tions to be brought before it. The profession is now organized in twenty Counties; and it is not to be doubted that more than twice this number will be represented at the Mobile meeting. Reports are expected from fifty-seven Standing Committees, on various subjects connected with the theory and practice of Medicine and Surgery; and several very important prepositions with reference to the organization and general policy of the Association, to the organization and policy of the County Societies, and to the vexata questio of medical education and the qualifications of physicians, will be elaborately discussed; and it is earnestly hoped that such wise and prudent conclusions will be reached, as will contribute to the honor, dignity, and usefulness of the profession in the State, through all coming time.

In reference to these questions of medical organization and professional qualifications, it is, perhaps, better to be still more definite. The weak point in the present organization of the Association, is the provision as to permanent members. None can be permanent members except those who have served as delegates; and these keep up their membership as long as they choose to pay the annual assessment. But no privileges are attached to the position, and any member may allow his membership to lapse at any time. without blame, simply by discontinuing the annual payment. Now that some change shall be affected here, is certainly a consummation most devoutly to be wished. We want permanent members to be truly permanent-to be organized not as volunteers, or irregular militia, or erratic guerrillas, changeful in character and purpose as the inconstant moon in her orbit. It is not this loose sort of organization that is needed. But we want a body of regular soldiers-veterans trained to efficiency by careful discipline and long service, and the vicisitudes of frequent campaigns-a Spartan band, a Macedonian Phalanx, a Roman Legion, an Old Guard, which can be moved as one man; which can be trusted in all emergencies with blindfold confidence, and in which each man knows his neighbor, and knows that in the hour of battle and of danger his neighbor will do his whole duty bravely and well. This is what we want in our permanent membership; a body ready to do valiantly and to suffer unselfishly for the good cause-for the advancement of Medicine, and of the Medical Profession. And this is what we must have. To this end, a proposition will be introduced at the next session, to organize the permanent membership on the plan following, to-wit: Permanent members shall be restricted in number to one hun

dred.

New members shall be elected by the suffrages of those who are already permanent members, from nominations made by the County Societies.

Permanent members after election shall formally pledge themselves to accept and to perform faithfully all the duties attached to the position, viz:

They shall pay the annual tax of ten dollars.

They shall attend at least one annual session of the Association every three years.

They shall make reports on any subjects referred to them by the President of the Association.

Permanent members being thus under obligation to do and to suffer for the good of the Association, shall have certain privileges, viz :

They shall fill all the regular offices of the Society.

They shall be appointed by the President on all regular committees.

They shall vote in all cases except in the election of officers.
They shall not serve as delegates under any circumstances what-

ever.

In this way we make the permanent members a kind of senate of prudent and able men who will have the will, and the wisdom and the power to lead the Association along a career of prudent and wise policy, to the gradual accomplishment of its great ends.

This reorganization of the permanent members will render necessary the reorganization of the delegates, as follows:

Every County in the State, properly organized, shall be entitled to two delegates to represent in the State Association its views and wishes, and to watch over its interests and its honor.

They shall be appointed or elected by their several Societies, and shall serve for one year.

They shall nominate and elect the officers of the Association.

The nominating committee shall be composed of one delegate from each district represented in the State Senate; said delegate to be selected by the delegates in attendance from each senatorial dis trict, and the nominations so made to be submitted to the vote of the House of Delegates for ratification or rejection, as to them may seem best.

Another proposition of grave importance which will be submitted at the next session, is a general system of censorship, by means of which the profession will be able to keep out of their ranks incompetent or unworthy applicants for professional brotherhood. The plan contemplates the appointment of a Board of Censors for every County, which, under the general control and direction of a Board of Censors of the State Association, shall have full jurisdiction and control of medical matters in its own County. Full details of this scheme will be found in the forthcoming volume of Transactions.

These are some of the questions that will come up for consideration at the next session of the Association. Whether they will be adopted or rejected, depends of course on the will of the Association. But they serve to show how important to the best interest of the profession the State Association is; how desirable it is that every

County in the State shall be properly represented in it; and how important that the next session shall be generally attended.

The importance of a thorough organization of the profession cannot easily be over-estimated. There are three leading objects which the true physician has always in mind, any one of which is sufficient incentive and reward for all the labor and expense which the most thorough organization would require.

The first of these relates to the influence of proper organization over the profession itself, over the profession as a whole, and over every one of its individual members, in upholding a high standard of medical education, and of medical ethics, and in the promotion of professional brotherhood and high-toned chivalric emulation in the elevation of the professional character, and the advancement of professional interests.

