up their eyes as though they were objects worthy of deepest pity. Away with the impiety which would flout our filth in the face of Deity, aud say that these afflictions come from His hand. The voice of God thunders as of old: 'Wash you, and be ye clean,' if you expect His favor-clean in your persou, and homes, the food you eat, the water you drink and the air you breath; clean in thought and in life." DUTIES OF PHYSICIANS. The writers on the subjects to which I have called attention will describe the hidden sources of disease and death that surround us on every side, and will doubtless give much valuable practical information as to the best methods of preventing much unnessary loss of health and destruction of life. There is not one of our Association but who can do something in this work; there is the same necessity for its prosecution in the country as in the city. The evils described exist everywhere; and in every house to which physicians are called, in cities, villages, or hamlets, it is as much a part of their duty to investigate the causes of preventable diseases, and take measures for their prevention, as to examine and prescribe for their patients. cases. In some of our cities physicians are compelled to notify the boards of health of any cases of small-pox, scarlet fever, diphtheria, typhoid fever, etc., that are under their care, and, although not held responsible for the sanitary condition of the places in which their patients reside, they are expected to understand the approved methods of proceeding in such Some physicians who comply with the requirements of boards of health in the cases they are called to attend, do not attempt to remove sources of disease that come to their notice accidentally, where they are not called upon professionally. They assert that such matters are no more their business than that of any citizen. The notification of the board of health or other proper authority, of any city or town, of all sources of disease that come to their notice, is certainly an imperative moral obligation on all citizens, and all should be legally obliged to perform this duty. But this duty devolves especially upon physicians from the nature of their education and profession, and they who neglect or ignore it commit a crime. If an accident occurs in the street or highway, and any physiciau stands silent in the crowd or rides by on his professional rounds without stopping, when his services might lessen suffering or save a single life, he would be denounced as inhuman, if not morally guilty of manslaughter. Non-professional citizens who are present are not expected to do anything except such little service as experience or common sense enables them to perform; but every one expects the physician to exercise his best professional skill, whether he is called upon or not, because his position has qualified him for that service. The medical profession are the guardians and conservators of the health of the community, and whenever they neglect or ignore any opportunity to prevent the germanation or spread of disease, they commit a much greater crime than when they leave a victim of an accident to suffer or die. In the latter case only one life is involved, in the former the health and lives of hundreds, and sometimes thousands, are endangered. Another duty that devolves upon us is not only to give our patients sufficient knowledge of physiology and hygiene to enable them to take proper care of themselves, but also to awake a consciousness in them of the necessity of sanitary measures. Communities are generally apathetic toward general causes of disease, except so far as they are personally concerned, and they need to be taught that private and public health are inseparable, in order to make them submit willingly to whatever sanitary laws may be enacted for their benefit. Our people make the laws, and we must endeavor to educate the public mind to the necessity for sanitary measures before they can be enacted and sustained. That this is practicable is evident from the readiness with which the people have complied with the ordinances in some of our large cities in relation to various infectious diseases, and restrictions on tenement-houses, drainage, plumbing, etc., for the prevention of disease, when, a few years ago, they complained of their rights as citizens being infringed, on the passage of ordinances to prevent the spread of small-pox. They understand now that sewer-gas, bad drainage, crowded and filthy tenement-houses, and other like causes, propagate disease, and are as dangerous to health and life as infectious diseases, and are willing to sustain the ordinances issued to remedy these evils with the same alacrity that large communities have submitted to quarantine regulations during the prevalence of cholera and yellow fever. We must persevere in our work of enlightening the community, and show them that there is more danger to health and life from infectious diseases that are always lurking in their midst, and from bad drainage, sewer-gas, poor ventilation, etc., than from cholera and yellow fever epidemics, and that these can be prevented by sanitary measures. The people can be educated until they will demand laws to protect their health and life from the danger of preventable diseases as they now demand protection from outlaws. The State makes municipalities responsible for damage to health, life and property, from defective streets or highways; and it ought to make them responsible for all suffering, sickness, and deaths, caused by pestilential emanations from filthy streets and alleys; badly-constructed sewers, whose stagnant accumulations of corruption exhale poisonous gases from every street-opening and house-connection; crowded tenementhouses, reeking with corruption, and from intemperance, prostitution, and every source of preventable diseases. The State enacts and enforces prohibitory laws regulating places for the sale of liquors, requiring all persons purchasing to register their names and residences. It has the same right to regulate houses of prostitution, and require men and women who frequent them to be registered, and submit to certain restrictions when they become diseased. Intemperance is a great evil, but syphilis is a greater source of suffering, disease and death in every community, and every effort should be made to suppress it, as well as intemperance. The protection of life and health is one of the most sacred functions of the law, and we should demand of the State such sanitary enactments as will best accomplish this result. In pursuing this work of sanitary reform, it is not expected that physicians will devote themselves to it to the exclusion of all other business, or that any one physician can fulfill all the duties here mentioned. But every practitioner can do something every day, during his rounds in city or country, to advance sanitary medicine, and benefit the community in which he lives. This work does not preclude physicians from acquiring a competency, but it demands some sacrifice of time and money. This sacrifice we should all be willing to make, instead of devoting all our energies to the acquirement of wealth, and living only for ourselves. The imperfect outline I have given of what I consider should be the qualifications and duties of the members of this body, and of all physicians, is no mere ideal. There are thousands of just such conscientious, earnest, studious, and practical physicians, throughout this country. They may not achieve eminence, but they will have the consciousness of having performed their duty. Few, even of our best physicians, ever acquire more than a local reputation, as their duties and labors seldom give them the notoriety or prominence that attaches to men of some other professions; but everywhere the faithful physician is respected and esteemed, and none stand higher in the community. Of the work I have pointed out for our Association, much can be accomplished by those in middle life, and some by the aged; but the work of the future, and some of the present, will devolve largely upon the younger members of the profession. If any feel that these duties and responsibilities are too arduous, remember that the practice of medicine involves all these, and more, and you assumed them in choosing your profession. Noblesse oblige. If the demand upon your time and services seems great or difficult, then use your best endeavor to perform each day the duty lying nearest you. If life seems too short to accomplish the work assigned you, be assured that the longest life is short, if we live only to ourselves, and that the shortest life is long, if passed in laboring for the good of humanity. "We live in deeds, not years; in thoughts, not breath; In feelings, not in figures on the dial. We should count time by heart-throbs, when they beat Who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best. SCHEDULE B. TREASURER'S REPORT. Mr. President and Members of the National Eclectic Medical Association: The Treasurer respectfully submits the following report of the financial condition of the Association, for the year ending June 15, 1880 : Aug. 28-To Cash for Transactions sold to H. A. Hildreth. 1880. May 1-To Cash for Transactions sold to Dr. E. Phillips.... Jan. 19-To Dues by mail to date... 12-To Initiation Fees by mail. Feb. 4 Dr. A. Wilder.... $364 96 225 00 217 00 72 00 2 72 5 00 6 00 90 00 62 00 42 00 $1,086 68 $ 25 00 4 00 59 10 $3.00 607 20 19 40 100 00 25 00 28.95 1 75 28 00 23 05 85 54 12 50 50 $1,022 99 63 69 $1,086 68 May 15-Dr. Wilder's Bill, including M. F. Rowe's Bill for Printing, $60, 12-Express.. Total... Balance in Treasury The receipts for all moneys paid out are presented with this report for the inspection of the Association. |
