FLORIDA MEDICAL ASSOCIATION,

1891

PENSACOLA, FLA., April 14, 1891.

The Florida Medical Association met in the City of Pensacola at 10:30 A. M. and was called to order by the Chairman of the Committee of Arrangements, Dr. J. Harris Pierpont, and at his request, the Rev. H. S. Yerger, of this city, opened the meeting with prayer.

Dr. Renshaw, of the Pensacola Medical Society, then delivered an address of welcome, as follows:

GENTLEMEN OF THE FLORIDA STATE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION: I regret exceedingly that the President of our Society is not present to deliver the address of welcome, which was requested of him and which I expected to be quite a feature of this meeting. However, the pleasant duty devolves upon me to extend you a welcome to our city, and I trust that you will enjoy the visit, as we will certainly do our utmost to make it enjoyable for you. Many of you are strangers to us, personally, (though some of you are known. to us by reputation and name,) in consequence of the very limited facilities for travel over this extensive State until recent years, and our remoteness from the central part of Florida. However, I trust that such a friendship will be the outcome of this meeting, as will cement us more closely together and that we shall enjoy the fruits of this association, by benefits derived from our respective experiences in the practice of medicine, and thus we can more thoroughly aid and benefit our people of this State.

This was responded to in appropriate terms by Dr. Gary, President of the association:

GENTLEMEN: In behalf of the Medical Association of Florida, we thank thee kindly for the greeting that the

Medical Society of Pensacola and its citizens have extended to us as a body. We feel that it has been really good for us that we considered in our last annual meeting the propriety of selecting your beautiful city for our place of convocation on this occasion. We are satisfied with the bird'seye view that we have recently had of your city; that its intelligence and refinement will far reach beyond any expectation of those whose intimate relationship with you in the past has not been as it should. We have come for the purpose of cultivating a more intimate relationship, and I do not think that our professional brethren could give us a warmer greeting nor create more grateful affiliations in our hearts.

Gentlemen, I now call the Medical Association of the State of Florida to order.

The President announced that the association was open for the transaction of business, and Drs. Oglesby, DuBois and McKinstry were appointed a Committee on Credentials.

After a short recess, this Committee made the following report:

We, the Committee on Credentials, report as delegates to the Florida State Medical Association:

J. F. McKinstry, M. D., From Alachua County Medical Society; James S. Herron, M. D., from Pensacola Medical Society; James P. Peeler, M. D., of Osceola County Medical Society.

And we recommend the election to membership in this association of the gentlemen, whose names have been signed to the accompanying applications.

C. R. OGLESBY, M. D., Chairman,
H. K. DUBOIS, Secretary.

J. F. MCKINSTRY, Member Com.

Angus Alexander Gillis, . DeFuniak Springs, Fla.
Wm. Crawford Gorgas,. . Ft. Barancas, Florida.

Joseph D. Rush,

Junius F. Lynch,

Roberts P. Izlar,

On motion of Dr. Caldwell, the report was received, and Committee continued; the Secretary was requested to cast the ballot, which being in the affirmative, the above named gentlemen were declared duly elected.

The roll was then called, and the following members answered to their names:

President, Dr. Thos. P. Gary, of Ocala; Drs. Porter, Daniel, McKinstry, Caldwell, Douglas, DuBois, Peeler, Jackson, Oglesby, Simpson, Pierpont and Fernandez.

On motion, the reading of the minutes of the last session was dispensed with, as they had been published.

Letters were then read from absentees.

On motion, the son of Dr. R. B. S. Hargis was invited to a seat on the floor; and also, Rabbi Poseman, of Pensacola. Also, moved and carried, that all medical students in Escambia county be allowed access to the deliberations of the association.

Dr. Pierpont then read the following invitation:

To the Officers and Members of the Florida State Medical Association:

GENTLEMEN: The Pensacola Medical Society respectfully requests the pleasure of your company on an excursion to the Gulf, and a fish chowder at Leonard Quarantine Station, Wednesday the 15th instant. Boats will leave Palafox street wharf at 10 o'clock A. M.

Respectfully,

WARREN E. ANDERSON, Secretary.

The invitation was accepted with thanks.

The President then read his annual address, which was listened to with marked attention, and, on motion, referred to the Publication Committee.-(Appendix, B.) A motion. was likewise made to refer same to a special committee.

Motion adopted, and Drs. Anderson, DuBois and Jackson were appointed said committee.

Reports of committees were then called for, and Dr. Daniel, Chairman of the Committee on Publication made the following report:

The Publication Committee respectfully report: That, after carefully considering the material referred to it by the association at its last annual session, an edition of three hundred copies of the Proceedings for 1890 was gotten out, at a cost of $106,70, and placed in the hands of the Secretary for distribution.

The committee would call attention to the difficulty with which papers are sometimes obtained from members after the same have been referred to this committee, and would suggest that all such papers be handed in promptly, as otherwise the annual pamphlet is delayed in being issued. The committee would also suggest, that whenever papers read before the association have been already published, or are in the hands of others for that purpose, it be so stated and made known, so that the association may elect whether such papers shall be re-edited for publication in its proceedings. Respectfully submitted.

R. P. DANIEL,
P. J. STOLLENWERCK,
SOLLACE MITCHELL,

Committee.

The Treasurer then made his report for fiscal year, 1890, which was referred to Committee on Accounts. (See Appendix, A.)

The Committee on Ethics stated that nothing had been referred to them, and they had nothing to report.

The amendment to the constitution, as offered by Dr. Daniel at the last year's session, was then brought up, and, after a lengthy discussion, put on its final passage, and not receiving the necessary two-third vote, was declared lost.

Reports from County Medical Societies were then called for, and Dr. McKinstry made the following written report from Alachua County Medical Society:

To State Medical Society:

GAINESVILLE, FLA., April, 1891.

Since the report from the Alachua County Medical Society, a year ago, there has been an increase in membership, and a very decided increase in attendance and interest at our stated meetings.

We have now a membership of nine, and two applications pending.

Several valuable papers have been contributed by members during the year, and reports of interesting cases are likewise made and discussed with much interest, pleasure and profit.

There have been no charges of unprofessional conduct made against any of our members, but on the contrary harmony and fraternal feeling prevails.

The law "to regulate the practice of medicine" has not been rigidly enforced in our county. While most practitioners have complied with the law and obtained certificates from the Board of Examiners, there are some practicing illegally, and it seems to be the duty of no one in particular to see that the law is executed. Some time since, our society appointed a committee to confer with the State Attorney to ascertain from him whose duty it was to prosecute these offenders. The attorney promised to investigate the subject and give the information required, but has failed to do so. We therefore ask the State Medical Association for information as to whose duty it is to see that the law is executed.

During the months of January and February, we had a wide-spread prevalence of La Grippe, especially among the resident population. It was very noticeable that all, or almost all, of our Northern visitors escaped. Very little fatality resulted from the disease; and very rarely did any severe disease of the respiratory organs ensue. Muscular rheumatism and heart trouble were more frequently observed.

R. A. LANCASTER, M. D.

N. D. PHILLIPS, M. D.,
President.