Obrázky stránek
PDF
ePub

of such children will not then be perfunctory. What a chance to lessen disease!

At present the industrial unrest affects all classes. There is a shortage of labor and we are all affected. Every optimistic family is an oasis in the present unrest. Child health increases this optimism. Ten years from now, or even in less time, increased health power of the children now in public schools will increase both the number of workers and the optimism. Teachers and supplies cost so much that efficient physicians and nurses in school work, thoroughly trained and interested in their work, will add a very small proportionate increase to state school

expense.

Your Committee seeks your help to influence the organizations here mentioned to make efficient use of School Hygiene.

This Committee has been in communication with the organizations mentioned. Their work at present is especially directed toward the state care of defective and dependent classes. Systematic and thorough examination of school children with school records of physical and mental advancement furnish part of the evidence upon which the state should act.

Your Committee recommend a change in title to conform to the larger needs of health work among children. We are satisfied that more than medical inspection is needed. We ask the appointment of a new committee in conformity with the new view of the Committee's duties.

Respectfully submitted,

E. W. GOODENOUGH,

Chairman.

The Secretary read a letter from Dr. Frederick R. Green, Secretary of the Council on Health and Public Instruction of the American Medical Association, and one from Dr. John M. Dodson, Chairman of the Sub-Committee of the Council on Health and Public Instruction of the American Medical Association, suggesting some change in the scope of the work of the Committee. It was voted that a committee of three be appointed

by the President to consider the recommendations contained in the Report of the Committee on the Medical Inspection of Schools and in the letters of Drs. Green and Dodson, said Committee to report to the House of Delegates on Thursday.

The President appointed on this Committee Drs. E. W. Goodenough, Chairman, J. F. Rogers, and W. R. Steiner.

REPORT OF THE DELEGATES TO THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.

DR. JOHN E. LANE AND DR. WALTER R. STEINER, Delegates. Mr. President and Gentlemen of the House of Delegates:

The Victory Meeting of the American Medical Association was held in Atlantic City, June 9 to 13, 1919. As the complete report of that meeting has already been published it is necessary here only to mention briefly a few of the most important subjects considered by the House of Delegates.

The meeting was large and enthusiastic, and many distinguished representatives from the countries of our Allies were present.

The address of the President-elect, Dr. Alexander Lambert, dealt with narcotic drug addiction and closely related subjects, and the House of Delegates appointed a Committee to coöperate with the Council on Health and Public Instruction in studying the narcotic drug situation.

The Committee on Social Insurance made an exhaustive report and recommended that the study of this problem be continued.

The House of Delegates endorsed a plan for a mid-winter meeting of Secretaries of the State Societies and expressed the desire that the State Societies actively coöperate in making this meeting a success. This is an euphemistic expression of the hope that the State Societies will bear half of the expense of sending their Secretaries to the meeting.

It may be of interest to members of this Society to know that Dr. Paul Waterman of Hartford was appointed a member of the Special Committee to study the narcotic drug situation, and that one of your Delegates was appointed a member of the Com

mittee on Reports of Officers; but the point of chief interest to the Society is that the insignificant town of Danbury has risen to such prominence in the American Medical Association, that it is now used as synonymous with Connecticut in the House of Delegates. This fact is due to the popularity attained in that body by a citizen of that town, Dr. D. Chester Brown.

Dr. Brown, in 1918, was elected a Member of the Board of Trustees to fill the unexpired term of the late Dr. McKnight. At the last meeting he was unanimously reëlected to succeed himself. Not only was he reëlected, but he was the only nominee of the House of Delegates for that position. Not only was he the only nominee, but he was unanimously nominated. When nominations for the position were called for, members of the House of Delegates from all sections of the country were on their feet, striving to get the floor in order that the honor of first putting his name before the body might be theirs. This was abundant evidence of the appreciation of the work that he has done for the American Medical Association, but it deprived your Delegates of the usual duty of making speeches setting forth the claims for recognition of their nominee.

Respectfully submitted,
J. E. LANE,

WALTER R. STEINER,

Delegates.

REPORT OF THE DELEGATES TO THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.

DRS. WALTER R. STEINER AND JOHN E. LANE.

Mr. President and Gentlemen of the House of Delegates:

New Orleans showed that the so-called Southern hospitality was no myth, for the Crescent City fairly outdid itself in looking after the members of the American Medical Association. The meetings of the House of Delegates were held in the hall of the New Orleans Parish Medical Society and at the first session the reports of the officers, and standing and special committees took

up most of the allotted time. In the afternoon the reports of more committees and new business consumed the time for this session while on the following day, in two sessions, the reports of some of the reference committees were considered along with unfinished and new business. The election of officers was the first order of business on the afternoon of the fourth day and the fifth session of the House of Delegates. As most of you know, the President-elect was chosen in the person of Dr. Hubert Work, of Pueblo, Colo., who by his efficient and impartial conduct in the office of speaker, had endeared himself to many members of the American Medical Association. He had also served as a Delegate from Colorado for twelve years and had been speaker of the House of Delegates for four more. The Constitution and By-Laws were amended this year, at the last session, so now only one vice-president is elected instead of four as formerly. Dr. Isadore Dyer, of New Orleans, received this honor. In place of Dr. Philip Marvel, of Atlantic City, Dr. Charles W. Richardson, of Washington, was elected as trustee and on the standing committee of the Council on Scientific Assembly Dr. Lane, the senior Delegate from this Society, received an appointment. He also served on the reference committee on Legislation and Political Action, while the junior Delegate, Dr. Steiner, was made a member of the committee to prepare suitable resolutions asking Congress to publish as soon as possible the medical and surgical history of the World War. The revision of the Constitution and By-Laws as proposed by the Judicial Council was adopted after certain alterations were made as suggested by the Committee on Amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws. The scope of the Council on Medical Education was enlarged by adding the words "and Hospitals" while the addition of the word "and Syphilology" was adopted for the Section of Dermatology. The reports of the various committees as well as the addresses of the officers have been printed in the Journal of the American Medical Association for May 1 and May 8 and merit one's perusal, especially that of the Committee on the Narcotic Drug Situation in the United States. Dr. Paul Waterman, of Hartford, was a member of this committee.

Your delegates were able to attend most of the scientific sessions of the sections of Dermatology and Practice of Medicine and can testify that they maintained the high standards set at other recent meetings of the Association. The entertainments were lavish and the memories of the New Orleans session will be frequently and pleasantly recalled by both of us.

Respectfully submitted,

WALTER R. STEINER,
J. E. LANE.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON HOSPITALS.

DR. PHILIP W. BILL, Chairman.

Mr. President and Gentlemen of the House of Delegates:

The Committee on Hospitals has had a number of meetings during the year; the last one, held in New Haven, was attended by all the members. At that meeting was drawn up a report for presentation to the Council of Education of the American Medical Association.

In the summer of 1919 the American Medical Association, through its Council of Education, requested your Committee to inspect and report on such hospitals of the State as had or desired internes. The features considered were the amount of work done, number of beds, kinds of service, etc., the keeping of the records of cases, the teaching and control of the internes by the attending staffs and the amount of work and time given the hospital by the attending staffs.

The hospitals were divided among the members of the Committee and nearly all the hospitals reported on were visited personally by some member. While all the hospitals showed a willingness to try to improve their services and all were showing improvement, with one or two exceptions they are still below the requirements demanded. The largest field for improvement lies in the work of the attending staffs in their teaching relation to the internes and to all appearances this phase will be brought up to the standard.

« PředchozíPokračovat »