History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

70 History of Medical Practice in Illinois1 880 BellevilleThe first order of business to come before the House, following the addressof welcome and the report of the Committee on Arrangements, wasthe second resignation of the Permanent Secretary, Dr. N. S. Davis of Chicago.Dr. Davis had served his State Society in many capacities since its reorganization30 years before; he had contributed scientific papers, keptSociety records, entertained the members at his Chicago home, made upfinancial deficits from his own purse until such time as the Treasurer couldreimburse him.It was at this meeting which received the resignation of Dr. Davis thatDr. Christian Fenger registered for the first time. His name is listed as amember in good standing with his dues paid for 1880. He is listed as "surgeon-pathologistto Cook County Hospital, Chicago." Dr. Fenger took nopart in any of the discussions, but the minutes of the May 20th meetingstated that "the paper of Dr. Chr. Fenger and E. W. Lee on Tuberculosis ofJoints, was then read at their request by Dr. Norman Bridge, and thepatients on whom excision had been performed were exhibited by Drs.Fenger and Lee, showing the favorable result of the operations—one beingexcision of humerus, radius and ulna; another being excision of the kneejoint. The paper was accepted and referred to the Committee on Publication."7Communications received by the House included a request from theWoman's Christian Temperance Union that the Society issue an "expressionof opinion." With a rather adept evasion of the issue,the House approveda statement that "while we hold alcohol to be an invaluable therapeuticagent, and would always recommend its use under competent advice,yet no one can more fully realize the injury inflicted by the unadvised andintemperate use of alcoholic drinks than the physician. We would earnestlyrecommend the exercise of temperance in all things."The Treasurer had a balance of almost twice that on hand in 1879—total of §413.00.1881 -ChicagoDr. James Nevins Hyde, Chairman of the Committee on Arrangements,welcomed the members of the Society to Chicago after a four year absence7This was rather a quiet beginning for one of the outstanding men in Americanmedicine. Dr. Christian Fenger was the teacher of such men as Ludvig Hektoen whowas winner of the distinguished service medal of the American Medical Associationin 1942. He was a close friend of Nicholas Senn, and it was to Fenger that Senn wrotefrom Europe the letters which later were published under the title "Four Months Amongthe Surgeons of Europe." Frank Billings was Dr. Fenger's associate for over twenty years,and Drs. William and Charles Mayo spent alternate weekends in Chicago with him.The American Medical Association commented that "Fenger is the highest embodimentof modern surgical pathology." (For further details on Dr. Fenger, and especially onhis surgical contributions, the reader is referred to Chapter VIII of this Volume.)—Editor