| Summary: | In this paper, Dr. Robert D. Forbes recounts the history of the King County Medical Society from its founding in 1888 up to its Fiftieth Anniversary in 1938. HISTORY of the KINO COUNTY N S D I C A L SOCIETY bv robt::rt d. forbks, m.d. It was on August 13, 1888, that the King County Medical Society was officially organized in the offices of Drs. T.T. Minor and L.R. Dawson, The Medical Soc3_ety of Washington Territory had been the one organization where the wedical profession of the territory could protect its interests and unitedly work for the people*s benefit. In this 3.arge territory the three important centers of population were Oljanpia, Walla Walla and Seattle. The trip from Walla Wall-a to Seattle made on horseback took nine days and •the meetings were necessarily held at long intervals and with an uncertain attendance. It is on record that when the society met in Seattle in June I883 there were oniy ninety regular phjrsicians practicing in the territory'". The society had been infliiential in driving out the quacks through a new Act of the Legislature, At this meeting Dr, E,L. Smith was elected president and Dr. G.A. Weed, Treasurer. Continuity with the earliest pioneers had been maintained when Dr, Xfeed, in 1873, had taken over the hospital of Dr. D.S. Maynard, SeattJ.e's first physician. Incident ally it was through the influence of Dr. Majmard that King County was first created. He introduced the Bill which changed the name of Buchanan County to the name of King in honor of William Rufus King who had just been elected Vice-President of the United States, Seattle*s steady grovrbh, with an estimated population in 1888 of ^2,000, brought x«jith it a large number of medical practitioners. The need for a local medical organization was apparent for the convenience as a meeting place for social intercourse and for scientific discussions. It was also advisable that a unit of the American Medical Association be established here. At informaD. prelimi.'naiy meetings committees had been appointed to draft a Constitution and By Laws and to review the credentials of.appli cants • Thus on August 13 j 1888, twelve men were recommended for member ship and they signed the roster and the Constitution and By Laws in the follomng order: Drs. T.T. Minor, Rufus Willard, E.L, Smith, C. Holzschiiler, J.M. Smart, James Shanjnon, G,M, Mills, L.R. Dawson, T,V. Goodspeed, J.B. Eagleson, H.M, Hall and G.A, Weed. At this meeting Dr. Weed vras elected president, Dr. Eagleson, secretary and Dr. Dawson, treasurer. Before the end of the next year ninety-nine members were to become affiliated. Included in these were m.any who later became prominent in medical and civic circles such as Frantz H. Coe, W.A, Shannon, A.B. Kibbe, Samuel J. Holm.es, Clarence A. Smith, George Newlands, Caspar W. Sharpies, Charles B. Ford, Ja.m.es H. Lyons, John R, Booth, Wm, P, O^Rourke, Grant Calhoun, Wm., G. Booth, Elmer E. Heg, F.M, Carroll, Mariette Marsh, Hamilton Stillson, G.S,. Peterkin, Fonda Madeau and H.C. Ostrom. It was fortunate for the future of medicine in our county that these pioneer members were men of high ideals, good training and unusual intell ectual attainments. Their influence was to be felt in the society for manj'" years, especially in the case of Drs. Eagleson and Dawson who were well known to m.a.ny of us now in practice. Dr. Weed had been president of the Territorial Medical Society, Mayor of Seattle and the duty's .first Health Officer, while his influence at Olj/inpia had secured legislation requiring a coroner to be a qualified physician. The "Seattle Hospital" which he now conducted was the second such pioneer institution and followed directly on the closing of Dr. Maynard's hospital after his death. Dr. Eagleson had just come West, at the age of twenty-five, as surgeon to the M?,rinG Hospital while Dr. Dax-json had been here four years. Dr. Minor had practised in Post Townsend where he had b^en orominent ?.n civic and • •3 professional life» He had ser\''ed twice as Mayor of the town while at the same time conducting a private practice and sen'^ing with Dr. G»V. Calhoun in the administration of the hospital. Dr. James Shannon, and his brother Dr. W.A. Shannon, were to leave their raark in tne annals of the city as distinguished physicians. Drs. Willard and Smith were partners with a large followiTig, Their philanthropy had been exercised by attendance upon the county poor. Dr. Willard was a Christian gentle man ?nd a teetotaler whereas Dr. ^).L. Smith had much broader social con tacts. Both were highly competent practitioners. The first few meetings were larp'ely devoted to