of which I have just this moment received notice, and as I desire to apprise The New York state medical association, through its council, of the exact status of its affairs with reference to the proposed amalgamation, I beg leave to submit the following:

During the session of the legislature of this state last winter, an act was passed authorising the New York State Medical Association and the Medical Society of the State of New York, under certain conditions to unite. Pursuant to the permission granted by this act a special meeting of The New York State Medical Association was called for March 21st, notice whereof having been mailed, stating the purpose of the meeting, to the last known address of each and every member of The New York State Medical Association. At this meeting a resolution was offered and adopted indorsing a plan of uniting the two state medical organisations.

Subsequently, armed with the resolution adopted at this special meeting of the New York State Medical Association, and with a similar resolution adopted by the Medical Society of the State of New York, application was made to the Supreme Court of the County of New York for an order joining the two organisations into one body. The application for this order was made returnable in the Borough of Manhattan, before Mr. Justice Fitzgerald, and upon the return day an affidavit was submitted in opposition to the application, sworn to by the vice-president of the Onondaga County Medical Association, which affidavit, among other things, raised the question as to whether or not a sufficient notice of the special meeting of March 21st had been given to each and every member of the state medical association, to make the particular resolution adopted at that special meeting a valid one binding upon each individual member of the state medical association.

Upon examination of the by-laws of the New York State Medical Association it then appeared that there was no by-law providing for the manner of giving notice of meetings of the association.

The various decisions in this state seem to indicate that where the manner of giving notice of meetings of membership corporations is omitted from the by-laws, then the common-law rule applies which requires that if resolutions are to be passed at any meeting which in any manner involves any personal privilege or rights of person or property acquired by membership in such association, that this notice of the meeting must be served upon. each individual member personally, not through the mail nor by word of mouth, and such notice must contain the date, place and hour of the proposed meeting and the purpose for which it is called. Ordinary business meetings, where no such privileges or rights are involved, I believe would not require such formality. It would seem, therefore, that the resolution in favor of amalgamation adopted at the meeting held on the 21st day of March

last, in so far as it binds the members of The New York State Medical Association to a plan of amalgamation with many other organisations, and in so far as it effects the privileges acquired by membership, and the rights of person or property thus acquired, was null and void and had no effect, and there would appear to be left open but two courses; one is to call a special meeting after such personal notice as I have indicated has been served upon each individual member of the association, which seems well-nigh impossible to perform; the other one is to offer at the October meeting a resolution designating the manner of serving notices upon members of the association, which resolution will stand over for one year when action may be taken anew.

Respectfully yours,

JAMES TAYLOR LEWIS. Counsel, The New York State Medical Association.

Dr. Townsend offered the following resolution, seconded by Dr. Brown and immediately carried:

WHEREAS, It appears that there are inconsistencies in the by-laws of The New York State Medical Association, and

WHEREAS, It appears that one of the causes of the failure of the application for amalgamation of the two state organisations was due to insufficient notice being served upon members of the association, in a measure owing to the fact that provision for the service of notice upon members by mail was omitted from the by-laws of the state medical association.

Resolved, That the special committee on revision of the bylaws, with the assistance and coöperation of the counsel of the New York State Medical Association, be requested to submit for action at the annual meeting in October, 1904, by-laws covering the various deficiencies and uncertainties existing in the by-laws of the New York State Medical Association, and that the secretary be instructed to forward a copy of this resolution to the chairman of the special committee appointed upon a revision of the by-laws.

The N. Y. S. M. A.

(Editorial New State Journal of Medicine, September, 1904.)

SINCE, practically, the only object in the uniting of this association and the society of this state was the preservation of the name of the state society, which demanded not a little respect on account of its hoary locks, and since all the members of the medical profession in this state wish to see harmony and a united front, and since the New York State Medical Association is the body which is affiliated with and a part of the American Medical Asso

ciation; and since the constitution which the new society was to have adopted is the same, or nearly the same, as the present one of the association, and much improved over the constitution of the society; and since the medical profession as a whole, through committees and elections and votes, and in every way possible, has expressed a desire to have one society in this state, which should be the representative of the American Medical Association, which should have a constitution and by-laws drawn up according to the form recommended by the American Medical Association, and is already adopted by most of the states. Also to preserve the name of the Medical Society of the State of New York.

Now that this scheme has failed, how can the profession most necessarily and readily fill its wants?

The New York State Medical Association, as it exists today, has all these advantages, and many others, to offer its members, with the exception of the name.

It would be nice to have the age of a century, it certainly lends dignity; but if we can't have it except by joining, why, we'll get

it that way.

