the House of Delegates and take part in the discussion if they so desire. In opening this first meeting of the House of Delegates I am happy to congratulate you on the generally satisfactory condition of medical affairs in the State of Connecticut and of our Society in particular. The year now closed has not been one of unusual activity in our domestic relations. The Council has been attentive to all matters properly coming before it. I beseech your earnest attention to the report of the same by its efficient chairman, Dr. William H. Carmalt. So quietly did the wheels of time move round that the President would scarcely have been made conscious of passing events were it not for the recurring delightful county meetings and the courteous invitations to the annual conventions of neighboring states. After these introductory remarks by the President, the following reports were read, accepted and ordered on file. (1) Report of the President, Dr. Samuel Middleton Garlick (Bridgeport): REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT. Ladies and Gentlemen, Members of the House of Delegates: The business of the Society devolves upon you, and I would urge the responsibility which all delegates should feel. Each one should make it a special duty to be present at all the sessions of this body. Quoting the remark of the late Dr. Samuel D. Gilbert, "No man should accept the appointment merely as a personal compliment, but should realize that its acceptance means responsibility and work." Let it also be understood that all the members of the Society are at liberty to attend all the meetings of the House of Delegates and take part in the discussion if they so desire. In opening this meeting of the House of Delegates I am happy to congratulate you on the generally satisfactory condition of medical affairs in the State of Connecticut and of our Society in particular. The year now closing has not been one of unusual activity in our domestic relations. The Council has been attentive to all matters properly coming before it. I bespeak your earnest attention to the report on the same by its efficient Chairman, Dr. W. H. Carmalt. So quietly do the wheels of time move round, that the President would scarcely have been made conscious of passing events, were it not for the recurring delightful County meetings, and the courteous invitations to the Annual Conventions of neighboring States. Of these latter I would make especial mention of New Jersey and New York. It was my purpose and plan to accept both in person, as representative of this Society, but at the last moment, the best laid plans go oft awry. However, telegraphic letters, congratulatory in the name of the Connecticut Medical Society, were sent. If received, no acknowledgment has been made. It has been an unusual pleasure to attend the excellent meetings of the County Associations, to get in touch with the charming spirit of the members in their own home territory; and as well also to partake of their generous hospitality. My appreciation and esteem of my compatriots and fellow confreres has · been greatly enhanced by these fellowship meetings. I would especially urge the better attendance of the visiting delegates; the hearty hand-shake, the kindly word and sympathetic touch, elbow to elbow, does us all good, and makes our hearts warmer one toward the other. The delegates to the various State Societies have attended to their duties, some earnestly, and others, perhaps, more indifferently. I believe some very interesting reports may be made. These reports properly belong to the whole Society and should be made thereto, in open meeting. Such opportunity would benefit the whole body of members, and in turn would react upon the delegates themselves, making them attentive to duty and interested to report. I commend this proposition to your consideration for suggestions. In conjunction with this, a larger matter occurs to me. Many times we have heard the remark, ""We ought to have general meetings of the Society, when matters pertaining to subjects of general character or having wide interest to physicians of the State, can be presented or discussed in committee of the whole." I believe one or two such meetings of the whole Society at each Annual Convention would be wise. We are essentially a democratic profession and everyone desires to come in personal contact with affairs having a common interest. I know that in some States such general meetings and sessions are held, sometimes separately from, and sometimes including portions of the regular scientific programme. It is not well for us to be credited, as we now are, with being a "close corporation." Let the sunshine in. I also commend this suggestion to your consideration. Our genial Secretary, Dr. Marvin McR. Scarbrough, having served us for several years and being pressed by the demands of his professional work and added duties incident to "Medical Preparedness," declines renomination. He is entitled to the appreciative thanks of this Society for his conscientious labor. Any man who can conduct the work devolving upon our Secretary, as a side issue, and for the moderate compensation received, must, indeed, be a worker and indefatigable. Some measure should be adopted, and