History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

56 History of Medical Practice in Illinoisception at his residence on Wednesday evening. Having filled the office ofPermanent Secretary of the Society for ten years, Dr. Davis tendered hisresignation to the House before the afternoon session on Tuesday.The first recorded request for cooperation from the American MedicalAssociation was brought to the House on Thursday morning by Dr. Davis.As a result of serious thought at the national level, the American MedicalAssociation was taking the first steps to improve the quality of medical careoffered the people of the United States. The Council on Medical Educationand Hospitals had been conceived, and medical examining committeeswere even then functioning. The resolution presented by the AmericanMedical Association is so much a part of modern medicine and has comedown through the years so intact that it is well worth while to reprint itin its entirety:"WHEREAS, The history of medical legislation in the various states of thisUnion, clearly shows that no reliance can be placed on either the uniformity orthe permanence of any laws relating to the practice of medicine; and"WHEREAS, The results of all the efforts made during the last twenty-five years,to elevate the standard of medical education through concert of action among thenumerous medical colleges of this country, have proved with equal clearness thatsuch concert of action in an efficient manner is unattainable, therefore be it"RESOLVED, That whatever is done to establish and maintain a just and fairstandard of medical education throughout our whole country MUST BE DONEBY THE PROFESSION ITSELF, through its own voluntary organizations, inthe same manner that it now establishes and enforces its CODE OF ETHICS. Theprofession is as competent to declare, through its representatives in the national,state, and local societies, what shall be the standard of attainments for thoseto be recognized and admitted into its ranks, and to establish the boards or agenciesby which compliance with such standard shall be ascertained, as it is to declarewhat shall be the ethical rules governing the conduct of those already admitted."RESOLVED, That this Association earnestly requests each State MedicalSociety to appoint annually one or more Boards of Examiners, composed of fivethoroughly competent members, whose duty it shall be to meet at suitable timesand places, for the examination of all persons, whether graduates of colleges ornot, who propose to enter upon the practice of medicine in their respectiveStates, except such as have been previously examined and licensed by a similarBoard in some other state."RESOLVED, That each State Medical Society be requested to require itsExamining Board or Boards to exact of every applicant for examination, adequateproof that he has a proper general education; is twenty-one years of age, and haspursued the study of medicine three full years, one-half of which time shall havebeen in some regularly organized Medical College, whose curriculum embracesadequate facilities for didactic, demonstrative, and hospital clinical instruction."RESOLVED, That each State Medical Society be requested to act on the foregoingpropositions at the next regular annual meeting after the reception ofcopies of the same, and if approved and adopted by the State Medical Societiesof two-thirds of the States, this American Medical Association shall deny representativesfrom all organizations who longer refuse to comply with the same, andshall recommend the State Societies to do the same, and all persons who, after that