The plan of the organisation in this state, as drawn up, and followed by the New York State Medical Association, is followed now by the American Medical Association and the various states. The protection in malpractice suits, afforded to the members by our legal department, is highly commented upon in the lay press, and is being copied in other states with equal success.

Our directory is the only one which is exact (as far as human care can make it) in this state, and has been called by extensive advertisers the best compiled medical directory in the country.

Our Journal is an assured success, and this method of publishing transactions, instead of in the bulky annual order, has been copied in several states, and is soon to be begun in others. In truth, we see no object in dissolving both medical association and the medical society of this state. By so doing we would not gain the advantage of the age of the state society. Necessarily, it would be lost; and what is there left to gain? Everything else is possessed now by the New York State Medical Association. Those who wish these advantages-and we believe all do—can join.

The right hand of fellowship we hold out to all physicians in good standing.

Let those who are jealous to preserve the more aged society belong to both. Preserve the other if you will, by a meeting now and then-though, for ourselves, we are not antiquarian (some

of us).

We want a united front, we of the medical profession of New York State, and rather than go to further expense and trouble. and take a larger time to accomplish what can be accomplished immediately, except for the promulgation of an ancient and honorable name, let those who have been waiting now come forward and join the association. What is the use to any one of further litigation? The law has decided that what we all wanted and wished for is impossible. Let us accept the next best plan, and with love and affection, and faithfulness to the old society, by its members who cherish its memory-let us all, every one, come together in The New York State Medical Association.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Complimentary Dinner to Dr. John B. Chapin.

Editor Buffalo Medical Journal:

SIR-During the present year Dr. John B. Chapin, superintendent and physician of the Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane, Philadelphia, will have completed a half-century's work in behalf of the insane. He was appointed assistant physician at the State Lunatic Asylum, Utica, New York, 1854. Afterward he became connected with the late Dr. George Cook in the conduct of Brigham Hall, Canandaigua, New York, and then, first as one of the building commissioners, and subsequently as physician and superintendent, with the Willard Asylum for the Chronic Insane, an institution made famous under his organisation and work.

Since 1884, he has been the medical chief of the Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane, succeeding the late Dr. Kirkbride. His friends deem the completion of this long period of work, rounding out a half century in one department of medicine, a proper occasion on which to express to Dr. Chapin their personal affection and their appreciation of the extent and value of his work.

It is proposed to give Dr. Chapin a dinner some time in November or possibly December next, and to have his portrait painted for presentation to him and his family in honor of the event. To accomplish this purpose a committee has been formed to solicit subscriptions and to make all other arrangements. The committee. is sure that you will consider it a privilege and honor to contribute to this purpose by publishing this statement.

Subscriptions may be sent by check or money order payable to

EDWARD N. BRUSH,

Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital,

September 5, 1904.

Station A, Baltimore, Md.

The following-named constitute the committee: Henry E. Allison. Matteawan State Hospital, Fishkill-on-Hudson, N. Y.; J. W. Babcock, State Hospital, Columbia, S. C.; Benjamin Blackford, Western State Hospital, Staunton, Va.; G. Alder Blumer, Butler Hospital, Providence, R. I.; Edward N. Brush, Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital, Towson, Maryland; Dwight R. Burrell, Brigham Hall, Canandaigua, N. Y.; Edward Cowles, 19 Boylston street, Boston, Mass.; Richard Dewey, Milwaukee Sanitarium, Wauwautosa, Wis.; W. A. Gordon, Northern Hospital. Winnebago, Wis.; Henry M. Hurd, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Md.; A. E. Macdonald, Manhattan State Hospital, New York: S. Weir Mitchell, 1524 Walnut street, Philadelphia, Pa.; A. R. Moulton, Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane, West Philadelphia, Pa.; William Osler, 1 West Franklin street, Baltimore, Md.; Charles W. Pilgrim, Hudson River State Hospital, Poughkeepsie, N. Y.; Theophilus O. Powell, Georgia State Sanitarium, Milledgeville, Ga.

IN THE VOMITING OF PREGNANCY.

CROWLEY, in the Journal of the American Medical Association, recommends this prescription for the vomiting of pregnancy:

In many cases, however, it will be found unnecessary to use so much of a mixture as the above. Very often two or three drops of tincture of nux vomica in a few drops of water will control Vomiting when everything else fails. This may be repeated every half hour. If it fails reduce the dose to one drop every ten minutes.

Another treatment which is deserving of trial is Francesco's. He uses valerian and reports two cases in which he was able to control the uterine reflexes which give so much trouble. The valerian was successful when other remedies, including morphine, both by mouth and rectum, had failed. The infusion is used as an

enema.