the society's business affairs and an effort was raade to correct irregularities which had been creeping into medical practice. The law had not yet controlled the activ ities of the quack and jmiposter. AFee Bill received early attention and the one adopted on October 23» 1388 pictured the practice of the day. Here we find vSpecified fees with min-imurn and maximum charges for seventy-nine item.s. The ordinary house visit rate was from ^2.5D to 05*00 being doubled for night calls; post mortems 050.00 to 0100,00 and attendance at Court 025.00 to 050.00, The obstetri cal fee was 025.00 although when complicated, requiring forceps or Cesarian section, it rose from 050.00 to 0500.00; ovariotomy is the only abdominal procedure mentioned and the fee ranged from 0100.00 to 0500,00. Most of the suraical iter^s were for opera.tions on the Fxtremit3-esj Rectum, Scrotum or Bladder; the radical cure of Hernia cost from. 0100,00 to 0500,00 whereas a stricture of Urethra was dilated for from. 02.50 to 05,00, An office visit was 02.00 minimum with no maximum, stated. In the Fee Bill of A.pril 15» 1895 s few significant changes are noted. The office consul tation now had a maximum 010.00 lim.it as did the house visit within the city limits; the night visit maximum was now }§20,00 and the post niortem examination ^100,00; attendance at Court ranged from ^25.00 to ^250»00; in the obstetrical field ^50#00 could now be charged for natural labor with an extra -^lO.OO to ^50.00 for immediate Ferineal repair. Abdominal section is now mentioned and the fee for removal of Ovaries, Fallopian Tubes or Uterus ranged from ^250.o.00 to J^2500.00. A similar fee range was allowed for Craniotomy, S^mphysiotomy, Gesarian section and Vaginal Hysterectomy. Radical cure of Hernia was now ^250,00 to ^1000.00 and one might collect from J^IO.OO to ^100.00 for assisting at an operation. The society's first scientific paper was read by Dr. H.M.-Hal3. entitled "Antiseptic Dressings for Penetratin? Wounds of the Chest"• He gave a demonstration of his method. Other papers illustrating the scientific interest during these earHy months were entitled "The Anti pyretic Treatment of Tj^phoid Fever; Glaucoma and the Physiological Action of Abnormal A-ccormnodation; Treatment of Eczema by Boracic Acid; Valvular Disease of the Heart; Aphasia during Enteric Fever; Pneumonia; Treatm.ent of Hydrocele; Mania after the use of AnevSthetics; Treatment of Gonorrhea; Eye Strain the cause of nervous diseases; Neurasthenia and the Weir-Mitchel Treatment and the Reliability of Medical Literature." In 1889 the society felt that its scientific papers might be worthy of publication and selected the "Medical Tiiues" of Sacramento, California as the Journal of its choice. Civic responsibilities were manifested in papers by Dr. T.T. Mnor entit3.ed "Disposal of City Garbage" and by Dr. Frantz H. Coe "Measures to restrict the spread of InJ'ectioiis a.nd Contagious Diseases". Unforseen measures, however, were to becom.e more effective because on June 6, 1889 the city was swppt by a disastrous fire. For a long time thereafter Seattle seemed an eminently healthy center of population as the fire had 5 wiped out all harboring j^laces for rats and filth. Some years later, however, the rats were to regain a foothold and threaten the city with Bubonic Plague. Conscious of the sociaD. and professional importance of friendly association the custom of an Annual Banquet" was begun the first of the year and the society paid the bill of ^2,00 per plate. In the abscence of other rendezvous some members were to find the corner saloon a prin cipal source of entertainment, for in this rapidly growing city they dec orated many of its corners and were the principal!, gathering places of the citizenry. The society soon felt it e^qpedient to pass a resolution that any rnem.ber who was habitually intoxicated should be expelled. There is no record that such expulsion ever became necessarj'". The problera of a meeting place grew -with increasing membership. For the first three years meetings were held in the Doctors' offices, usually that of the President. In fact the interest of a lukewarm m.ember wight sometiines be aroused by hol.ding the meeting in his of.fice. In I89I however a room in the Pioneer Building was rented as a permanent meeting place for ^6,00 per month and the first check was made out to the of/mer, Heniy L. Yesler, a-pioneer of 1853 • Meetings were held twice montbI.y for the first few years but in 1893 only once and that on the third Monday of the month. In the days of the old Territorial Society irregular practitioners and quacks had been so active