The Session was opened with prayer by the Rev. A. S. Andrews, of the St. Francis Street Methodist Church. The Address for the Committee of Arrangements, welcoming the Association to Mobile, was made by Dr. E. P. Gaines, President of the Mobile Medical Society. DR. GAINES' ADDRESS. Gentlemen of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama: As presiding officer of the Mobile Medical Society, it becomes my duty to welcome you to our city. We are pleased to see you. This large assemblage of the representative men of the profession, from all parts of the State, shows the great interest you take in the profession. These meetings have more effect-do more good-than the outside world have any idea of, though it all redounds to their benefit. We come together for what purpose? to counsel concerning the state of Medicine as it now exists in our own State; to make laws and regulations to make our body more efficient; to make suggestions to the profession at large; to describe such new diseases or new forms of disease as may appear in our State, and by so doing get a correct history of the same, their nature, their causes, and the treatment that has proved the most successful. A reference to one disease will prove the correctness of all I have just said: A disease appeared in our State with symptoms different from what have been seen before, the mortality of which was so great as to spread alarm throughout the country; as a matter of course it received the earnest attention of the profession; the disease was watched closely, studied carefully, effects of remedies noticed, able papers written thereon, and when you met here in 1869 these papers were read, the subject discussed, and a clear appreciation of its nature and cause arrived at, for in "the multitude of counsellors there is safety." When I saw my first case of so-called Hæmorrhagic Malarial Fever last summer, I referred with both pleasure and profit to your transactions of 1869, where I read the able paper on the subject written by Dr. Michel, of Montgomery; and the history and diagnostic mention of the disease were so clearly delineated that I had no trouble in discriminating between this and yellow fever, although a raging epidemic of the latter disease was prevailing at the time. The knowledge that we meet once a year will make us all watch our individual cases more closely, study them out and keep records of the same, so as to make them worthy of a place in the published transactions. All this has a tendency to elevate the profession. No man, however bright his intellect, can keep up an interest in his profession unless he has something to look forward to; he must not only have thoughts, but he must use them, for Moreover, Associations can effect more than individual efforts. Gentlemen, let us always remember in our meetings that we are a body of scientific men, met together for the same purpose, the good and the advancement of our profession, and therefore let our discussions always be conducted in a calm, temperate and dignified manner. Once more gentlemen, in the name of the Physicians and the citizens of Mobile, we offer you a hearty welcome. The Annual Address of the President was then delivered by Dr. F. A Ross. On motion of Dr. Weatherly, it was referred to a committee of three, to be reported on during the present session. Committee-Drs. T. C. Osborn, L. E. Locke and W. A. Cochran. The Reports of Officers being in order, the Report of the Secretary, Dr. Jerome Cochran, was read, and approved. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. As Secretary of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama, I have the honor to report with reference to the work done in my office, since the last annual session, as follows: After the adjournment of the Association in Montgomery, on the 17th of March of last year, I prepared the Minutes of the Proceedings of the Session for publication. I found it necessary also to put into proper shape several of the papers which were read by various reporters. This preliminary work having been done in my capacity as Chairman of the Publishing Committee, I superintended the passing of the Annual Volume of Transactions through the press-a labor of far greater magnitude than most members of the Association can have any conception of. The Publishing Committee were under very great embarrassment for the want of funds, and it was feared at one time that we would not be able to get the printing done. In our extremity we caused estimates to be made by two publishing houses in New York; and were surprised to find that it would cost more to have it done in that city than in Mobile. After many disappointments, we were finally able to conclude an arrangement with Messrs. Putnam & Co., with the understanding that they should be allowed to get as many advertisements as possible to help pay the cost of printing. The entire cost of the two hundred copies amounted to $545 00, of which, $215 00 were paid from advertisements and some other sources not necessary to be mentioned, and $330 00 were paid in money from the treasury of the Associa tion. In other words the Association paid three-fifths of the expense and two-fifths were raised from other sources. Owing to the difficulties of which I have spoken, the Transactions were not ready for distribution until the month of September, a delay which was greatly regretted by the Committee, but which, under the circumstances, was unavoidable. It is to be hoped for the honor of the Association that members will pay their dues promptly, and that no such troubles will occur in the future. As to the character of the volume after we got it published, I am glad to be able to say, that it compares very favorably indeed with the Transactions published by other State Associations. It is about ten times as large as the Transactions of any other Southern Association which I have seen; and does not fall so very far behind the Transactions of the Medical Association of the great State of New York, which are published at the expense of the State. During the past twelve months I have employed a considerable amount of time and labor in endeavoring to promote the organization of County Medical Societies. To facilitate the accomplishment of this object, I prepared, about the 1st of August, under instructions from Dr. Ross, the President of the Association, a Circular Address to the Profession