Madison County.-Report on Diseases, by Dr. Geo. D. Norris. Read and referred. The Association then adjourned until ten o'clock to-morrow morning. THIRD DAY-THURSDAY, March 28. The Association met pursuant to adjournment and was called to order by the President, Dr. Osborn. Minutes of yesterday's meeting read and approved. The Report of the Committee on State Board of Health being called for, a majority and a minority report were submitted, as follows: MAJORITY REPORT. To the President and Members Medical Association of Alabama: GENTLEMEN-We, the majority of the committee to whom was referred the two plans for the formation of a State Board of Health, beg leave to report in favor of that offered by Dr. Weatherly. It is simple, easily put in operation, and is now working most successfully in two States of the Union, if not more. It has the sanction of some of the best men in the profession. We beg to state that there may be objection to having the appointments come from the Governor, but they are counterbalanced by the reason that all voluntary associations are liable at any time to become disrupted. A Board of Health, therefore, to be permanent, should have a solid basis, and become at once a part of the State machinery. Respectfully yours, &c. T. A. MEANS, M. D. MINORITY REPORT. To the President of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama : As chairman of the committee appointed to consider the two plans for the organization of a State Board of Health, submitted respectively by Drs. Cochran and Weatherly, I have to report that the members of the committee have been unable to reach any common agreement. For myself, I am of opinion that the plan submitted by Dr. Cochran is best calculated to subserve the interests of both the profession and the State. Dr. Weatherly's plan gives the appointment of the members of the Board of Health to the Governor of the State, which at once and without peradventure places the Board at the mercy of local and political influences; while, on the other hand, Dr. Cochran's plan places this important matter where it properly belongs, namely-in the hands of the medical profession itself. Dr. Weatherly's plan separates the Board of Health from the control of the profession; while Dr. Cochran's plan identifies the Board fully with the views and wishes of the State Association, and makes it instrumental in advancing the honor, usefulness, dignity, and influence of that organization; while at the same time his plan for the organization of County Boards of Health confers the same advantages, pari passu, upon the County Medical Societies. Dr. Weatherly's plan places the power, patronage and influence of the Board of Health under the control of a few men, while Dr. Cochran's plan embraces the interests and commands the services of the entire medical profession of the State. On all these grounds, then, as well as on others which I cannot, for want of time, specifically mention, I am convinced that Dr. Cochran's plan is very far superior to the other, and therefore recommend that it receive the endorsement of the Association. All of which is respectfully submitted. É. P. GAINES, M. D., Chairman of Committee. Some discussion ensued, which was participated in by Drs. Means, Weatherly, and Cochran. The vote was taken first on the adoption of the majority report, which was lost; then on the adoption of the minority report, which was carried. Dr. H. W. Bassett, chairman of the Committee on the Presi dent's Address, submitted the following report, which was received and adopted: Your committee to whom was referred the President's Address, after careful examination, beg leave to report: That portion relating to petitioning the Legislature to pass a bill granting to physicians a lien for their fees next to landlords and laborers' liens for services rendered, and the repeal of that section of the Revised Code exempting certain property from execution, meets with their approval, and they advise that the Association take such steps as will be. most likely to secure its passage by the Legislature. We heartily concur with the President's suggestions concerning private students, and advise that the Association recommend that the profession throughout the State adopt and enforce the practice of examining students, and, if they be found deficient in education, refuse to receive them. We approve of the formation of district associations, and advise that the State Association recommend it to the local societies. We suggest that the President be requested to present his views on the "History and Periodicity of the Great Malarial Epidemics" at the next annual meeting, We commend to the attention of this body the President's suggestions in regard to the dispatching of business. H. W. BASSETT, M. H. JORDAN, Committee. Dr. Wm. Desprez presented the following plan for the organization of the "Alabama Benevolent Aid Society": PLAN OF THE BENEVOLENT AID ASSOCIATION-BY DR. W. DESPREZ. I wish to draw the attention of the members of this Association to the necessity of organizing a society for the relief of the widows and orphans of physicians. Let us see how many members of our profession who, if they die to-morrow, could say they were leaving a competency for their families. How many widows and orphans of deceased physicians are left to the cold charities of the world, whose fathers have toiled night and day, through heat and cold, frost and snow, in the relief of suffering humanity. I know the families of several deceased physicians, who have been left destitute. I will merely allude to two. One, who had practiced twelve or fifteen years, left his widow and six children depending on what the mother could earn with her needle until the family were grown sufficiently to help her; the other had practiced about thirty-five years, and he left a very large family dependent on their relations. Gentlemen, I think it is a duty we owe to our families to make some provision for them. It is true there are insurance companies where we can effect an insurance, but on what terms? Why, to the most liberal we pay from $40 to $80 yearly to secure $1,000 for our families. These companies are building palaces, declaring dividends of from twelve to thirty per cent., and paying large salaries to their officers and employés. Why can we not form a society, the profits of whose contributions would go to the benefit of widows and orphans of the members of the society? If we review the statistics of the mortality of large cities, we will see that the mortality of adults is less than one per cent. In 1856, in Philadelphia, with a population of 600,000, there were 11,723 deaths. Of these 4,500 were over twenty years of age-equal to one death in 133. In 1866, a year in which the cholera made its appearance, there was a population of 750,000, and 15,312 deaths. Of these 8,000 were over twenty-equal to one death in 94, making our average 113. This is the mortality of a large city. Of course, in the country we would expect it to be considerably less-but say one in 113. If the society consists of only twenty members, according to that rate there would be one death in that number in a little less than six years. If these contribute according to my calculation, say Three under thirty years of age, $40 per annum... Would make annually..... ...... .