Protective Association THE ORGANIZED AT WINNIPEG, 1901 Under the Auspices of the Canadian Medical Association HE objects of this Association are to unite the profession of the Dominion for mutual help and protection against unjust, improper or harassing cases of malpractice brought against a member who is not guilty of wrong-doing, and who frequently suffers owing to want of assistance at the right time; and rather than submit to exposure in the courts, and thus gain unenviable notoriety, he is forced to endure blackmai ing. The Association affords a ready channel where even those who feel that they are perfectly safe (which no one is) can for a small fee enrol themselves and so assist a professional brother in distress. Experience has abundantly shown how useful the Association has been since its organization. The Association has not lost a single case that it has agreed to defend. The annual fee is only $2.50 at present, payable in January of each year. The Association expects and hopes for the united support of the profession. We have a bright and useful future if the profession will unite and join our ranks. EXECUTIVE. President-R. W. POWELL, M.D., Ottawa. Vice-President J. O. CAMARIND, M.D., Sherbrook". SOLICITOR F. H. CHRYSLER, K.C., Ottawa. Send fees to the Secretary-Treasurer by Express Order, Money Order, Postal Note or Registered letter. If cheques are sent please add commission. PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVES. ONTARIO E. E. Kin, Toronto; I. Olmsted, Hamilton; D. H. Arnott, London; J. C. Connell, Kingston; J. D. Courtenay, Ottawa. QUEB C-F. Buller, Montreal; E. P. Lachapelle, Montreal; J. E. Dube, Montreal; H. R. Ross, Quebec; Russell Thomas, Lennoxville. NEW BRUNSWICK-T. D. Wa'ker, St. John: A. B. Atherton, Fredericton; Murray MacLaren, St. John. NOVA SCOTIA- John Stewart, Halifax; J. W. T. Patton, Truro; H. Kendall, Sydney. PINCE EDWARD ISLAND-S. R. Jenkins, Charlottetown. MANITOBA - Harvey Smith, Winnipeg; J. A. MacArthur, Winnipeg; J. Hardy, Morden. NORTH-WEST TERRITOR.ES-J. D. Lafferty, Calgary; M. Seymour, Regina. BRITISH COLUMBIA-S. J. Tunstall, Vancouver; O. M. Jones, Victoria; A. P. McLennan, Nelson. Published on the 15th of each month. Address all Communications and make all Cheques, Post Office Orders and Postal Notes payable to the Publisher, GEORGE ELLIOTT, 203 Beverley St., Toronto, Canada. VOL. XXV. TORONTO, AUGUST, 1905. COMMENT FROM MONTH TO MONTH. No. 2. The Trustees of the Toronto General Hospital are to be congratulated upon their choice of superintendent, Dr. J. N. Elliott Brown, not long ago returned from the Yukon, where he filled several responsible positions, experience in which only adds to his executive ability to tackle the responsibilities which now lie before him. Our acquaintance, or rather friendship, with Dr. Brown dates back twenty-three years, and though not for all that time has his steady upward course in life been under our direct and constant surveillance, we can say of him, he is deserving of the honor and responsibility which now falls to his lot-and there is both in this position. Nor is he unknown to the medical profession throughout Ontario, for, for several years he was General Secretary of the Ontario Medical Association. When practising in Toronto, seven years ago, he was recording secretary of the Toronto Clinical and Toronto Medical Societies. He has had good hospital training having been a year as house surgeon in the very same institution over which he has been called to preside besides having been closely associated for several years with the work at St. Michael's Hospital. He was also a faithful worker for a time in medical journalism. Thus his experience and the work of his life to date give him professional, hospital and administrative experience and ability, possessed by few, in the work he now undertakes. "Still waters run deep," and under his quiet, retiring manner will be found the force which, when added to the foregoing qualifications, will fill, in our opinion, the essentials we spoke of in a former number. We desire to wish our old friend the fullest measure of success in this new situation, feeling that with the hearty, zealous co-operation of both management and staff, he will be quite able to fill the position, so long and so ably filled by Dr. O'Reilly—which will be none too easy to fill acceptably on account of his long tenure, of office. At the informal reception given to Dr. Brown on the evening of the 26th of July by the trustees, it was pleasant to see the real, genuine feeling of good-will emanating from both management and staff. We wish him all the good success we know he deserves. A large deputation of medical men, headed by Dr. D. Campbell Meyers, recently had an audience with Premier Whitney, of Ontario. It waited on the Premier and his colleagues in the Government at the instance first, of the Toronto Clinical Society, and second, at the instance of the larger organization, the Ontario Medical Association. The object of the deputation was explained by Dr. Meyers, who first brought the matter to the attention of the Toronto Clinical Society, and subsequently laid it before the