VOL. III.

No. 10

EDITORIAL COMMENT

CHANGE OF EDITORS.

Owing to the necessity for a prolonged rest, the undersigned has given up the editorial management of COLORADO MEDI

CINE.

Dr. Geo. A. Moleen, who assumes the editorial duties, is eminently qualified for the position, and has the best interests of the State Medical Society at heart.

The other members of the committee will assist him in every way possible, and with the co-operation of the members of the State Society, COLORADO MEDICINE should become one of the leading journals in the country. The undersigned will still continue to manage the advertising department, and every member of the State Medical Society is asked to help. If manufacturing houses expect the support of the leading physicians in this State, they should be willing to reciprocate in our effort, instead of trying to reach us through other channels. COLORADO MEDICINE can, and must, be made self supporting.

B.

OUR JOURNAL TO-DAY. With the appearance of the November issue, the fourth year of the publication of COLORADO MEDICINE, under the auspices of the Colorado State Medical Society, will have been inaugurated, and with it a change in its editorial management. It is the desire that the attitude of our publication be placed before the members in its true light. Primarily the journal is the property of the Society,

and the exponent of its constituent members, as well as of the whole, and the columns are at all times open to signed editorials and correspondence. It is the purpose to increase its value to its readers as rapidly as is consistent with the availability of suitable material and funds.

As advocates of the continuance of the

publication of COLORADO MEDICINE, our position has been on the defensive, rather than aggressive; defending the principle upon which the journal was founded; defending those weighed sentiments and policies which have made our national journal what it is to-day; defending the honor of the Colorado State Medical Society in that we will not sacrifice that which is and should be a pride of the ma

jority to the accepting of propositions manifestly entered for private gain and enterprise, believing that that which was worthy of the undertaking four years ago is and will continue its fitness to be so, with the elimination of unwarranted statements misrepresenting the relation of its account to the State Society and presuming to express its value in negative terms as the voice of the majority of our membership.

In the first number of the journal Dr. Edward Jackson stated: "We expect the journal to develop as it goes on." It has improved in many ways. The soliciting of select advertising is doing much to-ward lowering the expense of publication, thereby affording possibilities of increasing the scope of work. It is hoped that by January, 1907, a section will be established devoted to reviews of the leading articles of the month in the various departments to be abstracted by a corps of

assistant editors to be appointed by the committee. Again, our first editor states: "It rightly demands the earnest, constant assistance of every member of our profession." Subjects of local or provincial occurrence and of interest to the society should be communicated to the editor, as it is only by this means that due and prompt attention may be given them. Every member should, in a measure, constitute himself a correspondent if the best interests of all are to be subserved, and if there is to be one journal in the state, cannot the 650 members dictate which that one should be by their action and co-operation?

Nothing has served to bring into closer communion the members of the constituent societies than the reports of their meetings each month, and it is, therefore, to be hoped that the secretaries will continue to lend their aid to this department by promptly reporting their proceedings to the editor.

All new books reaching the editor's hands will be acknowledged under "Books Received," of which a certain number will merit a review. This will be done by members of the Society interested in the subject treated, the volume -to be returned and to remain the property of the Colorado State Medical Society, in the custody of the Denver Academy of Medicine, as determined at the last meeting by the House of Delegates.

The advertising will hereafter be under the supervision of the retiring editor, Dr. J. M. Blaine, which is a guarantee of the character of such material in the future, as it has been in the past.

In conclusion, and above all things, let us, by our support, aid in the building up of COLORADO MEDICINE to that point where it will be a model of state publications, and to bend our efforts in this direction, rather than to cast reproach upon the progressive name we now hold, by fostering movements which would

eventuate in the humiliating precedent of having been the first state to acknowledge an inability to maintain an ethical and dignified state medical publication.

GEORGE A. MOLEEN.

THE ANNUAL MEETING.

The Thirty-sixth Annual Meeting of the Colorado State Medical Society is past. It was a good meeting. Those who have attended previous meetings judge it the best our Society has ever held. Some acquainted with other State medical societies comment on it as better than the meetings of older societies in populous states embracing the great medical centers of the country.