of the State urging the importance of thorough organization all over the State. Of this Circular a thousand copies were printed, and it was widely distributed, and, as I have good reason to believe, with good effect. I include a copy with this report. But in my effort to organize the profession of the State I have not satisfied myself with the distribution of Circulars. I find that I have written in behalf of the Association nearly three hundred letters, many of them very long ones. I have, also, received about the same number in return; and these have been to me a curious and melancholy study. They reveal an amount of professional demoralization and lethargy which is absolutely appalling, and furnish to those of us who are actively engaged in the great work of organization and reformation some measure of the large amount of patient and persevering labor which will be necessary to accomplish what we have undertaken. It is proper for me to state further that seeing how much was to be done, and that the burden was too great for me to bear alone, I have appealed for help to many of the prominent members of the profession, and have received from them much valuable assistance. I have to express my obligations, and those of the Association, for services of this kind, to the following gentlemen, namely: Drs. E. Mason, of Wetumpka; E. B. Johnson, of Tuskegee; A. J. McAlpine, of Talladega; R. D. Webb, of Livingston; J. E. Kumpé, of Leighton; M. H. Jordan, of Elyton; E. D. McDaniel, of Camden; besides many others who have contributed in larger or smaller measure to help on the good work. Under all the disadvantages of the situation I am still able to report a reasonable amount of substantial progress. There are now twenty-six organized societies in the State, with an aggregate mem bership of over three hundred and fifty members. When we remember the small beginnings which we made at Selma just three years ago, this exhibit certainly furnishes us with reasonable grounds for looking hopefully into the future. Our progress must necessarily be slow, but if we hold out faithfully, and labor earnestly in season and out of season, with tongue and pen, and with the weapons of wise precept and good example, for the advancement of our profession to higher efficiency, higher usefulness, and higher dignity, the ultimate result cannot be doubtful. The vouchers for the money which has passed through my hands are in the hands of the Treasurer. All of which is respectfully submitted. MOBILE, March 21st, 1871. JEROME COCHRAN, Secretary M. A. S. A. [Circular referred to in the Secretary's Report.] ORGANIZATION OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. (Correspondence.) MEDICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA. Dr. JEROME COCHRAN: MOBILE, AUGUST 1st, 1870. Dear Sir-In our conversation as to devising some method by which our profession in this State can be roused to a proper appreciation of our position and necessities and the vital importance of a general and combined effort being made to accomplish the great ends which we should all have in view, I have been so favorably impressed with the plans which you have originated and expressed to me, that I desire to entreat you to put them in some form, by which we can reach our brethren throughout the State. By doing so, you will confer a favor upon the profession in general, and, in particular, upon your friend, F. A. ROSS. MEDICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA, Dr. F. A. Ross: MOBILE, August 2d, 1870. In reply to your note of yesterday, asking me to put the views, as to the organization of the medical profession, which we have discussed together on several occasions, into such shape as will make them available in an effort to rouse the physicians of the State to energetic and concerted action against the evils from which all of them suffer, I have to say, that in so good a cause, I am ready to work to the utmost of my ability. It seems to me that the most feasible way of accomplishing your wishes is to explain the plans and arguments to which you refer in a circular address, which might be printed for general distribution. Such address I have accordingly prepared, and it is herewith respectfully submitted for your consideration. I have the honor to be your obedient servant, JEROME COCHRAN. CIRCULAR ADDRESS. To the Medical Profession of the State of Alabama: The Medical Association of the State of Alabama, having discontinued its sessions during the war, was reorganized in the City of Selma, on the 3d and 4th days of March, 1868, by a few of the old members, and by Delegates from four County Societies, those viz: of Greensborough, Mobile, Montgomery and Selma, the only Medical Societies at that time in the State, except the North Alabama Medical Society, which was not represented. The next session was held in Mobile, March 2d, 3d and 4th, 1869, and was attended by delegates from eight County Societies, viz: in addition to the original four represented at Selma, the Societies of Autauga, Tuskaloosa, Wilcox, and North Alabama, this last representing several Counties. At this meeting, many important propositions in relation to the general policy of the profession were discussed, and several important reports on the Medicine and Surgery of the different counties were read and ordered to be published. This gave rise to a volume of Transactions of 150 octavo pages, which was printed in excellent style, and compares favorably with the Transactions of other State Associations. Another session has been held during the present year, at Montgomery, on the 15th, 16th and 17th of March. This session was attended by delegates from fifteen County Societies, and by twenty permanent members, making an assemblage of about sixty of the leading physicians of the State. The proceedings of this session will be issued in a volume of Transactions of about two hundred and twenty pages, which will certainly be the most important medical publication ever made in the State of Alabama. It will be ready for distribution about the last of August. The session for 1871, will be held in Mobile, on the second Tuesday after the first Monday in March. It promises to be more brilliantly successful than any which has heretofore occurred in the history of the Association, both in the numbers of professional men in attendance, and in the number and importance of the ques |