The question of the hospitals offering a course of training for nurses which shall be shorter in duration, not so bookish and with a diploma different from that given for the regular course for the R.N. Degree is a most important one. At present the small number of nurses graduated and the expense of their services afterward deprive a majority of the deserving sick of the care they should have. The Committee will be very glad to offer any data and suggestions it may have to improve conditions. Respectfully submitted, PHILIP W. BILL, REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS CONTAINED IN THE REPORTS OF THE DELEGATES TO THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, THE WAR COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL LEGISLATION. DR. D. CHESTER BROWN, Chairman. Mr. President and Gentlemen of the House of Delegates: There were six recommendations in the reports referred to your Special Committee. I. The recommendation of the War Committee was acted upon by the House of Delegates last year and a Committee on the History of the Medical Profession of Connecticut in the World War was appointed. No further action is needed on the recommendation. 2. The desirability that the Secretary of the County Society be a member of the House of Delegates of the State Society. The principle involved is endorsed by your committee. Two methods of adapting it were considered: a. That it be recommended to the County Society as a desirable proceeding and leave it to their discretion to comply with it or not. b. To amend Chapter 3, Section 1, of the By-laws by adding the words (and the Secretary of each County Society), so that it shall read, "ex-officio, the President and Secretary of this Society" (and the Secretary of each County Society), thereby making the County Secretaries members, ex-officio of the House of Delegates without the right to vote. The Committee recommends that the House of Delegates decide on which method shall be adopted. 3. Closer contact of the Delegates to the American Medical Association with the Board of Councilors, the State Licensing Boards, and the Committee on Public Policy and Legislation. It is recommended that the Delegates to the American Medical Association be informed by the above three committees when any matter is to be considered by them that will interest the delegates officially and that the Delegates be invited to meet with this committee and participate in the consideration of such matters. 4. The Committee on National Legislation a member of the Committee on Public Policy and Legislation. We recommend that the By-law, Chapter VIII, Section 3, be amended by adding the words in the third line, (and the Committee on National Legislation) so that it shall read: The Committee on Public Policy and Legislation shall consist of one member from each component association, and the President and the Secretary and the Committee on National Legislation. 5. Special reports, of the Delegates to the American Medical Association and the Committee on National Legislation, to the General Assembly. We recommend that special reports by the Delegates to the American Medical Association or the Committee on National Legislation be submitted to the Committee on Scientific Work and at its discretion shall be incorporated in the Scientific programme as provided for in the By-law under "discussion and other business." 6. The advisability of taking any action at the present time relative to the requirements to practice the healing art. Inasmuch as at present the civil administrative code commission of the State is considering such matters and has asked that a committee be appointed to confer with them; We recommend that the Board of Councilors present nominations for a committee of five or seven with power to act, to represent the Society before the Administrative Code Commission, and then to take the matter up with the Committee on Public Policy and Legislation. Respectfully submitted, D. CHESTER BROWN, Chairman. It was voted to adopt the recommendations contained in Sections 2, 3, 4, and 5, of this Report. Section 6 of the Report was then discussed. Dr. A. E. Austin explained at some length the history of attempts at revising the Medical Practice Act which had previously been made and made a plea that instructions be given to the Committee which Dr. Brown had recommended, that some action be taken, and a report made at a specified time, this report to contain the draft of an act which would correlate all the medical practice acts of the state. Dr. J. F. Calef agreed with what Dr. Austin had said and heartily favored the appointment of a committee to consider the matter thoroughly and to report to the House of Delegates at the Semi-Annual Meeting if possible. Dr. Hallock spoke in favor of having this work done as far as possible through the committee. It was voted that the Councilors present nominations for a committee of five or seven on Requirements for the Practice of Medicine at the session on Thursday. On motion of Dr. Brown it was voted that the Secretary be instructed to read a letter from General Ireland before the General Assembly, requesting those who have been in service and are eligible to become members of the Association of Medical Veterans of the World War, and to organize a state branch. (As Dr. Brown was not present at the Session of the General Assembly and as the Secretary was unable to procure a copy of the letter referred to elsewhere, this letter was not read.) REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON MEDICAL DEFENSE. DR. WILLIAM R. MILLER, Chairman. Mr. President and Gentlemen of the House of Delegates: Your Committee begs to report progress and asks for its continuation during the coming year. Respectfully submitted, W. R. MILLER, Chairman. The report was not read at the meeting. As this Committee has taken no action for three years and presented no report this year it was voted that the Committee be discontinued. (For further action in regard to this Committee see minutes of Thursday's session.) REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH DR. C. J. FOOTE, Chairman. Mr. President and Gentlemen of the House of Delegates: Your Special Committee on Health Insurance submits the following report: This Committee was appointed at the last annual meeting of the Society in response to a recommendation in the Secretary's Report, that a special committee be appointed "for the study of health insurance in order that the Society may be prepared, if necessary, to protect our interests at the next session of the legislature." Before presenting its report the Committee believes it desirable to give a brief review of the previous action of the Society in regard to health insurance. In 1915 Dr. McKnight, Chairman of the Committee on Public Policy and Legislation, received information that a bill providing for compulsory health insurance of wage earners would be presented to the General Assembly at its session of 1917. His Committee thereupon appointed a sub-committee to make a careful study of this subject. The report of this sub-committee is published in the Proceedings of the Society for 1916 and recommended in brief that the Society give thorough study to this subject for the purpose of developing a definite and well-advised policy to govern its attitude toward the enactment and application of laws on health insurance, and that the sub-committee inform both itself and the members of the Society as fully as possible on this subject. The report of the sub-committee to the Annual Meeting of 1917 indicates that the programme of study was not fully carried out on account of the war, but the two bills embodying health insurance that were introduced in the General Assembly were referred to a Commission for study and to report upon to the next session, your Committee having recommended this action and having stated at the public hearings that the measure would modify social machinery to such an extent that it ought to receive the fullest consideration before being put into effect, but that, if enacted, the physicians of the State would do their utmost to fulfil the rôle assigned to them, however much it might conflict with their personal inclination or their social judgment. This Commission on Public Welfare, appointed by the Governor, to which the bills on Health Insurance and other matters were referred, submitted its report to the 1919 session of the General Assembly and no further action was taken by the legislature on the subject of health insurance. This report was quite evidently based upon a thorough study of the subject and will well repay careful reading by all physicians. Your attention is especially invited to the conclusions of this Commission: "We must grant that some of the arguments presented to us in favor of a compulsory measure appeal strongly to humane sentiment, and are convincing to the extent that more should be done by the state to improve living conditions and prevent disease; but they have not brought conviction to our minds. that any of the measures heretofore presented should be enacted |