In this as in other ways the Colorado physician is favorably situated for doing the best scientific work and having it appreciated by his colleagues. The most wide awake teachers of medicine in any metropolitan school could have listened with interest and profit to some of the papers read by our members. And if psycho-therapeutics is just now something of a fad within the profession as outside of it we had it brought before us in most original and striking form. Our guest of honor presented in piquant paradoxes, and without giving offense, some of the dangers of routinism that most closely beset the busy practitioner. Dr. Cabot will leave here many friends who will watch his future career with personal in

terest.

The meeting strikingly illustrated the value of thorough, conscientious, preliminary work, on behalf of officers and committees. Reports and papers were ready when called for. Sessions went smoothly because preparations had not been neglected or overlooked. The House of Delegates met promptly at the time designated, twenty-four delegates out of a possible thirty-three present at the opening session; and so smoothy and expedi

tiously was its work done, that no one was kept by it one moment from the general meetings.

The President's address dealt in clear, emphatic language with live issues before the profession; and the Society responded by placing itself definitely in the fighting line of those who are waging war on quackery, by seconding the demand for better supervision of hospital administration, and by properly characterizing the practice of bunco-steering in medical practice, often called the "commission business.

While misunderstandings and disappointments are inevitable, it was, on the whole, a meeting characterized by reconciliations and the gratification of proper ambitions for official place. It materially advanced the project of bringing the state medical societies of the Rocky Mountain Region in closer relation, one with another. It demonstrated that supposed opposition to our journal disappears completely when we get together. It renewed old friendships and gave opportunity for many new ones. It was such a good meeting that it promises still better ones to come. We are still moving forward with an upward trend.

SECTION WORK.

E. J.

Among the new things presented during the last session the most deserving of commendation was the Section work. For the first time one afternoon was devoted to four departments, making it possible for those interested in any particular line to avail themselves of it without the necessity of listening to papers in which they had no interest, and as a result there was accomplished four times the amount of work in the same length of time and to the greater satisfaction of all concerned. That the idea was welcomed is

evident from the statements of the various chairmen..

Dr. W. A. Jayne, chairman of the Section on Surgery, Gynecology and Orthopedics, states: "The attendance was excellent. Average, 60; highest atttendance, 75; lowest, 45. Papers were practical and of great interest. Close attention and interest were shown to the enda successful innovation."

Dr. H. L. Taylor, chairman of the Section on Hygiene and Sanitary Science, reports that attendance was surprisingly good; all papers were read, and the closeattention and the discussions testified to the interest stimulated. The general opinion was in favor of elaborating upon thework by devoting a full day in future. meetings. Attendance averaged 25 to 30.

Dr. Edward Jackson, chairman, reports for the Ophthalmologic and Oto-laryn-gologic section, general satisfaction with the plan among those interested in the diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat: The four papers read and the discussionsthey elicited compared well with those brought before national special societes.. The attendance was between 50 and 60, and the interest sustained throughout.

Dr. James Rae Arneill, chairman, reports: "Medical Section work was very satisfactory. During first four papers; attendance was in neighborhood of 60, some standing. Last two papers had

small audience on account of lateness of the hour. I believe six papers are oneor two too many. Papers were of a high order, and in most instances well discussed."

THE MEDICAL PROFESSION, THE PUBLIC HEALTH, AND THE STATE LEGISLATIVE MEDICAL LEAGUE.

The League was organized four years ago, when Dr. W. W. Grant was president of the State Medical Society. He was also elected president of the League,

The House of Delegates passed resolutions endorsing the medical candidates and others on the legislative tickets, regardless of politics, who favor the enactment of laws in favor of pure food and other public health matters. This is a commendable movement, and only by such united action can our profession exert the influence and receive the consideration it deserves at the hands of legislators and the public.

We desire to make a suggestion to the Legislative League, and to the profession throughout the state, in order to do more effective work. Some of the state societies have found that a legislative committee employed chiefly for lobbying purposes does not accomplish the most satisfactory results; so they have adopted the following plan: The president of the State Society, who in our state is also president of the league, addressess a communication to the secretary of each county society, requesting the county societies to call a special meeting inviting all the legislative candidates or elects, the object being to lay before them for their consideration such public health measures as the profession deems important enough to be enacted into laws. Such meetings and discussions are capable of the highest good, and have been very successful. Now that the candidates are all nominated in our state, and the necessity of passing a pure food bill on the lines of the national law recently passed by congress being ap parent, it must be admitted that the time for action is both opportune and urgent.