that effective legislation was necessary for . their control, and now with the sudden increase of population which followed the fire they again became a threat. The society opened a relentless campaign of prosecution which was able supported by this ].egislation, Imposters had even attem.pted ^to obtain membership in the society which had 6 found it advisable to set six months residence in the county as the minimum period before submitting an application. In this way, it is recorded that action on the app3.ication of one Dr. Meyers, who claimed to be a graduate of the Universit3r of Jena in Germany, was delayed. His diploma proved to be fraudulent. As an additional safeguard the society were able to have Dr. A.B, Kibbe appointed to the Board of Medical Exam.- iners. Incidentally it was shortly after his appointm,ent that temporary licenses were issued to qualified physicians who had arrived several months before the date of the Beard*s examination. The first break in the charter members came with the accidental drowning of Dr. T.T, Minor'in December 1889 and his death was mourned by the whole comm.unity. .The society attended his funeral in. a body. He is comiTjemorated toda^'" by the Avenue and School named after him. In I9OO the Minor Hospital- was also dedicated in his honor. The second break in the charter group came shortly ^fter with the death of Edward L. Smith. The fraternal feeling in the profession was again displayed and it was ' felt that a brother had been lost. Appropriate resolutions were passed and the society attended his funeral in a body. There is on record the following resolution: "Inasm-uch as it has pl.eased Almighty God to remove from oitr midst, our late associate and co-worker, Dr. Edward L. Smith, as a fitting testimonial of our confidence and esteem, Resolved: that we highly appreciate the noble traits of character that gave emphasis to his professional life. He was unselfish and free from jealousjr toward his brethren. He was well equipped in his profession. His knowledge was extensive; his exx:»erience large and varied and his judgment of the best. The possession of these qualitie.s made him eminent in hi.s profession and for them we honor him. and lajnent him. Resolved, that the heartfelt sympathies of the King County Medical.Society be extended to Dr. Belle Smith and other members of the family in their afflic tion and that a copj?" of these resol.iitions be properly engrossed and Tpresented them. Resol'^'^ed: that these resolutions be spread upon the records of the society end be furnished to our city papers for publication". V^ith Seattle's continued grovrth and the penetrating vision of some 7 members of the profession it was felt that a Medical School might be established at the University of Washington. The University itself for over thirty had demonstrated the popular demand for education and progress. A committee appointed by the society to investigate the sit-ua. tion a'a^'^e its report in j-iay 190^, and it was their conclusion that Seattle was not yet ready for a Medical School. Dr. Frantz H. Coe was Chairman of this committee of which Dr. Park X^eed X'7illis served as Secretarj?". Due to their efforts, their professional ideals and commun ity'" influence a substandard type of school so common in the West was not one of our early institutions. The matter was to arise again from time to time but always "with the same sound reasons for postponem-ent. A natural interest ,to the serious m.inded doctor is the progress of medicine, so easily folloi-jed in the current medical literature, and as ea.rly as 189^ some form of medical 15-brary had been discussed. A plan to procure periodicals was suggested birfc Dr. Willis proposed that in the meantime some one should be appointed to report on recent magazine articles at "medical meetings. Shortly afterwards Dr. Eagleson presented his plan of a permanent home for the society at xvhich the Stat^ Medical Library would be boused. This failed in fullfillment. In succeeding.years, how ever, Dr. C.A., Smith became a strong advocate of a Medical Library and after a visit to the Fast presented the subject at some length, making practical suggestions ;ror its development. As a new Public Library was soon to be erected the possibility of a Medical section was to be con sidered. In this connection also it x^ias recommended by a committee that a monthly Medical Journal be established to be ox-med and controlled by the society; through Journal exchange a'nd books for review an excellent nuclens could be had for a library association. The Minutes of this 8 meet.l'nff are in the handwriting of Dr. G.A. Smith