Vol. 60, 1909 - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

.ViO THE CHARLOTTE MEDIOAL JOURNAL
The present editor of the A. M. A. Journal, ed medical periodicals in this big country
and the present Secretary of the A. M. A, of ours, and can but cherish contempt for
should never have been placed in sorespon- an editorial policy or an editor, assuming
sible and honorable position, and those of that nothing shall be entitled to existence
our leaders responsible for his continuance in the domain of periodic medical literature
in these positions are without doubt derelict save and except such journals as are solely
in the performance of their manifest duty conducted by medical societies. If such
in not promptly replacing him with a com- an absurd theory should ever obtain full
petent Secretary-Editor who has lived cor- recognition with the profession, could it not
rectly "from his youth up", in the educa- with equal argumentative facility and contional
and the ethical traditions of our pro- sistency be applied to the issuing of textfession!
books of medicine as well ? Then would
Dr, Geo. H. Simmons should be retired ensue the interesting spectacle of a medical
as Secretary-Editor of the American Medi- society or its trustees or governing body
cal Association and the rank and file of our undertaking to say wlio should or should
profession should insist upon his retirement not essay the tedious and oftimes unproby
the business body of the Association, ductive financially task of writing and pub-
and should continue unceasingly such in- lishing a textbook of medicine ! !
sistence until the demand of an outraged Or if the policy of organization control
profession is heard, and a proper herald of of the mental tools t the journals, maga-
correct ethical professional principles and zines, books) of our profession be accepted,
practice placed in that important and re- then a single short step farther and associasponsible
position. tion of the remedies (,*see foot-note) the in-
To assume, as the trustees have, and the dividual physicians may use in his practice,
House of Delegates are equally responsible the kind of clothes he may wear, &c., &c.,
in that its membership have tacitly acqui- ad infinitum, ad nauseam! !! ! Can any one
esced, year after year, with this knowledge believe such a spirit of proscription would
before them of Dr. Simmons past history, be tolerated, much less systematically culthat
our great national medical organization tivated and propogated by a sane profession
should properly have an ex-homeopathist once aroused to the ultimate destination of
for its educational leader is an absurdity, such a policy of its leading journal in free
and the continuance of Dr. Simmons in that American States???
exalted position is a perpetual affront to the It is highly probable that a majority of
doctors of this great nation which should the gentlemen responsible for the continunot
longer be tolerated. anceof Dr. Simmons' continuance in official
That the Journal A. M. A. is accomplish- position and who have followed his successing
a great work is undeniably true, but it ful leadership, engrossed with the multituis
a fact that no one dare call in question, dinous affairs of busy professional life, have
that the same good work can better be per- jjot fully consideied whither such leadership
formed by one educationally, ethically, and trended, or critically viewed this most vital
traditionally, more in harmony with the matter from all sides. The Association
ideals of the best in American Medicine. Journal is an important factor in advancing
The A. M. A. Journal is right in many the interests of the medical profession and
of its positions, and yet vitally wrong in is doing much good work; but this feature
some of the most important policies. That of its editorial and business policy as dictathe
organization of the American medical ted by Dr. Simmons is unworthy of the best
profession should appropriately own and traditions of the profession, untrue to the
conduct for the benefit of its membership principles of our science and the proper
and the exacting of the science and the art conception of our art which in the disseminof
medicine, a great national medical weekly,
is perfectly right and proper and to be *A trite and intensely practical illustraexpected
and encouraged; but that the tion of how little dictation American phystudied
chosen policy, relentlessly pursued, sicians will submit to in the vital matter of
of that journal to crush out of existence all what they shall prescribe, and when was
other medical journals unless owned and seen a few weeks since when the Guilford
conducted by the component societies of the County (N. C.) Medical Society unaniassociation,
is radically wrong in theory mously commanded the druggists of that
and wholly inconsistent with scientific county, filling the prescriptions of the memideals,
bers of the Society, to not publicly exhibit
Gentlemen who have thoughtfully con- the said prescriptions of its members, on
sidered this subject in its varying phases call of the local authorities, unless such
and details, believe there exist appropriate exhibition was specifically authorized by
fields for both organization owned and the physician writing the special proscripoperated,
and privately owned and conduct- tion.