server does not properly diagnosticate the disease, no quarantine is thought of, and other preventive measures are not undertaken. The medical profession in Ohio, as a whole, and 1 presume elsewhere, at the time of its first appearance was entirely ignorant of the disease clinically, many men never having seen a case in practice, as for a generation it had rarely made its appearance unless in isolated portions of the country. Vaccination as a necessary operation had been forgotten or ignored. I have met physicians who confess they had never vaccinated any one in their community. When smallpox comes into it what a field presents itself for its ravages! With ignorance as to diagnosis there is no wonder that unseemly discussions have prevented prompt attention to the establishment of quarantine. If on the first outbreak of smallpox, boards of health had been able to communicate with local medical societies, and instruct as to the nature of the disease, and rules to be followed in combating its spread, great suffering, loss of life and destruction of property might have been prevented. The members of the medical society are the ones to enforce sanitary regulations, and to do so effectively all must be of one mind as near as possible, so that the people will permit what seems to them unreasonable hardship. Varied expression of opinions from the doctors always tend to weaken the public faith in them. To be a power in the community physicians must reason often together and arrive at conclusions that to their patients must appear unanimous.

It has been demonstrated that tuberculosis is a contagious, preventable and curable disease, and yet physicians do not formulate plans by which such knowledge may be forcefully presented to the people. There is a demand for such knowledge which must come from well-digested facts as shown, not by the text-books alone, but by the experience of active workers, who can bring fresh from their fields of observation such conclusive proofs as to be incontrovertible when debated in the medical society. Having agreed that isolation, diet and fresh air are necessary for recovery

from the scourge, as a body the association of medical men can demand that the State furnish hospitals for the treatment of the disease, and then the money will be forthcoming and valuable lives saved.

Sanitary science has been making wondrous strides during the past ten years. Sewerage and care for water supplies have received much attention, and still we have typhoid fever in abundance, proven to be caused, for the most part, by impure drinking water. Science has shown to a great degree all pathogenic germs can be destroyed by sand filtration, and still municipal authorities refuse to expend necessary money for their introduction. Public sentiment must be aroused by the united efforts of medical men working together as local societies. No government, either municipal or State, can for long resist the demands of the public educated by the doctors.

A united profession should be able to use its powerful influence to bring about reciprocity between the examining boards of all States. There is no just reason why one qualified to practice in one State should be prevented from doing so in another without a second examination. Qualification for membership in the American Medical Association should be sufficient to permit of reciprocity in practice. This Association should not be satisfied until it sees such efforts successful. Now is the opportune time to offer to assist that organization formed in Chicago a month or so ago, composed of representatives of the examining boards of several States, having for its object the establishment of reciprocal relations between the medical examining and licensing boards of the United States, the basis for such reciprocity being (a) the filing of certificates of good moral and professional character; (b) a certificate that an examination had been made by the proper board of any State on which an average grade of 75% was awarded, the holder therefore having been at the time of the examination the legal possessor of a diploma from a medical college in good standing in the State where reciprocal registration is sought, may be accepted in lieu of examination as evidence of qualification; (c) that a

certificate of registration or license issued by the proper board of any State may be accepted as evidence of qualification for reciprocal registration in any other State. Provided, that the holder thereof was at the time of such registration the legal possessor of a diploma issued by a medical college in good standing in the State in which reciprocal registration is sought, and that the date thereof was prior to the legal requirement of the examination test in such State.

I quote thus at length a portion of the rules proposed governing medical reciprocity, trusting that the good sense of our State Society will indorse them, not by vote, but by influencing the legislator to support the attempts made by the new organization. I am happy to say the examining board of Ohio was represented at that meeting.

Finally, gentlemen, I desire to present to you my conviction that in order to assist the members of our Association to gain greatest good from fellowship, there must be a medium of intercommunication whereby the proceedings of the county societies may be recorded and circulated, where cases of interest may be published, and where questions can be answered. If papers read at this meeting with discussions thereon could be given in print in the near future, there will be some benefit to be derived; to wait a year for our proceedings to appear renders them almost valueless. I believe the time has come that we should change our present method. As the American Medical Association and the associations of several States have found it profitable to support their journals, I recommend that we do likewise. With the enlarged membership expected by the reorganization of our Association, it seems possible to me to conduct such an enterprise. As an experiment it might be well to select some established medical journal of the State, and by assisting in its publication make it the organ of our Association. Whether such a movement would be wise or not I leave to the House of Delegates to decide.

Medical Organization

BY BROOKS F. BEEBE, M. D., CINCINNATI

Chairman of the Council, Ohio State Medical Association

Not a physician's name in the Hall of Fame! Only a limited recognition of their worth by the public at large or even among ourselves! Intelligent, law-abiding, unselfish as they are, conscientious and attentive to their duties, progressive in their methods and science, altruistic to a degree not equaled by others, still medical men, with few exceptions in America, at least-do not occupy that place in the world's affairs or in public esteem that should be theirs. Where lies the fault? In my humble judgment, it is chiefly in themselves. Of a possible 120,000 physicians in the United States, only 30,000 belong to any medical society. There are three times as many out as there are in! Three times as many without the happy advantages and influences as are receiving them! May this fact not explain some unpleasant matters that trouble our profession.

Pray, why is it that physicians are so apathetic, indifferent, ignorant of the practical value of membership in medical societies, which fact undoubtedly is responsible for most of their unfortunate conditions? While being fully conscious that "knowledge is power," we sit down comparatively contented, refusing to exert ourselves in the way that demands and secures recognition of our rights, of our worth and of our power. The great question of the day in medical circles is, How may all this be changed?—for changed it must be, and changed it is becoming, I am happy to inform you, in our State of Ohio, and in most other sections of the country.

When one contemplates, even for a moment, this fact, viz., that the 80,000,000 of people of the United States (barring those misguided by superstition, ignorance and selfish motives), I say when one appreciates to what extent these 80,000,000 of people are, or may be, directly influ

enced by the family physicians, it requires no strength of imagination to see that vast good may be accomplished for the people as well as ourselves by getting together and collectively hustling for the right. We are sufficiently intelligent to know what is needed, and we are sufficiently powerful, when united, to accomplish any desirable object. Unite the influence of 100,000 physicians so that they may not only have their rights, have their just dues (not more is asked), and they will see that the people in general have that protection and care which this profession alone can give.

I have said that as a class there are no more intelligent, unselfish, honorable, law-abiding, altruistic persons on God's green earth than practicians of medicine. Our very lifework makes us so.

We are now first introducing a plan-initiated one year ago in Ohio-by which this vast body of influential citizens are getting together, formulating ideas and carrying into successful operation a work that will redound not only to the good of every member of the profession, but to every person of every community. A new era in medicine is unquestionably ours. A new history is being written for us. Truly, a medical renaissance, like a great tidal wave, is sweeping the country from ocean to ocean. Many an old landmark is being removed from its moorings, and in their places are being erected "Temples of Concord," in which will be found harmony, good fellowship, elevating influences, advanced learning, which will result in greater skill for relieving distress, preventing disease, and procuring increased happiness to the world.

While we are not looking for the millenium, it cannot be denied that the real in medicine is, as yet, not the ideal. Nor, again, do we deny that the real may not be made to approach a little more closely the ideal.

At the last meeting of our Ohio State Medical Association a new Constitution and By-Laws was unanimously adopted. Unanimity for a unity. Among other things that