who was later to become the Editor of Northwest Medicine. In 1897 "the Board of Christian Charities approached the society in behalf of the poor of the citj'" and the society freely offered the ser~ vices of its members. Later, dispensaries vjere established to enlarge this service but the society came to oppose this development and ty unanimous consent all members agreed to offer their services to any deseirving cases. This practice was followed by all until the new Ccunty- Cit3'" Buil-ding was opened in 19^9• •' Interest in legal matters connected with the practice of medicine was evident in the activit^r of appointed committees, who when necessary, travelled to Oljanpia to exert their influence to support of defend ary bill designed to regiilate the practice of medicine or surgery in the State. Thus in 3,9^0 the Anti-vivisection Bill, was thwarted while at the same time an ordinance against the ^Spitting Nuisance" was success fully passed. Ifhen illf^gal practi-tioners were found practising in defiance of the law, the County Societjr, as well as the State Society, bore the expense, of their prosecution. At the suggestion o.f Dr. "Eagleson new members were always informed about current medical laws, .Scientific papers continued to reflect the medical progress and local interest, A few majT" be "mentioned: Is Medicine a. Btisiness or a" Profession; Diagnosis of Plague, IhTptheria and Tj^hoid; The Urethrescope in Urology; Appendiceal Dyspepsia; Depres.sed Fractures 'of the Skull; Beri-Beri; Hypertrophy of the Prostate; Intravenous Inject ions, the Therapy of the Future; Leprosy in Hawaii; Report of I70 cases of Tj'pboid Fever; Newer Methods of Anesthesia; C.retinism treated by Thyroid Extract and X-ray Treatment of Lupus "Vil-garis, Dr. Willis was the first to present a patient whose appendix had been rernoved and he he demonstrated the specimen. He was later to read the first paper on Appendicitis, the disease having recently been described by Fitz. Dr. Fagleson x<ras the first to show a specimen of perforated duodenal ulcer. It was in 1902 that the Washington State Medical Society granted a Charter to the King County Medical Society xvhich then became a "Com ponent Society" with each member contributing 5^2.00 annually to the State Society. Our Constitution and By Laws were altered where necessary to conform to the general plan already.adopted by the American Medical Association and Washington State Association. The folloxjing year an item of interest was added to our By Laws: "This Society shall not use any of its funds for, or encourage the use of, alcoholic liquors of any kind at its social functions". This has never been repealed, though oraitted in later revisions. Until I9C3 there had been a dearth of laboratoiy facilities in Seattle and. Dr. A.R. Becker controlled the city's only available labor atoiy. The Society now resolved to sponsor a laboratoir'" of its own to be knox^n as*"The Pathological Laboratory of the King County Medical Soc iety". Space was found in the Pioneer Building and Dr. A.R. Becker grac iously presented his laboratory'' equipment to tlie Society. Dr. R.M. Stith vTas appointed Director without salary. One year after its estab lishment a check for was presented to the Society as a profit from the laboratory. This service became of great importance later when a series of recurring reports of intestinal disturbances from Tni].k x-rere made to the Society. Realizing its responsibilities here a committee was appointed to draft a plan for a so-ca.lled Milk Ccm'-d.ssion. The plan "oresented was for the annoirtment of five members to serve 1-2-3-^5 10 years respectively and was accepted bjr the. Society. Tteir duty was to esta.b3.isb urifor'^* purity aud issue appropriate certificates to coufonri-irio; dairies. The publication of these certificates 3.n the da.ily press was an important factor in forcing cooperation. The laboratory reported on 3.13. sajn.p3.es submitted and the minimum bacterial count was set at 3.0,000 per cc. The dairies permitted inspection of their premises and herds inc3.uding the tevst for tnbercul osis, The effect of this action was to greatly improve the purity of mi3.k throughout the County and in 191^ the Societj'' donated a. silver cup for the best dairy percentage of mi3-k. This cup was displayed in the rooms of the Cham.ber of Commerce, TbR Gitj" Counci3. finally'" passed a Pijre Milk Ordinance after conferr3,ng with the Society's Milk Commission, ^v>Jhen the Board of Hea3-th ax^pointed a city bacteriologist the Society disbanded its laboratory'". The follow-ing year Dr, W.G, Booth, the Society's president, reported the