Unless the states supplement the national act, the people will not derive the full benefits intended from the passage of the laws in behalf of the public health. One regular meeting of every county so

ciety could easily be devoted to this matter, or it could be made a part of the program, one or two physicians being appointed or selected to present the subject in its proper light. There can be no doubt that this would prove one of the very best means of reaching and enlightening candidates and law makers, and enforcing the unselfish demands of the medical profession in behalf of public health laws.

A GOOD THING TO PRESERVE.

A neat little paper-bound brochure of 95 pages has reached our hands, which has been compiled and is from the press of the A. M. A. It consists of all the articles written by Mr. Samuel Hopkins Adams, reprinted from Collier's Weekly. The six articles are so well known as to

require no further comment than to say that they are to be obtained from The Journal A. M. A., 103 Dearborn St., Chicago, at the small cost of $0.02 per copy. A limited number may also be had of the Denver Academy of Medicine at

the same rate.

NEW DISPENSARY BUILDING.

We are glad to note that the ground has been broken for the new dispensary building of the Denver and Gross College of Medicine. In architecture the building will be quite attractive, two stories in height, and will contain consultation rooms for all of the departments, and a large amphitheatre for purposes of demonstration and clinical lectures. It is a step in the right direction, and will fill a long-felt want.

ORIGINAL PAPERS

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. HORACE G. WETHERILL, M. D., Denver.

Members of the Colorado State Medical Society:

Elected to the highest office in the power of this Society to bestow, I am deeply sensible of the great compliment you have paid me, and of the great trust. you have placed in my hands, and I wish to assure you of my sincere appreciation of your favor and confidence.

I wish also to thank you and my associates in office for the efficient co-operation and support which has been accorded me, and which has served to make this, the Thirty-sixth Meeting of the Colorado State Medical Society, so successful as it promises to be.

Great changes have taken place in the period covered by the life of our society. Places, faces, and the methods of our science and art, have all changed beyond recognition since the year 1871, and we may speak with pride of the achievements in both medicine and surgery during this generation; but I need scarcely remind you of them in detail, as every physician is proud of the record, and happy to live in an age when so much has been done for the comfort and well being of the human family by the noble profession to which he belongs.

Your officers and committees have seen fit to make certain radical changes in the scientific program for the meeting of this year, in the hope that the general interest in the work of the society might be promoted. The number of papers in the general session has been limited, in order to give much more time for their discussion, as the value and interest of free discussion is regarded as being quite as great or greater than the value and interest of set papers. To this end

abstracts of the papers have been printed in the program, and it is sincerely hoped hoped that you will avail yourselves of the opportunity this gives you to discuss these papers understandingly.

Then in the interest of those who may be engaged in special practice, an afternoon of sectional work has been arranged, to provide for such technical papers as may be of particular interest to them.

For these innovations, which are largely experimental, we beg your indulgence and favor, and we hope they may prove to possess some good features which may be worthy of permanent adoption.

We all have reason to be proud of the achievements of the American Medical Association and its co-ordinate bodies, state and county, in the direction of better. organization and increased membership. In these particulars this society has shared in the honors, more than doubling its membership in three years, and establishing itself on a basis that makes it a power in the community, and a source of strength and inspiration to every one of its members. Its advancement is serving to disintegrate sectarian lines of demarkation, and is bringing all reputable physicians under one flag, whether they belong to the heavy artillery or the light infantry, and whether they employ grape and carnister or minnie balls. There is nothing now to prevent any of us from employing any weapon we may possess against the common enemies, disease and death; and so long as we fight from the saine stronghold and under the same flag, none need be known by any other name than physician or surgeon and a member of the legion of honor of the American Medical Association.

In its efforts to raise the standard of medical education the American Medical Association has adopted a particularly commendable policy, and the "minimum standard," as suggested by the Council