoxious to the ethical
sense of every honorable and self-re-
specting physician. Our position on
his question needs no defense or even
explanation, involving as it does the
fundamental principle hat fraud and
deceit are always and un~equivocally
wrong, and never more so than when
practised upon the ~defenseless sick
and ignorant. ".
Advertising Simply Publicity,
advertising in it's best sense is
simply publicity. 1t is the element of
fraud. intentional or otherwise, which
makes advertising by our profession
so Objectionable, but advantage will
accrue TO the publicity given to meri-
torious work done by the physician.
The. removal of the stigma which
now attaches to newspaper publicity
is the only way to establish that rela-
ton between the two professions abso-
lutely necessary to cordial co-opera-
ton. If we modify our ethical rules
by permitting publicity. but not ad-
vertising. it is reasonable to assume
that members of the press will take
the position that they do not care to
cooperate with members of a pro-
fession who are so 'unco' guild and
rigidly righteous that they cannot as
~sociate on equal terms.
Union With Press Urged.
"The question that presents itself
to us for solution is this: Shall we re-
fuse to make legitimate use Of the
press because others, as we believe,
use it illegitimately? There is nothing
m nro 1ISpflrl a nd npnnSSar vE fn remove
ignorance and Misrepresentation than
authentic Information. If the public
is left to secure such information as it
may from quack and patent medicine
advertisements, 1t is very inconsistent
for us to complain if the information
is misleading.
""The united action of the press and
the medical profession in the present
crusade against tuberculosis is a strik-
ing example of what can be done by
a union of forces which had hitherto
stood apart. BY the aid of the press
we have accomplished more within a
few years than could the medical pro-
fession unaided by the press in a quar-
ter of a century.
'In any REIMBURSEMENT of our rela-
ton to the press in this matter we
must bear in mind that we incur a
great risk of bad men in our profess
sion misusing this privilege to the dis
advantage of the public n the dis
credit of the press and the medical
profession. The remedy Is simple. A
bureau of medical information under
the auspices of the American Medical
association car be organized which
shall furnish information to the press
free and also censor advertising mat
ter.
"We have been vainly attempting
to secure the establishment of a ma
tional department of health with a
medical mar as a member Of the cab
met. If we could only secure the as
s~istance OF the press, it Is a foregone
c~onclusion that we will succeed"