work of the Milk Commission which found that standards of purity were being main tained by the dairies, Fub3.icity had been effective. He- requested all members to report homes having infectious diseases such as diptheria, scarlet fever and tpphoid fever so that proper sterilization of milk could also be regulated. Another action of the Society at this time i-Tas of far-reaching importance. It related to the franchise of the Cbicago-Milvjaukee St, Fau3. railroad through the Cedar River •^'•alley. As conta.'mination of the city's water supp3.y was threatened in its building a comm.ittee of the Society was appointed to investigate the facts and bring them, before the Ccm.».nercial Club, Chamber of Commerce and the Press. As a result the railroad was compeD.led to remove its proposed 3_ine farther from the river bed and to mgke certain reo'u3.ations about its crossing that wou3.d prevent pollu-tion. This assured for Seattle its present pure water supp3.y. 11 As Tn8.ny cases of pl.ague were beginning t-o wake t,heir sppearance on the coast Dr. vJhite of the U»S» Marine Hospital was invited to discuss • the subject before the Sooietj'". He maintained that as dissemination was by rats their extermination was imperative. Dr. F.S«. Bourns of the Board of Hea3-th a3.so outlined p3_ans for the control, of the disease. The Society then took action and through its infl.uence the fight for extermination was carried out. At this meeting Dr. >Jhite exhibited a pathol-OgicaT. spec imen o.f p3-ague in a Chinaman dying in Seattle. Dr. F.R, Kel.ly of the Board of Health wa.s.to rex^ort a few years 3.ater that 3.00,000 rats had been destroyed. Probably the disease most fami3,iar to the pioneers and for many years later was tubercvil.osis in its. many forms. Excellent papers had been presented before the Societj?" and Dr. F.M. Pcttenger of• California, an authority on the disease and its sanatorium treatment, had discussed the subject at 3.ength, Dr. F.L. Horsfall dealt with "The Early Diagnosis / .V of Pulrnonar^'' Tuberculosis"; Dr, Fassett reported "Twelve Cases o.f Tuber culosis of Spine". In I9II Dr. E.R. Kelly of the Board of Health recom-m. ended that all cases of tuberculosis be reported. Dr Stith described the activities of the .4nti-Tuberculosis League and reported that there were now 6OOO tubercul.ous cases in Seattle j 2^0 of these would die unless actively?" treated. He advocated registration and municipal control and recommended dispensary'' facilities for dia.gnosis. . Professor John Wienzirl o.f the Univeristy, vrho had done much original- research, reported on "The Influence of Sunlight on Bacteria x<rith special reference to the Bacteria of Tubercul'osi-s". He found it to have a definite germicidal effect. A paper hy Dr, W.T. Miiliamson, of Portland, entitled "Insanity and the Responsibility for Crime" was one of a symposiun. Dr. C.W, Sha.rples " 12 reviewed "The Relatrion of "the St-ate to Criminal Glasses" while ]4r. Vince Faben, an attorney, took up the "Legal Aspects" of above subjects. Mem bers of the legal profession and of the Clerry were present and partici~ pated freely in discussion. On motion the.vSociety gave its approval to the sterilization method of dealing x^th certain types of criminals. In 1908 the Society had its greatest grox'rbh and supported many com munity activities. Am.ong these x^ere the Mevj Orthopedic Hospital, a Sanatorium for Hervous and Nental Dis«a.ses and the Establishment of the office of Commissioner of Health. At the December meeting that year Dr. Eagleson dedicated the estab lishment of the new ^fedical Libra.rj'" and reviewed its development." A committee had first been formed in I898 and the librarj'" began with a collection of books and journals. These were, housed in the Public Librarj'* 'which unfortuna.te3.y x^Tas burned in I90I. In 1903 j with the laxmching of the Journal "Northwest Medicine", grox-rth began in earnest. Through Journal reciprocity and books for reviex-j it reached a. substantial size but, where as its present location in the Central Building xva.s convenient, there x^ere no funds for necessaig'" expenses. This necessitated that a committee be appointed to secure additional funds. The following jrear it ^.ras moved to the Henry Bui3.ding, in anticipation of permanent quarters in the Cobb BuiD.ding x<jhich x^as then being erected as Seattle's first medical bniD.ding. Papers and case presentations in 3-909 were of interest in v5.exAr of later medical developments. Dr. C,/i, Sm.ith reported a case of Ruptured Jejunum due to indirect injury. Postoperatively the so-called "acute dilatation of the stomach" x-jas rel.ieved by