Ontario Medical Association. It was to the effect that the profession in Toronto and in the Province desired that wards or pavilions be set apart or constructed in general hospitals for acute mental cases, which plainly should be treated in hospitals and not in so-called asylums. Others who addressed the Premier, were Dr. McPhedran, Dr. J. F. W. Ross, Dr. J. L. Davison, and Dr. N. A. Powell. Mr. Whitney listened carefully to each speaker and promised that the matter would have the very best attention of his Government. His promise may be relied on. The management of the Toronto General Hospital are considering the advisability of setting apart the residence of Dr. O'Reilly for this purpose. Incidentally, there was one thing of which the Premier did not seem to catch the exact drift. We refer to the word “asylum,” as a distinguishing title for institutions designed to treat people adjudged insane. Apparently the Premier thought that to change the name "asylum" to "hospital" for the insane was lacking in force and meaning, and that no good end would be attained thereby. This was not to the point, but rather wandered from it. We do not think the profession requires any such change, but rather that these institutions be classed as hospitals alone, without any reference whatsoever to the illness which brought their unfortunate inmates thither. Why should there be any difference in the name of an institution whose avowed purpose is to look after the mental health of an individual? He is just as much entitled to be cared for in a "hospital as a man with pneumonia or typhoid fever. Homes for incurables and asylums for insane are equally obnoxious. The Toronto City Council and Mr. J. Ross Robertson have each contributed $200,000 and $60,000, respectively, to the Toronto General Hospital and the Victoria Hospital for Sick Children. One is a city, the other a citizen, but the citizen gives nearly onethird as much as the corporation for hospital purposes. Mr. Cawthra Mulock gave $100,000, one-half what the city gives; and yet there was some opposition to the city giving. Not probably to the actual giving, but more particularly the manner and the method of giving. There were adherents of the other hospitals, who, seeing the General was going to get something good from the city, desired to share in the prize, forgetting that a good institution long in harness before them, representative of the city, was deserving under the existing circumstances. Why could these not possibly have remained quiet, and let their rival-if they deem it such-profit. As Controller Hubbard would express it, "a good institution brings good in its train." Perhaps, having been generous to the General Hospital, who knows but that the city fathers might remember the others later on. At any rate it is unseemly and very short-sighted, not to say, picayune, for even so-called rivals in hospital work, to attempt to offset favors to a favored institution. The Ontario Medical Council has decided not to issue proceedings any more, but to have a stenographic report made and filed away to get dust-covered. In case the report ever has to be consulted, it is there. Now, the medical profession throughout this province is entitled to know something about the proceedings of its Parliament. Certainly, to get those proceedings in pamphlet form six months after the annual meeting was not very up-to-date reading. The medical councils of the provinces are important bodies. We in Ontario take some interest in what our Council does; and some like to know what is going on in the other provinces. The public press cannot be relied on to give us this information, as they generally employ "kids," who think more of the parsley than the meat, and so write up the proceedings. We trust provision will be made to have reports supplied for the medical press. In the expense of this, no doubt the medical press and the Council will co-operate. To us it appears from the over-crowded condition of the medical profession, that the time has come, when in order to elevate the standard of medicine, supplemental examinations should be relegated to history. This does not necessarily advocate a higher standard, but it does advocate the possession of knowledge in all departments, so that students may not pass through the ordeal of examinations piecemeal. There is an examination set; and if a student fears one suhject, he neglects it and comes up for that alone six months later. The practice is an unjust one. Dr. William S. Fischer, of Waterloo, Ontario, is contributing a series of articles, entitled "Master Minds of Medicine," to these pages, the first of which appeared in our July issue and was upon William Harvey. It is a clear, interesting and entertaining production, of one who in his day did a great deal for the science and art of medicine. As we cannot too often keep before us the example of the great men of the past whose careers furnish. enduring precept even as late as these days, therefore, it is, that articles such as this appeal to the young as they do to the old and supply alike information, pleasure and profit. 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