History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

13° History of Medical Practice in Illinoisards for these few medical schools which should be "separated by insurmountablebarriers from all and every sectarian church, or political orselfish influence." He advised that every candidate pass an examinationgiven by a board of medical men entirely dissociated from every schoolfurnishing medical instruction. He felt that in this way a great and neededimprovement would be inaugurated, the profession would stride forwardan entire generation in a day and would take its position in the world as thehighest and noblest of the calling of men.There had been many articles on climatology and disease in the literatureover the preceding 25 years, with the conclusion that the most healthfulclimate, as a rule, contained qualities of equable temperature, moderatelywarm or cold, moderate dryness, an abundance of sunshine, strong electrictension and considerable free ozone; sufficient winds to assist in removingimpurities; the contour of the land and the nature of the soil favorable toprompt drainage; moderate rainfall; the presence of bodies of water, andproximity to forests. Points regarded universally as injurious were decidedhumidity, lowness of lands, especially if the soil was marshy or clay-like innature. Questionnaires sent to over 200 physicians showed that manythought that there were effects produced by electricity or magnetism insome ozonal influence, and that there was high humidity in association withlow barometer and/or some occult influence during storms.Dr. J.M. Everett of Dixon offered studies in relation to the productionof pain by weather, particularly during storms.A milestone in medical history occurred during this year: Dr. ChristianFenger of Chicago demonstrated the bacterial nature of acute endocarditis,the first such demonstration on this side of the Atlantic Ocean.1880A certain amount of repetition occurred in the presentations before theState Society; for example: (1) Dr. T. Worrell of Bloomington continuedto defend the value of bloodletting in the treatment of the acute phase ofpneumonia; (2) Dr. F. C. Hotz of Chicago commented upon the value ofsalicylic acid in rheumatic diseases, and (3) Dr. J.H. Hollister made a pleafor the support of the Society in securing the adoption of the metric systemin writing prescriptions. Dr. H. Z. Gill of Jerseyville read a paper on"Identity or Xonidentity of Membranous Croup: and Diphtheria: TheDiagnosis and Cure"; this work, of course, was done without benefit ofbacterial studies.The Committee on Medical Practice reported an epidemic of mumps,and then went on to discuss the value of inhalations in the therapy ofpulmonary disease, tracheotomy for relief of croup and laryngeal diphtheria,air contamination, and the problems of sewage.