some means should be provided, whereby the annual report of the Proceedings can be placed in the hands of each member at a much earlier date than is now practicable. Perhaps it may be well that the various addresses and the really valuable scientific papers presented each year shall be decently interred in the dusty archives of a neatly bound "Annual Report" after being passed upon by our Coroner's Medical Examiner ; but, even if so, it is destructive of interest in all the work. It is especially to be deplored that we cannot sooner have reports of the acts of the Council and the doings of the House of Delegates. And let us hope that within a reasonably short time thereafter we may have full reports of the transactions. The issuance of the Acts of the Council and the minutes of the House of Delegates, together with the reports of Committees in pamphlet form, mailed to each member shortly after convention would be a measure of relief and perhaps not very expensive. A further consideration of this matter by your body is desirable. Since our last Annual Convention our country has accepted the challenge of “Kultur" and "Autocracy" and we are at war. The Committee of American Physicians for Medical Preparedness, with the full sanction of the Federal Government has placed before the medical profession the inevitable demands which are thus forced upon us, and has asked the coöperation of the various State Medical Societies in obtaining a careful inventory of the medical resources of the country. Your President, made a member of the Sub-State Committee for Connecticut, has, so far as possible, made constructive the loyalty of our members, and made coöperative the various component Associations. Either at their regular meetings or at a meeting called especially therefor, all the County Associations have authorized such activities as were requested or which promised to be helpful. Dr. Joseph M. Flint, a member of this Society and of international reputation, and also a member of the Council for National Defense, has cordially and efficiently directed the efforts of various subcommittees: At Dr. Flint's invitation, and because of the very great tax upon Dr. Flint by his complex and important duties. at Washington, Dr. David Chester Brown, of Danbury, has acted as Vice Chairman of our State Committee. It is hoped that one or both of these gentlemen will present the subject more perfectly and in more complete detail at a suitable time during the Convention. Your action, concurrent with or enlarging that of the County Associations, may be desirable. It is particularly important that you shall consider the proposed financial relations of our members to the practise and care of patients left by physicians called to the service of the nation. This is a time of melting together of all loyal forces and for the coöperation of all patriotic citizens of whatever school or class. In conjunction with the efforts of our Associations, all legally qualified medical men in the State have been invited to act. I hope any measure or act adopted by the House of Delegates will be equally broad in scope and thus contribute to mutually cordial relations between all medical practitioners. I have a letter from the president of the "Allied Temperance Forces" in this State asking this Society as "A War Emergency" to endorse the proposition to prohibit or limit the sale and use of liquor for the period of the war; and second, to endorse the proposition to stop the use of grain in the manufacture of liquor "as a food conservative measure"; and, third, to endorse the submission of the State-wide Prohibition Amendment for a vote by the people. This is submitted for such action as you may consider worthy. I also present a letter from the Vice Chairman of the United States Employees' Compensation Commission, Washington, D. C., asking coöperation of this Society, and statement of opinion concerning "free choice of physician"; what would be considered “a just minimum fee for each class of injury in this State" and the "prevalent per cent of deduction in this State for governmental work." Thanking you each and all for the cordial coöperation and aid during the year about to close, and bespeaking your individual efforts in successfully carrying out the exceptionally fine programme provided by the Committee on Arrangements and Scientific Work, I now declare the 125th Annual Convention of the Connecticut Medical Society open for the transaction of business and ask your attention to the reports of the Secretary, the President of the Council, the Treasurer, and the various committees. SAMUEL M. GARLICK, President. Letter from the President of the Allied Temperance Forces. SAMUEL M. GARLICK, M.D., Bridgeport, Conn. I notice by the press that the Connecticut State Medical Society will hold its annual session at the Hotel Taft on the 23d and 24th of this month, and I venture to write you upon an important matter regarding which I believe the medical fraternity can render a great service, and that is, in connection with the prohibition of the manufacture and sale of liquors. I have noticed in my travels through the country, that Medical Societies in various cities and States have taken action concerning this matter, |