gastric l_avage, . He presented the patient at the.meeting. Dr. Eagleson reported a case of Ruptured Ilex,im twelve inches from the cecum. The patient did. not suryive operation; Dr. Peterkin orexsented two cases of tubercxilous kidney, the diagnosis 13 having been made by the aid of cystoscopy; Dr. A.O. Loe showed a post mortem specimen of l-a-rfe bowei with numerous isolated organic constric tions; Bier*>s hyperemic treatment was now much in vogue and Dr. E.O. Jones reported favorably on his.experiences; Dr. Winslow was an advocate of Gastroenterostomy for pyloric obstruction due to u3.cer; Dr. ]?agleson thought the operation a "perfect boon to humanity" and reported his own experiences; Dr. "Rl.R. Kelly showed a specimen of the heart where there was endocarditis of gonorrheal origin; Dr. Fick had recovered the organism from the blood. Dr. F. Phillips spoke on Gonorrhea in relation to Pregnancy; she advocated segregation and complete examination of all prostitutes; Dr. Heavenrich shox^ed a slide of the Spirochaeta pallida and described the technic of the Was'^^erman reaction. Dr« VonPhul reported on 2000 anesthetic administratipns; ether by the "drop method" was pre ferred but chloroforpi was used in selected cases. Dr. JiP. Sv^eeney recommended occasional blood letting in the treatment of Loba.r Pneupionia. . He used veratrum viride and aconite or ergot in the first few days. Toxemia was treated by the "Blue Pill" or Calomel. At the December meeting Society problems were to receive an unexpected airing. Members were informed for the first tim.e that the Society had not yet been incorporated. This omission was to be soon corrected. Dr. Alfred Rajnuond admonished the Society for its lack of member partici^ pation in community affairs. He deplored: our inactivity at Olympia and thought the Society'" should take a. greater interest .in medical legislation. He suggested that an advisory, comifiittee be appointed to aid the president in all society matters: The Board of Trustees.this year recommended that surplus funds be frozen to secure a permanent home for the Society. They also urged an amendment that all papei's and materials presented shovild be the property • Ik of the Society and to be delivered to the committee on Press and Public Information; that the time limit of iiapera should- not exceed fifteen minutes and discussions five minutes;, also that the practice of inserting cards in periodicals and newspapers be discontinued. The municipal control of garbage and its collection was endorsed. In 1910 and for the first time, under the presidency of Dr. X^illis, meetings began punctually/ at eight o'clock. This precedent was to be followed through the years. The year was an active one for the Board of Trustees which met almost weekly. They endorsed Bond issues, certain measures for health protection, the construction of an isolation hospital and a tuberculosis sanatorium in Kirkland, and supported the formation of an Association of Officers of the County Medical Society of the State of Washington, This .Issooiatrlon later was to contribute great].y to the smoother functioning of medical interests throughout the State, The Board again' discouraged the practice of inserting cards 5.n the daily press. Eighty new members joined the Society during this year and on January 1, I9II the membership roll stood at 318 including fourteen honorary members. An Industrial Insurance law now before the House was carefiilly examined ' by the Society, Its passage was to cause dissatisfaction to a f-^^w but on t}ie whole was the beginning of much improved relations between industry and medicine. An effort to have courses in Optometry at the University was success-fiolly opposed. The new coronor, Dr. J.T, Mason, outlined his policy to the Society. Dr. D.H. Palmer demonstrated his. invention of a new self-retaining vaginal speculum which was to meet with much approval. The treatment of Appendicitis became the subject of some discussion 15 and the Ochsner method was described hy Dr. J.T. Mason. Dr. Elmore favored irrigation where peritonitis was wide spread, a practice to which Dr. A.O, Loe strongly objected. The first paper before the Society dealing with the use of x-rays of radium was read bjT- Dr. K. X^inslow on June 17V 191--» showed numer ous plates to illustrate the value of x-ray studies of the stomach. Dr« R.C. Coffey addressed the Society on the Surgical Treatment of Gastric and Intestinal Stasis. He presented his new theories which for several years were to be controversial in surgicaJI circ3.es. Dr. Eagleson was soon to report his three successful cases of gastroenterostomy in