History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

84 History of Medical Practice in Illinoisgreatly interfere with the continuance of the high standard of proficiencythat has heretofore characterizedthat department." The members wereasked to protest this action earnestly, and to urge the representatives andsenators from Illinois to prevent the enactment of this bill.Dr. Victor C. Vaughan of Ann Arbor, Michigan, presented a paper on"Nucleins and Nuclein Therapy"; this was the first scientific paper to begiven by an out of state physician.During the previous year, the Legislative Committee had spent $129.48more than the $200.00 appropriation given to them by the Society for itswork. The President of the Society, Dr. O. B. Will of Peoria, had securedpledges to the full amount from several members of the Society, includinghimself, to cover this expenditure. By officialaction, the indebtedness ofthe committee was approved and the bill was authorized for payment.The Society approved the establishment of an epileptic colony "sincesuch a colony is deemed so humane, practical and necessary" and referredthe matter to the Legislative Committee for presentation in Springfield.The Society requested the Illinois senators and representatives in Congressto "use all means in their power to secure the passage of the AmericanMedical Association bill for the establishment of a Department of PublicHealth, with a competent medical man as the head thereof."A resolution was passed to endorse and commend the efforts being madeby the Illinois State Board of Charities to secure appropriate legislationrelative to the prevention of blindness due to ophthalmia of the newborn.The Committee on Medical Education presented a detailed report requestinguniformity to place American medical degrees upon a firm foundation.At this time no degree from any American school legally entitleditspossessor to practice medicine in any of the countries of Europe, butnearly all European degrees were recognized in America as entitling theirholders to practice under protection of the law. For twenty years, Ontariohad had a plan in operation which was suggested as a possible solution:(1) Each candidate for a medical degree had submitted to him exactly thesame set of questions; (2) the identity of the candidate was not known tothe examiner; (3) the examining body was distinct from any teaching body.An act was outlined to establish "a State College of Examiners in Medicineand Surgery" for Illinois, and a committee was appointed to cooperatewith the standing Committee on Legislation in order to bring this importantmatter before the state legislature.The Committee on Information gave a detailed report on the importanceand value of universal vaccination for smallpox, together with tables basedupon epidemics in Europe from 1780 to date.This same committee stated: "We cannot urge too strongly upon theprofession that prescriptions containing cocaine, which may be repeated,