Malvern Hills, the friend of Murchison and Sedgwick.

In the president's address the following allusion were made to the origin and origitor of the British Medical Association: In July 1832, the foundation-stone of their own Society was laid in the city of Worcester by its distinguished and ever-to-be respected founder Charles Hastings, and his small, but devoted band of coadjutors.

of energy he was much more fond of out- search. (Applause.) He was ridiculed door sports, such as hunting and shooting, for its use, but Charles Hastings was a man than he was of his books; but from the impregnable against ridicule, because he earliest period of his life he manifested a knew he was seeking the truth, and conleaning towards the pursuit of that pro- fident he was seeking it in the right way by fession which he afterwards adopted. There experiment. Immediately after taking his was nothing around him to lead him to- degree of Doctor of Medicine he was ofwards it. He was born and bred in a fered by the Senate of the University the country rectory with the usual surround- Professorship of Physiology. From his ings, having no single relative, and perhaps earliest years he was a naturalist, a man of no intimate friend, who was a member of science. He was probably the first to write the medical profession; but even as a child, upon the geology of Worcestershire. He and still more as a boy, his great love was was the early expounder of the remarkable to nurse any one or anything that was sick geological features on the flanks of the and ill. It had been said by members of his family, and by one who was now living at the age of one hundred years in full possession of her faculties,-(applause), that she would seldom find him without a sick chicken or some other creature that needed care. When he was a boy, at an age when most boys were still at school, he expressed a desire to begin to learn medicine; and he was allowed to place himself under the care of two medical practitioners No wonder, that to a mind like that of living not far from his home. He showed Hastings, fresh from the warm atmosphere such remarkable aptitude that in a few of the Medical Society of Edinburgh, the months they advised that he should be sen-, cold stagnation of a provincial city was unto London, to have the advantage of seeing bearable. He read papers, started journals the hospitals and hearing public lectures. and societies on a small scale; but it was When he was only just turned eighteen not till 1832 that he received sufficient enyears of age and was possessed of no medi-, couragement to venture upon the step cal titles of any kind, he was elected, by which he proposed should result in placing the majority of a single vote, to be house- the provincial practitioner in almost as surgeon of the county infirmary at Wor- good a position as his metropolitan brother. cester. While there he commenced those And what was the condition of the provinexperimental researches which laid the cial practitioner at this time? With the foundation of his fame. There was prac- exception of a few local physicians of the ticing at that time in Worcester a physician, older stamp, solemn, scholarly, and formal, who afterwards removed to London, Dr. ¦ and here and there an apothecary of more Wilson Phillip, who was engaged in re- than ordinary acuteness of observation, searches on the nature of circulation and the there existed one dead level of mediocrity, action of blood-vessels. Charles Hastings men without the ambition to compete with voluntarily undertook to assist Dr. Phillip their metropolitan brethren, because the in those researches. He then left for the means of doing so was denied them. No University of Edinburgh. It was recorded sparks of genius emanated from their brains, of him that he was the first student of that because there was no mental friction to great University, and probably the first produce them. No doubt it was the student in the kindom, who used the mic- inferior education of the general roscope for the purpose of physiological re- practitioner, that made him literally a

copier of other men's prescriptions, and importance of strengthening the branches the collector of current nostrums for cer. and of modifying the electoral system so tain symptoms. Bundles of prescriptions as to infuse new blood into the senate of were handed down from one practitioner to the Association. Great questions were another along with the practice. Having coming on for solution. He trusted they no other idea but that disease was an might be solved in accordance with the entity, he set to work to drive it out of the motto of their Association laid down for system by the popular means of bleeding, all time by Charles Hastings and his assopurging, and sweating. If this were the ciates. When that consummation should intellectual status of the principal practi- have come pass, when self-interest and tioner half a century ago, were his morals self-assertion should have given place to and social status of a higher grade? The brotherly cooperation in well doing and to top-boots and the red coat did duty for the Christian charity, and courteous deference stethoscope and the test-tube; whilst the to one another, then, and only then, would lancet was thrust into the arm of the too the British Medical Association have fulwilling patient as recklessly and ruthlessly The annual report of the Council of the as the spur and the whip had been applied Association showed that the receipts durto the sides of the animal which brought ing the past year were £16,525. The Asdoctor and patient together. These were sociation now numbered 9563 members. the palmy days of the provincial physician! Among those who had passed away during Many times had he been figured, as, with the year were-Sir Robert Christison, who solemn step and well-poised cane, he de- was president in 1875, and Dr. Jenks, who scended from his lumbering post-chaise at was president in 1851. The question of the door of some opulent patient. The ar- homœopathy, unfortunately mooted in the rival of this great man in some country address in medicine and in surgery at the town was quite an event, and the signal for annual meeting at Ryde, had occupied all the blind, and halt, and lame to turn much time on the part of the Committee of out literally for a touch of the great man's Council. The idea arose in many minds hand! Those who could pay pulled out that the views enunciated had in some way their guineas; those who could not, might been put forward by the Committee of perhaps count upon getting a glance and a Council; and it was not until the president word from the "Great Doctor," as he was of the Council, Dr. Bristowe, and Mr. called, as he passed through the admiring Hutchinson, had shown that this was not crowd to his carriage, in the court-yard of so, that the feeling was allayed. A the inn. For some years, after 1832, very memorial was presented from one little progress was made by the provincial branch demanding the expulsion of a profession. One of the results of the estab- member, on the ground of his public prolishment of the Association, had been that fession of homoeopathy. To this measure the College of Physicians, before so exclu- the Committee of Council would not acsive, threw open its doors and its honors, cede. So far as possible they had closed about 1860, to all qualified applicants, the the door of entrance to a professing homoCollege of Surgeons having somewhat opath. Against conversion to homoeopathy earlier given an impetus to enlarged studies after admission they were at present powful to him, and scientific attainments rare; erless, except by the expulsion of the whilst the desire for improvement, which offender; and this, under present circummight casually arise found no field for ac- stances they considered unadvisable; first, tion. So he settled down into the mere because they held that such a course would by the establishment of its present fellow-be beneath the dignity of the members of a ship examination. great and avowedly liberal profession; and The president concluded by urging the secondly, because it would confer an amount

