History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

Internal Medicine 139phate where digitalis was not tolerated, saccharin in diabetes, and sulfonalas a hypnotic. The use of antifebrin was recommended. There was a discussionof achlorhydria in normals and in gastric carcinoma, and pepsinin the treatment of croup and diphtheria was suggested as an agent to dissolvethe membrane.An editorial appeared in the Northwestern Medical and Surgical Journalconcerning the multiplicity of medical societies. A plea was made for moreconcentration on the American Medical Association, and the editor decriedthe formation of so many special societies.1889The annual address was presented by Dr. Charles Warrington Earle ofChicago. He discussed the responsibilities and duties of the medical professionregarding alcoholic and opium inebriety. He made a plea for practicaltemperance, pointed to the opium habit then prevalent among armyphysicians, and stressed the need for a general diffusion of knowledge pertainingto the harmful effects of alcohol and opium and the immense importanceof this education for youth. He cautioned that the profession shouldbe temperate and should not prescribe these substances indiscriminately.Dr. N. S. Davis's report for the Committee on Medical Practice was entitled"Influence of Appreciable Meteorological and Topographical Conditionson the Prevention of Acute Diseases." Twelve years previously,Dr. Davis had devised a system of coincident observations and records concerningthe appreciable conditions of the atmosphere and soil and the dateof commencement of acute diseases. This work had been done in conjunctionwith a special committee of the American Medical Association andthe British Medical Association.Dr. F. C. Robinson, Wyanet, who was Chairman of the Committee onMedical Practice, noted that: (1) the etiology of disease was difficult andoften impossible to determine. It was only a few years since the germ theoryhad been accepted as a prime factor in the causation of many diseases, butthis theory was yet in its infancy. (2) Germ cause of croupous pneumoniahad not as yet been proved. Pneumococci were claimed to be the cause, andexposure to cold and wet was said to have a severe effect. Very little advancehad been made in its treatment. Dover's powders, antipyrine, veratrum,aconite, poultices, plasters and pneumonia jackets were used. The mortalityrate had not materially changed. Venesection was now neglected. (3) Awave of "faith cures" by quacks and fanatics posed a serious problem during1888 and 1889.Dr. A. J. Baxter, Astoria, Chairman of the Committee on Disease of theAlimentary Canal, reported that "Advances show benefits of headlights ofscientific research over phantom of empiricism," and reveal "the impor-