History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

80 History of Medical Practice in IllinoisDr. D. W. Graham, Permanent Secretary of the Society, thought "Jacksonvillethe best place of all for a meeting, and if one is to be held in thesame place every two years, Jacksonville should by all means be selected."He also thought, as did others, that the physicians of the state should usemore diligence to acquaint themselves with all the state institutions andthe conditions of the pupils and inmates.1890— ChicagoThere were many important items before the Society in 1890, one of themost important being the founding and development of the NewberryLibrary. 12Also, the House passed a resolution "that thisSociety hereby requeststhe A.M.A., as the largest and most representative organization of medicalmen in the country, to take the initiative and inaugurate such measuresas will secure a creditable medical exhibit at the World's Columbian Expositionto be held in Chicago in1893. Such an exhibit should representthe history, progress and present status of the medical and allied sciences."Dr. J.P. Mathews of Carlinville was installed as the new President ofthe Society.1891 —SpringfieldThe President of the Society opened the 1891 meeting in Springfieldand introduced Governor Fifer, who welcomed the physicians to the Capitol.Two years previously the Society had voted to hold its meetingsbiennially in Springfield because of its central location, "its accessibilityto all portions of the State by reason of its admirable railroad facilities,and the fact that it was the capital city of the State." It was also thoughtthat a meeting of the Society in Springfield at the time the legislature wasin session would exert a valuable influence upon the legislators and "tendto dispossess them of any ideas they might entertain that legislation askedfor by the medical profession of the State was for the purpose of selfaggrandizement,or for any other reason than the public good."Dr. C. W. Earle called the attention of the Society to the bill before thelegislature amending the law for the commitment of the insane. TheSociety committee had been at work on the bill during the year; it was ingood shape and it was "quite possible that it might be passed this term, ifwe can get what assistance we believe the Society can give." The committeefurnished each member with copies of circulars and literature which hadbeen used so each man would know exactly what had been done and whathad been incorporated in the proposed law. Dr. Earle stated that "wedesire now to have the representatives and senators interviewed by as many12For further details concerning the Newberry Library, the reader is referred toChapter XXII in this Volume.—Editor