The second relates to the influence of proper organization over public opinion and State legislation; involving such questions as the protection by provision of law of the medical profession in its legitimate privileges; and the protection of the general public against all the demoralizing and destructive agencies of medical ignorance and quackery.

The third relates to the influence of proper organization over the advancement of medical science and medical art, by a systematic elucidation of climatic, endemic, and epidemic influences at work in the different sections of the State, together with the development of our indigenous therapeutic resources, and such contributions to the knowledge of practical medicine as our physicians may be able to discover.

The difficulties that stand in the way of thorough organization have not been overlooked. Of those that relate to the organization of County Societies as being of less magnitude, and growing more out of local causes, nothing need be said here.

Of those that relate to the State Association, the principal are the necessary expenditure of time and money, and the neglect of private business involved in attending the annual sessions.

The State is large, and the means of intercommunication between the different sections not always the most expeditious or convenient. With the multiplication of railroads, and the improvements contemplated in our river navigation these difficulties will gradually become of less magnitude, but in the nature of things they must always continue to be of very embarrassing dimensions. But it is not to be expected that any great enterprise can be conducted without labor and expense and personal self-sacrifice. And it is not to be doubted that there is a sufficient amount of intelligence in the profession to appreciate the immense importance of the work in contemplation; and a sufficient amount of unselfish devotion and professional pride to secure its consummation. Surely it will be found practicable for two physicians in each County to attend

the sessions of the Association once every year. There were not ten righteous men in Sodom and it was destroyed. But it is to be hoped that there are doctors enough in every County of the State to shoulder the necessary inconvenience and expense attendant on thorough organization so that the medical profession may be purified and exalted.

In view of the facts, and principles which have been glanced at in this Circular address, an earnest appeal is made to the profession in every County in the State, where no organization has yet been consummated, to organize a medical society at once, and to place it in affiliation with the State Association, so as to aid in the advancement of the good cause, which it is not to be doubted we all have at heart.

If these County Societies can meet no more than four times a year, it will be sufficient, if they are conducted by proper methods, and in a proper spirit to accomplish the main purposes of their organization. Any assistance of any sort, in the preparation of constitutions &c., which the officers of the State Association may have it in their power to give, will be given cheerfully. It is to be borne in mind, that none but regular graduates of reputable medical Colleges are to be admitted to membership. The details of organization are of course left to the choice of those most intimately concerned.

As we have no list of physicians in large portions of the State, many of our circulars will have to be mailed without any specific address. We hope, however, that every physician into whose hands one of them may fall will at least take the trouble to acknowledge its reception; and to give to the officers of the Association such information as to the condition of medical matters in his County as may seem to him to be of importance. The briefest note, even if it should contain only the name and address of some member of the profession, zealous of its honor, would show some interest on the part of the writer, and give some encouragement to those who are struggling for better organization, and a more prosperous professional future.

We are anxious, for obvious reasons, to get the names and addresses of all the physicians in the State, and every list, however short, which may be furnished towards this end will be gratefully acknowledged.

All communications may be addressed to Dr. Jerome Cochran, Secretary of the State Association.

Issued from Mobile, August, 1870, by order of the President of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama.

FRANK A. ROSS, M. D.,

President.

JEROME COCHRAN, M. D.,

Secretary.

The Report of the Treasurer, Dr. W. C. Jackson, was read and approved:

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TREASURER.

W. C. JACKSON, M. D., TREASURER,

In acc't with Medical Association of the State of Alabama.

March 21st, 1871-To Balance on hand $143 97.

There is still due the Association the sum of thirty dollars, for annual assessments of delegates, to-wit: Drs. R. P. Means, $10 00; J. J. Hardaway, $10 00; W. H. Crawford, $10 00.

All of which, with the vouchers, is respectfully submitted.

W. C. JACKSON, M. D., Treasurer.

The Reports of Committees being next in order, Dr. J. S. Weatherly, Chairman of the Committee on Medical Education, asked to be allowed until 12 o'clock to-morrow to finish his report, which, on motion, was granted.

Dr. J. S. Weatherly, as Chairman of the Committee to confer with Dr. Bryce, Superintendent of the Alabama Insane Hospital, on the feasibility of establishing, in connection with that institution, a department for the reception and treatment of Inebriates and Opium Eaters, made a verbal report to the effect that after conferring with Dr. Bryce, they had reached the conclusion that the contemplated arrangement was liable to some practical objections; and on motion, the committee was discharged.

The committee to protest in the name of the Association to the State Legislature, against the removal of certain gentlemen, mem