to contribute anything of value to its contents, I have felt, and still feel, that I can rely upon you, the members of the Association, to furnish material of such interest and value for the forthcoming volume, as to compensate for any and all deficiencies in my address, and which will serve to perpetuate, not only your own fame, but will add still brighter laurels to the fame of the profession of Alabama.

Since your last annual meeting, quite an important change has taken place in the organization of the Association itself. The State Legislature, with a wisdom and a generosity far in advance of most State Legislatures, has conferred all the power we asked of it, in constituting this body the State Board of Health, and has shown its willingness to confide the sanitary department of the State government to your keeping. It now depends upon you to show that you are both competent and willing to discharge the trust thus confided to you. This body can and must make itself a power for good in the State. It will behoove you to show the people that the State Board of Health was not established solely for the benefit of Doctors, but that it concerns their dearest and most vital interests. You must let them see that the medical men of Alabama, cherishing the God-like precepts that have been handed down to us from a long line of illustrious predecessors, are willing to ignore self for a time, and to work for the common good of humanity, and for the especial interests of the citizens of this State. You must show them that in a world of self-love and self-interest, where the action of every man is suspected, however good his motive may be; that in a world where even divines do not practice the charity and godliness that they preach, that a body of men, respectable in numbers, large in soul and intellect, is willing to forget self, and work in common for the benefit of those who most probably will

neither appreciate nor thank it for the good work done for them.

This additional power with which the Association has been endowed, will of course necessitate some changes in the manner of our work; and I would suggest a very early consideration of this matter. To my mind it is a task of great magnitude you have assumed, but having volunteered your services, the promised work must be done, and for the honor of the profession I trust that it will be well done.

As I have said before, for the present this must be a labor of love, and professional pride. Yet I have no doubt but that, if we can show our usefulness to the State, when peace and prosperity again bless our afflicted people, a proper appreciation and remuneration will be awarded the men who are actively employed in carrying out the details of this grand scheme. If this Association, acting as a Board of Health, can not demonstrate to an intelligent community that its services are valuable, and of the highest importance to its welfare, why, then the quicker we abandon the project the better for all parties interested in it.

My present impression is, that we have the best ground work for the establishment of a State Board of Health, that has as yet been projected by any of the States in the Union. But it has to be tested, and it is entirely in the hands of the medical men of the State. It is, however, new machinery, and we must have skillful engineers at the commencement to adjust all its parts into working order. If we do not, we shall most certainly fail. No doubt imperfections will be discovered when we get to the details of every day work, which will have to be corrected and modified as circumstances may demand. I hope and believe that we are destined to furnish a model for all of the States for the future formation of Boards

of Health. If this should prove true, it will be another step taken toward placing our beloved State in the front rank of her sister States, on the road of progress and improvement.

Let us do our part in showing to the world that we not only have the climate, soil, and mineral productions, but also, that in all the departments of society, Alabama can step boldly forward and challenge the best to competition; and that not least of her greatness consists in the wisdom and enterprise of her medical men.

In thinking over what would be a suitable theme for my remarks before you to-day, various and conflicting thoughts have passed through my mind. But I finally concluded that, notwithstanding the able address of my distinguished predecessor of last year (and which, of course, I shall not pretend to emulate), and as the State Board of Health bill had become a law, I would take that as my text, and confine what I had to say to State medicine and preventable diseases, as being of more practical importance to the profession as well as to lay

men.

I will not, however, weary you with the history of the rise and progress of State medicine, as most physicians are familiar with the slow headway it has made until within the last few years. It is now, as popular science is becoming more familiar with all classes, assuming its proper place in most civilized countries, and erelong no government will be considered complete, or up to the advanced point of civilization, without it has a regular department of government devoted to State medicine. And this is as it should be; for I can conceive of no subject of more importance to a government than the health of its subjects.

As a general rule, the people greatly misunderstand the medical profession, and strange as it may seem, this miscon

ception is not confined to the ignorant, but the educated classes are sadly at fault when it comes to any knowledge of the pretensions and aims of scientific medicine.

The idea with many persons is, that our Medical Associations, instead of being scientific assemblies, designed for the promotion of correct information for the benefit of their members, and for the promotion of the health of our patrons, are simply intended to arrange fee-bills, and to otherwise plot against the health interests of the community. Legislators, who ought to be wise men, look with grave suspicion upon any measure introduced before them which is calculated to advance the interests of doctors, seeming to think that any measure intended to benefit the Profession would militate against the interests of their constituents.

This mistrust and mistake, however, is not altogether the fault of the people, but, to our shame be it said, that a very heavy charge lies at our own doors.

It is the business and the duty of the Medical Profession to teach, and to form public opinion in all matters bearing upon sanitary science, and in fact upon all things of which the public is interested in regard to the science of medicine. We must show them that it is more to their interest than ours to banish quackery from the land. To do this and to make the populace properly respect us, and to be willing to listen to our advice, we must be honest ourselves, and before we make war upon the great army that sails boldly under the gilded colors of quackery, we must move upon that more insidious form of charlatanry existing in the Profession itself. I mean those who belong to the ranks of the regulars, but who cruise into forbidden waters, sailing under the jaunty banner of the black arts.

I have no doubt but that many of you have in your mind's

eye a professional brother whose success in his business has depended much less upon his knowledge of the art of medicine than in his proficiency in the occult science which has been so happily delineated by my friend Doctor Jackson, of Kentucky, under the name of Black Arts in Medicine.

I would not have you believe either, that all of our brothers who practice these arts are devoid of professional attainments. Many of them (and these are the dangerous ones) could succeed in an honest and legitimate way, but unfortunately when once the habit of practicing these arts is formed, it is hard to be abandoned. Some of these gentry are so expert, that they even try their hands upon the Profession itself. You see it in the newspapers and medical periodicals of the day, where false facts are reported and imaginary cases detailed by men who are thinking entirely of self-advancement, and caring nothing for the injury they may not alone do to their professional brethren, but indirectly to the community at large. These evils we must correct ourselves, before we can hope to occupy in full our proper position, as instructors of the people. I know of no better method of attaining this desirable end, than is afforded by well organized societies, both State and local. In a Republic like ours, where the government leaves (or should leave) the citizens to manage their own affairs, there is no other effectual method of putting forth and carrying forward great improvements, except by combinations between men having a common end in view. We see it exemplified in all business enterprises, and social reforms.

Men and societies are respected very much as they respect and esteem themselves. And when we can organize our doctors in such a manner as to think and act as one man, in every thing concerning the good of the Profession itself, just