$120 600 300 .$1,020 Which, placed at interest and counting it for six years, would make $7,482, yielding an annual interest of $598. That would be a very handsome income for a poor woman, which sum would at her death revert to the society. At the end of some time I would propose that the annual payment be either reduced or remitted, according to circumstances. The annual income for six years would amount to an almost incredible Interest sixth year.. $5,983 91 478 60 1,020 00 $7,482 51 598 60 Giving you a capital at the end of the sixth year of $7,482 51, paying an interest of $598. That would be a very handsome sum for a poor woman. I would, if she died before the children were of age, continue the annuity to the children until they attained their twenty-first year, if boys; to the girls I would give $100 yearly until they were married. Now, look at the insurance companies. In the most favorable of them, for a policy taken by a man of forty years of age he must pay $50 annually for ten years, and all he gets is $1,000, and there it ends. But here you have an annuity, and the benefit does not end here; a widow will not live always-say one dies out in ten years, you have her annuity to be divided out among the remaining ones, so that, in place of $598, the other two would get $873 each. [There is evidently some error here.— SECRETARY.] ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION. 1. The name of this association shall be THE ALABAMA MEDICAL BENEVOLENT AID SOCIETY. 2. The members of this Society must be medical practitioners, of good standing, and members of some recognized medical society, including as well those who have retired from the profession as those in actual practice. 3. The object of this Society is: To provide a fund for the benefit of the families and relations of deceased members of this Society. 4. The officers of this Society shall be: A President, a Vice President, a Secretary and Treasurer, and a Board of Directors, consisting of not less than six nor more than twelve, who shall be elected at the organization of this Society, and at its annual meetings thereafter, the Directors to be elected in three classes, for one, two and three years. After which one-third of the Directors will be elected annually, so that they hold office for three years. 5. The officers of this Society shall, from among their members, elect an Executive Committee of three, annually, whose duties it shall be (subject to the control of the Society) to manage, invest, and disburse the funds of this Society, so as to carry out the object of same, as expressed in these articles, and shall perform such other duties as may be imposed upon them by these articles, or by-laws and resolutions of this Society. A majority of the committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but, if practicable, all of them shall be consulted upon matters relating to the investment and disbursement of the funds of the Society, until otherwise directed. They shall invest the funds of the Society in such convertible securities as in their judgment they may deem best calculated to insure increase and security of the same. 6. The Treasurer shall be subject to removal by the Executive Com mittee; shall hold his office for two years, and shall give bond in such form and amount as may be prescribed by the Executive Committee. He shall have the custody of the funds and securities of the Society, and shall pay out the same on the order of the Executive Committee. He shall make a report at each annual meeting, exhibiting the receipts and expenditures for the year and the balance in the treasury. The compensation of the Treasurer shall not exceed two and a half per centum on receipts and two and a half per centum on disbursements. 7. The initiation fee for members of the medical profession, who join this Society at the meeting at which these articles are agreed on, shall be ten dollars, which sum must be paid in cash, or within thirty days from the formation of this Society; and thereafter for his lifetime pay, in semi-annual instalments, if under thirty years of age, the sum of forty dollars; if over thirty and under fifty, the sum of fifty dollars; and if over fifty, the sum of sixty dollars annually, in semi-annual payments, being due on the first day of May and the first day of November in each year. After the Society has been in existence for two years the initiation fee shall be raised to fifty dollars, and should the funds of the Society accumulate to such an extent that the interest thereof shall be more than sufficient to meet the requirements of the Executive Committee, then the annual fees may be reduced at any annual meeting of the Society, to be raised again thereafter if necessary: Provided, that if any member of this Society, either by accident or in the discharge of his professional duties, should be disabled from prosecuting the practice of his profession, his annual dues shall be remitted at the discretion of the Executive Committee. 8. It shall be the duty of every member on joining this Society to designate who shall be the beneficiary of the benefits of this Society at his death, which he has a right to change as circumstances may require: Provided, however, That, should it be in favor of any widow or sister or daughter, it shall only be paid until they marry, and if in favor of any male, until they arrive at the age of twenty-one. 9. Within three months after the death of any member of this Society, or sooner if practicable, the Executive Committee shall order the Treasurer to pay over to the parties designated by the deceased member as beneficiaries a sum, in quarterly payments, at the discretion of the Executive Committee, only using the interest arising from the permanent fund, and continue the same during the lifetime of the widow, and after her death to the orphans, until the youngest one is of age or capable of supporting himself, and should the surviving children be females to pay them such a sum annually as the Executive Committee may fix, until they marry; but if the widow have children, and marry again, such annuity to be discontinued to her, but to be continued to the children, until the youngest one is of age, or able to support itself, as in the case made and provided. 10. Any member who shall fail to pay any semi-annual payment for the space of two months shall pay an addition of ten per cent. on the same, and if he fail to do so, and not to pay the next payment in two months after it falls due, with ten per cent. additional, he shall cease to be a member, and forfeit all claims to any portion of the funds of the Society; but any such delinquents shall be readmitted as members and be reinstalled in all their rights on paying to the Treasurer their arrears, with fifty per cent. added. 11. New members shall be admitted into this Society at any regular or called meeting, and by a vote of three-fourths of the members present, taken by ballot. 12. In case of a vacancy in the office of President, the Vice President shall act for the remainder of the term, and in case both offices shall |