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History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

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62 <strong>History</strong> <strong>of</strong> Medical Practice <strong>in</strong> Ill<strong>in</strong>oisbelieved the rule was that if a member failed to pay his dues for a term <strong>of</strong>five years, his name was dropped; but if he made his appearance at any timewith<strong>in</strong> those five years, he was charged only one year's dues and was restoredto membership without any action on the part <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Society</strong>.Later the Secretary asked to call from the table an amendment to theConstitution <strong>of</strong>fered <strong>in</strong> 1868 to the effect that every member <strong>of</strong> this <strong>Society</strong>,or any delegate to it, must be a member <strong>in</strong> good stand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> a local society,if one existed where he lived. He po<strong>in</strong>ted out that five men could constitutea <strong>medical</strong> society and "these may take exceptions to one <strong>of</strong>fer<strong>in</strong>g himselffor membership, and thus put it out <strong>of</strong> his power to become a member ifthis amendment is acted upon." Dr. Fitch said: "I was much <strong>in</strong>terested,because many local Societies were suffer<strong>in</strong>g for regular attendants, and formembership, while these gentlemen would ignore all local societies, andcome to the State or the American Medical Association, and become members,regard<strong>in</strong>g it as a greater honor than to be a member <strong>of</strong> a local <strong>Society</strong>;they would thus be no aid to the home organizations. ... It seems to me,this <strong>Society</strong> should be like all other delegated bodies. Where a man losesposition <strong>in</strong> a lower <strong>Society</strong>, he should lose it <strong>in</strong> the higher. It is to compela man who wants the honor <strong>of</strong> belong<strong>in</strong>g to a State Medical <strong>Society</strong> to bea member <strong>of</strong> his local <strong>Society</strong>, if one exists <strong>in</strong> a reasonable distance. Weknow that there are a great many men from this State, and throughout theWestern country, who entirely ignore their local Societies; they have noth<strong>in</strong>gto do with them; and yet they go to the State Societies and to theAmerican Medical Association and get all the honor they are capable <strong>of</strong>conferr<strong>in</strong>g upon them."1 875 —Jacksonville(The Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Meet<strong>in</strong>g)A picture <strong>of</strong> the physicians attend<strong>in</strong>g the 1875 annual meet<strong>in</strong>g appears-mounted <strong>in</strong> the front <strong>of</strong> copies <strong>of</strong> the m<strong>in</strong>utes <strong>of</strong> this year's session. Dr. A.W. Cadman placed the group and took the picture upon the front steps <strong>of</strong>the Hospital for the Insane <strong>in</strong> Jacksonville. Innumerable high silk hats areseen, and one woman with fullsweep<strong>in</strong>g skirts and a wee umbrella. Dr.Sarah H. Stevenson <strong>of</strong> Chicago had been elected to membership; perhapsit was she.Dr. David Pr<strong>in</strong>ce, as Chairman <strong>of</strong> the Committee on Arrangements, announcedplans for the <strong>Society</strong> to visit the State Institutions for Feeble-M<strong>in</strong>ded Children, the Deaf and Dumb Institution, the Bl<strong>in</strong>d Institution,and the Hospital for the Insane.Legislative work at this session was extended to the field <strong>of</strong> federalactivity. The <strong>Society</strong> passed a resolution specifically urg<strong>in</strong>g the representatives<strong>in</strong> Congress from Ill<strong>in</strong>ois to use their efforts <strong>in</strong> behalf <strong>of</strong> such legis-

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