of notoriety which was very undesirable sent the remarks of various able speakers upon those who were expelled. in the different sections, as was well exemMr. Nelson Hardy proposed the adop- plified by one speaker in his so-called quotion of the report, with the following addi- ations from Dr. W. S. Playfair, who, in a tion: "That it be an instruction to the most able manner, opened a discussion on Committee of Council, that the avowal of he systematic treatment of aggravated hysthe profession of homoeopathy, or any teria and allied forms of neurasthenic other designation implying a special mode disease.

of treatment, shall, ipso facto, disqualify Some two hundred members dined tofrom membership of the British Medical gether on Thursday night, and this year Association." saw carried out on a substantial scale the

This proposal was the signal for an ex-resolution, passed at Cambridge, that total ceedingly noisy and animated discussion, abstainers should pay but two-thirds of the which showed the small sympathy felt by price charged for the dinners to those who the Association for real and pretended ho- were "less advanced." The Irish Gradmœopaths. The proposal of Mr. Hardy uates' Dinner was celebrated on Wednesday was ultimately lost by an overwhelming night, without that uproarious joviality majority who evidently thought it was wiser which rendered the same dinner notorious to treat homœopaths as beneath contempt, when held on the native land, during the rather than to bolster them up with the Cork Meeting. This reminds me to mencheap dignity of martyrdom which could tion that the Association will probably be conjured out of such a resolution as was meet in 1884 at Belfast, where they will be defeated. able to witness the great prosperity and As in previous years this annual meeting | unsurpassed industries of a town in that was made the occasion for various subsid- distracted island, which is now being made iary gatherings; thus, on Thursday morn- the subject of speculative and enthusiastic ing some five hundred members of the Association availed themselves of a breakfast given by Mr. Bowly, a Nestor of the total abstinence advocates here. After breakfast Dr. Alfred Carpenter, and other advocates of total abstinence from alcohol, indulged in those intemperate speeches so characteristic of these well meaning advocates of temperance, who essay to believe by a large majority: that the righteousness of the cause they "That this meeting earnestly desires the preach is an excuse for the total disregard compulsory notification of infectious disof facts which characterizes their argu-eases, but wishes to express an opinion that ments. the compulsion to notify should be placed upon the householder, in his duty as a citizen, and not upon the doctor."

Dr. Alfred Carpenter's remarks, taken literally, would mean that the great majority of the medical profession (namely, those who are in the habit of treating disease in persons who are not total abstainers) are totally ignorant of the various phases presented, and courses run by pulmonary, cardiac, renal, and hepatic disease in persons who never take alcohol. These intemperate total abstinence people were singularly ready to misquote and misrepre

legislation, while the priest-craft is uninterfered with, though so largely responsible for the misery and savagery of so many districts.

Yesterday witnessed a warm debate on the ardent question of the compulsory notification of diseases by medical men. The following motion was ultimately adopted

There were numerous complaints in at least one section regarding a scarcely creditable practice which could be "burked” by the adoption of a very simple rule. It would seem that some few persons are in the habit of announcing their intention to read papers (and, indeed, in some instances of supplying abstracts thereof for publication in the Journal) which they never fur

nish. Such persons appear satisfied with the cheap and dishonest publicity their name obtains by its announcement with the high sounding title of some contribution. which has no other existence than in their own crafty heads. I met one busy member of the Association who assured me that on three different occasions his entire arrangements had been put out to visit distant towns where a particular paper was announced to be read by an individual on an exceedingly debatable subject. The victim of this poor artifice suggested that its repetition would be avoided if no announcement were made of papers which were not in the hands of the secretary of the section, who would be authorized to read them in the event of the author being unavoidably

absent.

The lord lieutenant of the county and the Countess Beauchamp gave a garden party to the Association at Madresfield Court, Great Malvern, yesterday afternoon, so those who accepted this hospitality enjoyed some of the most picturesque scenery to be found in this garden-like island.

