History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

goHistory of Medical Practice in Illinoisact, and Dr. Pettit of Ottawa presented in detail the proposed material tobe presented in Springfield. After reading the Act he stated: "Unless it canbe clearly shown that such a law is in the interest of the public, it will notstand the test of a judicial decision, as the Constitution expressly prohibitsclass legislation. Whatever advantages may accrue to the profession by sucha law, must be incidental to the public good. This principle of protectionto the public must constantly be kept in view and any departure from it willnullify any law we may succeed in having enacted."The Committee asked for "not less than 12,500" to carry out this work—a far cry from the contested $200 requested a few years previously. Dr.Pettit stated that "Of this, the regular physicians will be expected to raise$1,100.00 which will be about 50 cents per capita for the members of thevarious medical organizations of the state."The Society approved "an excursion to the International Medical Congressto be held in Paris in 1900 to be known as the Illinois State MedicalSociety European Excursion."Dr. A. C. Corr, as Chairman of the Illinois delegates to the AmericanMedical Association, reported that Illinois had pledged $2,000 to the RushMonument Fund at the Philadelphia meeting. Drs. Murphy, Senn, Hamiltonand others had prevailed upon him to authorize this amount; Ohioand other states had pledged similar amounts, and Dr. Corr wanted hisaction in Philadelphia approved by officialmotion. The amount was tobe raised by "pro rata subscriptions." The action on the part of theSociety's delegates was secured by the necessary motion, and the amountbecame an official debt of the Society.Prior to adjournment, the 1899 meeting of the Society was set for Cairo"the third Tuesday in May, 1899."The year 1899 begins a new era in the history of the Illinois State MedicalSociety, for at that time the Illinois Medical Journal was established andbecame the official organ of the Society.