The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-04-18
Former President of JEFF
ferson County Medical So
ciety Issues Statement
on Coming Contest
WILL BE TAKEN TO
THE LEGISLATURE
FOR SETTLEMENT
Advocates Abolition of College OF
Counsellors and Goes Into Details
to Substantiate His Claim
That 1t Is Unnecessary
and Pernicious

There promises to be one OF the liveliest
fights of recent years staged at the meet
ing of the Alabama Medical association
here this week. when the Jefferson County
Medical society will undertake to have
passed certain changes In the conduct OF
the organization. especially as regards
the election of officers and their tenure of
office.
fight win in all probability be directed
at the present state health office. and the
Jefferson county physicians are grooming
themselves for the conflict. DR.. j. M
Mason. who was president of the Jefrer-
son County Medical society last year,
says there has been dissatisfaction IN the
Alabama association for Is years. due to
the arbitrary and unrepresentative char
acter OF the organization. and that this
dissatisfaction has been steadily growing
DR. Mason intimated to The Age-Herald
reporter that he believed the jefferson
County Medical society would bs defeated
In Its fight at the associations meeting
and further intimated that IL such result
should be had, the matter would be car
ried to the legislature for action.
DIR. Mason can see no necessity for the
college of counsellors in the work of the
Alabama Medical association and states
his position in unmistakable terms The
college of counsellors, as matters now
stand. controls the meetings of the ASSOC
citation. and has absolute control over
matters that are to be voted on by the
organization. The college also elects Off
GERS and delegates are not permitted to
collect ballots or to act as counters. or
tellers of the election
DIR. Mason's Statement
DR.. Mason's statement follows:
II am constrained to make these state
ments only because member of the state
committee of public health recently stated
in effect before the probe committee that
there was no general dissatisfaction with
the organization. and that the only opposi-
ton was In the Jefferson County Medical
society. 4J.
when became member OF the State
Medical association, some 16 years ago,
there then existed dissatisfaction with the
arbitrary and unrepresentative character
of the organization. and this dissatsfac-
ton has been steadily growing. Efforts
time to effect such changes In the organ
ization as. would make II more modem and
effectual as a scientific medical society.
and more useful as a board of health.
Most positively, personalities play no
part In the attitude of the Jefferson Cuun-
ty society. As the largest medical society
in the state, and one of the largest in tho
country. holding meetings every Monday
In the year. with programmes covering
fa1d Of opiauft6c pap1ipal work a nj
discussions embracing every feature OF
our organization, both as a medical acsor
citation and as a health board. we feel
that we thoroughly understand the organ.
ization. that we clearly see its shortcom-
ings, and we have diligently tried not to
break II down, as some would have you
believe, but to remove the features that
are working its undoing.
Causes of Dissatisfaction
There are two main causes for dissatis-
faction:
II. The domination and control Of the
medical association by a self-perpetuating
body Of councillors, elected for life.
"2. A realization of the fact that the
dual function of the State Medical asso-
citation as a scientific society and as a
board of health is mistake and a failure.
and that in trying to maintain this dual
existence, each of the functions Is suf-
fering.
IF the State Medical association were
only medical society, as many of us
think 1t should be. the public would have
no special interest in its organization or
internal dlssentions, and there would be
no occasion for this interview. Since,
however, in the guise Of medical as
ISOLATION 1t is also the legally constituted
state board of health. every citizen Is
entitled to a knowledge of Its organiza-
ton and workings
''The college of counsellors has been,
up to the present time, a self-perpetuating
body. When vacancies have occurred, q
committee composed entirely of COUNSEL
(COutluued IN Pnge SKI