Chicago like many other cities is beset with politicians, for those quasi medical positions must be provided, and they are thus placed in position to dictate to medical men. As they are drawn from the lower uneducated class their course on such occasions is an apt illustration of the adage about the beggar on horse back. The Warden of the county hospital is an apt illustration of this class of individuals. Charged with appropriating cash of patients dying in the hospital his course toward the hospital staff The Industrial Exhibition, which is now is that of an arrogant dictator. Dissatisopen at Worcester, the Royal Porcelain faction with his procedures has at length Works and many endemic industries of the resulted in a public meeting of the consultneighborhood, greatly enhanced the interesting board to protest against his actions. of this Jubilee Meeting, which has certainly At this meeting were Drs. Fenger, Lee, passed off most satisfactorily; and I should Cunningham, Gunn, Parker, Isham, not have made the foregoing adverse criti- Graham, Hollister. The meeting was cisms, except in the hope that the cause for specially called by Dr. Lee to bring before them will be removed, and that there will the board some cases of unwarranted cease to be those obstacles which now con- interference on the part of the warden tribute to make these annual gatherings with his professional duties. The first case mere pleasure trips for the many and dis- was that of a boy named Periolat, whose appointing labor for the few.-Boston leg had been amputated. The case was Journal. assigned to Dr. Lee, and he observed symptoms of tetanus. He so informed the boy's father, and explained that an MENT, No. 332 C Street, N. W., emergency was likely to arise at any time WASHINGTON, D. C., August 10, 1882. which would render necessary stretching a DEAR DOCTOR.—I am very sorry to in- nerve, and that if this exigency came, a form you that an increase of duties con- delay would be probably fatal. To this nected with the NATIONAL VACCINE Es- the father assented. For a time the case TABLISHMENT, of which I am the Director, progressed favorably. But two or three renders imperative a suspension of WALSH'S days later, early in the morning, a message RETROSPECT until January, 1883. was brought to the doctor that the boy had

OFFICE NATIONAL VACCINE ESTABLISH

been in convulsions all night. He imme- told him that he had orders from the hosdiately repaired to the hospital and pre- pital committee, or the chairman of it, not pared for the operation, which, in his opin-, to allow the operation without a consultaion, needed to be done quickly. Some tion from other members of the staff. The night clerk, or watchman, or nurse operation involved no danger to the informed him that he had orders to prevent patient, but desiring to comply with the the performance of the operation unless a rules he called the consultation. The phyconsultation of physicians should first be sicians agreed with him, and so reported to held. To this the father, under instruc- the warden, when that official informed him tions from the warden, also assented. Dr. he might proceed after he had the consent Lee remonstrated, but to no avail, that of Chairman Mattocks. This was the last delay was dangerous, and that the boy straw that broke the camel's back, and he might die at any moment. Discouraged resolved to call the present meeting. In at last, he left the hospital, saying that each of these cases he had gone to Mr. Matwhen the consulting physicians arrived he tocks and remonstrated with him, and had might be sent for. Five hours later he invariably received the answer that if he came back to the hospital, and found did not like the rulings of the committee he that the consulting physicians had not yet might resign. arrived, and that the boy was still in convulsions. Shortly afterward they came and agreed with his advice. The operation was performed and the boy recovered, having endured seven or eight hours of agony which might have been obviated had it not been for the absurd interference.

At the conclusion of this statement Dr. Hollister, the chairman, called for expressions of opinion as to what the board should do in the matter.

Dr. Gunn said that, while his personal relations with Warden Dixon had been pleasant, still he had been interfered with in the performance of his professional duty in an unwarranted manner on one or two occasions.

The medical management of

cases in the hospital, he said, should be left to the physicians, and no layman, no matter how high in official position, should presume to dictate in matters of this kind. Too much of this had been going on, and it was high time for the doctors to assert the dignity of their profession. He was in favor of having the medical board make the medical aud surgical rules of the hospital.

The next case was a girl whose hip had been excised. There was an unwritten rule in the hospital that no anesthetics should be administered in the wards, but such cases should be transferred to the operating-room. In this case, however, a simple exploration was necessary, and it was not thought safe to move the patient from the ward to the operating-room, and so the doctor administered the anesthetic and performed the operation where she lay. For this he was called to account by the warden in an imperious manner. He related the circumstances, and was told Dr. Isham had also observed several inthat he would be made to obey the rules. stances of officious interference on the part The warden reported the case to the com- of the hospital committee with the profesmittee on hospitals, which passed a vote of sional operations of the physicians. The censure upon Dr. Lee without notifying him. duties of the doctors and surgeons were The next case happened but a day or two professional, merely, and should in no wise ago. A man had a foot crushed by a train. | be interfered with by county physicians. In order to save a part of the foot the doc- Other members of the meeting expressed tor came to the conclusion that it would be necessary to transplant skin from an animal, in which operation he had the patient's conAgain the warden stepped in and

sent.

themselves in the same manner as sympathizing with Dr. Lee, and a committee consisting of Drs. Dee, Gunn, and Fenger, was appointed to draft resolutions on the