The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-29
State Health Officer De. clares Fight By Progress
 sives for Personal Ends
GORGAS NOT AUTHOR
 OF BILL, HE DECLARES
Dr. J. M. Mason On Request Issues Statement Attempting to Show Domination of State Medical Association By Self-Per-
 petuating Body

The fight to the end that the health department of the state might be di- vorced from the politics which have enveloped the medical association of the state of Alabama was featured yesterday by a statement from Dr. w. II. Sanders, state health officer, who visited Birmingham In an interview granted on request of pr. ]. M. Mason. at one time president of the Jefferson County Medical society.
 pr. Sanders. who, 1t is said, controls the state association and Is its repro- sentative as health officer of tho state, declared that the fight in the associa- ton was not patriotic, hut was be- ing waged by those who would ac- quire place and honor in the associa- ton. He declared that tho so-cailed Gorgas bin was not written by Dr.
 William c. Gorgas of the United States army. but was prepared hy others; that
 Dr. Gorgas did suggest certain changes in A letter. hut that these changes were not acted upon.
 In his interview pr. Mason points out the fact that inasmuch as the health of all the people Is vitally con- eerned, the people were vitaliy con- co,ned in the effort of the progress slves" to free the association of It's political handicap. He attempts to show fthat the association and the health of the public is dominated and controlled by self-perpetuating coun- sdlors and that other thap they. no one of the 2000 members of the asso-
 cistion have weight or word in coun-
 sel.
 Statement by Dr. Mason
 pr Mason said:
 There are two main causes Tor dis
 satisfaction:
 First the domination and control
 of the medical association by a self rorpetuating body of counsellprs, elect Cd for life. =
 "second. a realization of the fact that the dual function of the State Medical association as a scientific so- ciety and as hoard of health Is mistake and failure and that in try Ing to maintain this dual existence each of the functions is suffering. Tho college of counsellors has been. up to the present time. a self-perpet- ua.ing body. When vacancies have oc- cured committee composed entire- ly of councillors hass nominated the men to fill the vacancies
 The counsellors vote on all mattera coming before the association and arc the only members of the association wb, can hold any office in the asso- citation, or who can serve on any per- manent committee of the association. 'If this matter were confined to tho medical society. no one outside the medical profession would feel any spe- cial interest in it. but when 1t is re- called that this means that no one outs side this body of counsellors can serve as an officer of the state board of health, it becomes a matter of im- portance to everyone in the state. You will be told. no doubt, that the college | of counsellors cannot control the as- | sociation. because every county society | Is represented by two delegates and that if the delegates came and do thcir duty they can control the organiza- | ton.
 This sounds reasonable. but there are 139 counsellors and the number Is constantly increasing, while the full strength of the delegates was until recently only l34 and last year II counties sent no delegates at all. Let us see how it works out.
 Tt it usual in deliberative bodies | for the work of the body to be carried cn through investigations and reports | of different standing committees and l for these committee to be composed Of tho delegates who make up the con. vention.
 But One Committee Not 70 in the state Medical asso- citation. We have one committee of 10 members. the board of censors. all
 counsellors. to which Is referred every
 matter of business coming before the | association. except nominations to va- l cnncies on the college of councillors | This nominating committee is appotnt~ cd each year by the president but itp membership has been composed to tho l present time entirely of ccunnelloro This looks all right, but oinoo al1
 matters touching the welfare of tho 1 association must be referred tb tho
 board of ceusors. combating entirely % counsellors. there are no coMmtttooe l for delegates to act on. Thoy 0Yo barred from entering Into . eonel1o1s Ation of any of the busineae e t0& Intsociation when matters arc disoNooo1 ! Hrn.ss~-~A ~~ w.~a WA~-a S # 1<