The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-22


 ever was deprived of its glory when
 Dr. Sanders himself voted in favor of
 giving Dr. Gorgas precedence.
 Welch. Ridicules Insurgents The standpatters' were not with cut their mede of satisfaction either. pr. $. w. Welch of Talladega, former 1 ly a president of the associations in | speaking of the officers of the asso- l citation and their functions, rdiculed l the claim of the insurgents that they We're struggling for a reorganiza ton 1 because of democratic and utilitarian ideas. He intimated very strongly that l Jefferson county in desiring a change l in conditions was suffering from a sore toe malady. In the course of | his address he defended the strict rules | of the examination board and made 1 the startling statement that the board examined papers according to their
 merit and were not rendered partial through the appeal of failing applicants
 accompanied by the Masonic sign of distress. That this sign was em- | ployed more often than any layman
 could imagine, was another of his re-
 marks.
 Dr. Sanders during the afternoon l had word to say of the legislative recess committee on investigation, be- fore which some days ago he was a | witness.
 The minds of that board are pois-
 oned,' he said. That was made very 1 plain through the manner in which l they asked questions"
 l 1t is interesting in this connection to recall that the session of the commits tee which was featured by the testi- mony of pr. Sanders was more or less I violent on account of differences Of opinion which repeatedly asserted I themselves.
 pr. Welch also took fling at tfe l legislature when he stated that from his observation the lawmakers are | more concerned with "a red steer and a Jersey hog than with the health of the state of Alabama
 Many Resolutions Introduced Shortly following the Welch roasting of l the legislature, Dr. l. c. Ballard caused amusement by introducing a resolution Detitioning the legislature to abolish the l license which doctors are required to pay l for the privilege of doing business in | Alaba ma" Dr. H. s. Ward, following, in- l troduced a resolution committing the as- l sociation to the bill of the Jefferson l County Medical association which seeks 1 to acquire separation of the health de 1 partment and the association. Dr. h. M. Cunningham, in the capacity of pacifi- cator, attempted to pour oil on the
 
 ! resolution providing for the gradual elim- ination of the college of self-perpetuat- 1 ing counsellors simply by declining to fill vacancies pr. Cunningham agrees with the sense of the McAdory resolution in- l troduced Tuesday calling for the resig- nation of Dr. Sanders either state 1 health officer or a member of the board | of censors of the association.
 | All of the resolutions introduced were referred to the board of censcIs which will make it's report tomorrow On Hat day. the concluding day of the session. the big battle, for which both sides are grooming themselves. and for which the l insurgents will meet in conference this morning at the Chamber of Commerce, will be joined. The indications are that Dr. Sanders will win a temporary vic tory, but that the day of finally reckon ing will be materially advanced. It is | considered probable that the struggle will he carried to the floor of the legislature in July.
 Ask Tax on the Dead i It was made apparent yesterday after | noon that some of the doctors of the state, imbued with a deter imitation to collect mortuary statistics in the sev erai counties of the state, will ask the | legislature to require of the families of deceased a burial permit, at a cost of 50 cents, before body can be placed be- | heath the sod. The doctors who favor this plan declare facetiously that even
 were it to be adopted, it would not re- suit in an increase in the cost of liv- ing.
 This idea was introduced when pr. H. G. Perry of Montgomery, treasurer. of the association, delivered an address on the collection of vital statistics in Ala bama He had explained that only six counties of the state had measured in this respect up to the requirement., name ly, that 90 per cent of births and deaths be reported, the standard being 20 births
 and 15 deaths to the 1000 people. The
 six counties thus complimented were Col
 bert, Dallas, Lauderdale. Perry Talladega
 collection of mortuary statistics. Dr.
 be asked to do in July what would be
 equivalent to placing a tax on the dead.
 Dr. E. H. Scholl, following the address
 of Dr. Perry. declared that he was the
 pioneer in the collection of vital sta
 tistics in Alabama, as he had undertaken that work of his own accord shortly fol- lowing the conclusion of the war when all his worldly goods consisted of "a dollar and mule.'' Scientific Papers From a scientific standpoint, yester- days session of the convention was per- haps the most brilliant of all sessions to date. The Jerome Cochran lecture was delivered by Dr. John B. Elliott. IT,, professor of the practice of medicine in Tulane university. His subject was The Abscess of the Liver and his effort was masterful. The annual oration on sur gerry was delivered by Dr. William Sea man BaiDbridge. an eminent surgeon of