Evening star., 1927-05-16
President of American Medi-
cal Association Cfiticizes
"LegisIative Imperialism"
DR.. w. C. PHILLIPS OPENS
ANNUAL SESSION TODAY
DR.. Jackson Urges Mandatory In
struction in Medical Ethics
by Colleges.

technical field of the physician, ex.
emplitied by arbitrary restrictions on
the prescription of whisky. was
criticized today by DIR. Wendell c.
Phillips, president of the American
! Medical Association, in his address be-
fore the house of delegates of that
body, which met in the auditorium of
the District of Columbia Medical
Society Building.
DR.. Phillips read with approval a
recent article in the journal of the
association which describes the law
that limits the amount of whisky a
physician may prescribe as "a triumph
of legislative imperialism over the
methods and achievements of science
| unequaled even in the middle ages"
This was particularly in reference
to recent decision of the United
States Supreme Court, which held. by
a majority of to 4, that Congress
has the power to limit the amount of
| whisky physician may prescribe to
| one pint in 10 days, irrespective of
the physicians opinion of the pa
tents needs"
Committee Consideration Urged.
DIR. Phillips urged that the entire
article be considered by the reference
committee of the house of delegates.
He characterized as Insulting to an
honored profession" the regulation on
the back of recent issue of the phy-
sician's prescription book. which
reads: ''You are personally responsible
for this book. 1t will not he replaced
il lost and failure to properly safe
guard it will result in reyocat ton Of
your permit"
Dr. Phillips continued to read with
approval from the article as follows:
''The fact that Congress has arrn-
gated to itself the functions of the
medical profession and the pharma-
cologist in the enabling acts for the
enforcement of the eighteenth amend
fnent and that the Supreme Court has
sustained Congress in the usurpatioa
| of these functions holds a serious
threat to the public health. No one
is able to foresee to what extremes Of
restrictive legislation Congress may be
driven by uplifters. professional re.
formers. ciitists and fanatics, once
they gain the power. or what drug or
therapeutic procedure professional
privilege or constitutional right may
fall under the ban."
Pending Bills Mentioned.
He called attention TO n recent cir
cular letter which stated that there
are approximately 90 bills before vari-
Gus legislatures which, IL passed,
would place the opinions of unframed
men and women on par with the
findings of impersonal research"
DIR. Phillips also urged continuation
Of the policy of the association in sup
port of health education and repeated
his recommendation for q survey to
guide future activities.
Such q survey" he said. SHOULD
not only cover the work of all the or
ganiZations listed under the banner of
preventive medicine and health conser-
vation: it should include organized
medicine as represented by the Ameri-
can Medical Association and any other
medical organizations that attempt
public health work. But the survey
| have in mind would fail unless it
should give full consideration to hu-
manity and humanity's needs.
Publicity Is Recommended.
"The medical profession should
throw off it's mask of reticence and it's
shrinking attitude toward reasonable
publicity concerning health education.
professional policies narrowly con.
ceiyed can never successfully oppose
the rightful interests of the public. It
is time to strike the shackles not only
from the shrinking attitude of the
medical profession toward the public
espousal of educational programs, but
also from its attitude toward the lay
press, the radio and great assemblies
of truth-seeking persons. The physi-
clan has no right to conceal from the
great body of nonmedical readers the
great body of news of the highest i'm.
portance which is his to communi.
CATE
More rigid standards for surgeons
were urged by the speaker of the
house of delegates. Dr.. f. G., Warm
shuts, in his annual address. He point
ed out that never in the history of
the profession has it been so easy for
physician or surgeon to go wrong
and prostitute his profession for
mercenary ends. If even 1 per cent
of the physicians of the country were
of this type, he said, it would con.
stitute q serious MANAGE to public
health, and the profession as a whole
might be judged by the unthinking
and ignorant on the basis of these
few men.
Warns Against Unstilled Work.
Under our plan of medical educa.
tion." he said. "by reason of the tire.
mendous increase of hospitals Of all
kinds, and because of the outstanding
achievements that can be attained by
surgical methods in the hands of COM
petent, experienced surgeons, there Is
evidence of i'll advised, poor and un-
skilled surgical work being done by
undertrained and incompetent men.
Hospital boards in smaller hospitals
are not in control of the situation;
undersupervised. so-called private
hospitals exist. and the public will suf-
fer unless we institute measures by
which to formulate standards that
may be employed. Visits to the operat-
ing rooms and wards of hospitals and
clinics reveal increasing evidence of
i'll advised. incompetent surgical work.
This is not a general, broad indict
ment. 1t is a. citation of conditions
that may expand with potential rep
rehensible possibilities.
'As an association we have assumed
and acquitted ourselves of the prob
lem of standardizing our medical coli
leges. We have exposed and viii
continue to expose therapeutic fraud
and Misrepresentation Within the
year we have undertaken to pass APP
proval on all electrical ana physical
We have given publicity
to the quack and the charlatan and
exposed the methods.
HAS not, then, the time arrived.
and are we not obligated as Americas
highest authority to whom the publi0