infants for the relief of congenital hj^ertrophicpyloric stenosis. These were among the earliest cases to be treated in this countrj'". The Society was now entering upon an eventful period with new policies just over the hori7.on. Dr. O-.H. Thomson was to recommend a system of col3.ection of pocourts sin-dlar to that in.operation elsewhere. He felt that an agency could be started at ^300.00 i-^er month and that accounts to the amount of 20,000 should be placed in their bands. Four months 3.ater this Collection and Credit Bureaii was a going concern. Dr. Thomson also outD.ined the plan of the Washington State Medical Association for defense against ma3-practice suits. Because of increasing frequency of. these suits and resu3-tant heavj?" 3.osses e'^rery company writing malx-^ractice insura.nce had withdrawn from the State, Through Washington State Medica3. Defense Fund, members of the Society could vo3.untarily obtain protection for ^10.00 a year. With the cooperation of the Aetna Insurance Company a basic policy of ^5»000^00 and .^15,000.00 would cost a member ^10.00 and could only be obtained if the member had been accepted by the Defense Fund. This plan successful3-y reduced almost to the point of elimination the loss to members through unjustifiable malpractice suits, A few years later Dr. Thomson 16 was to report on ^'Benefits accruing from State Medical Defense Pu.nd" and to state that no member had suffered financial loss sance its insti tution. . On the scientific side Br» Peterkin reported results of his exper iences with "606". The Rockefeller Institute, through Dr. F3.exner had provided him with five doses in 1910• . On June 2, 1913-the subject of siTihillis vras thoroughly discussed before the Society and a. justifiable feeling of optimism through this new remec^r I'jas everjurrhere expressed. Committee reports for this year were models of energy, complete ness and observation, extracts of which may be given by two examples: one from Dr. Willis, Chairman of the Pi^blic Health and Legislation Committee; "The principal subjects of legislation upon which we were active were on ouestions of a'^'endpient to both the Medical Practice Act and the Workmen's Compensation Act. Our committee was instructed by the Board of Trustees to oppose anj-^ change in either and no change was made with the exception of a minor one in reference to the Medical Practice Act by which the funds collected are to be paid into the State Treasurer. There xfas a very heavj'' pressure from many different sources for changes in the Medical Practice .Act and a great many Bills were presented. These were prevented from becopiing law very largely through the splen did comji'ittee in the House, and special mention should be Piade of the work of Dr. Black and Mr. Kennedy whi3.e loyal work wa.s also done other members. There was a very strong effort m.ade bjr the workmen in the State to secure First A.id in the Workmen's Covapensation Act. There seemed to be nothing that was brought forth that did not leave the doc tor in worse shape than be is at the present time and your Tru.stees instructed your Committee to oppose change. The lumber interests of the State were thoroughly org^ni^ied and opposed strenuously any change. On account of this Bill a vj.sit to Olympia. of almost the entire Comm ittee was necessary'" and our members spoke a.t the- hearing of this Bill, Our State Medical Examiners' law seems to be working well at the present time and it is the recomineudation of this Committee that our Society continue in its efforts to avoid any •airiendrnent to the Act for while some ]<'ind of an amendment might be made that would be beneficial to the public as well as to physicians, the danger in making an3" changes before a. legislature,, constituted as the m.ost of them are, is ver3^ great, and it is far better to leave a fair3,y good law without trj^'ing to maVce changes. In fact, the.efforts of phjasicians should be to avoid cha.nges in the Medical Practice Act because it seems to be a fairly •good law and protects the public about as well as any that could be secured. There were numerous other matters of minor importance which were 17 ^ brcu^^ht to our attention but which it is not necessary to review at this time! If the physicians wish to accomplish anything at the next meeting of the le'^islature they must carefully organize and outline their cajw- •oaicn in adi'^ance and then place the matter in the hands o_^compe en iiien^to follow throughout the session. The medical profession should be orcranized early enough to determine the attitude of every can i a ® the Legislature before election because this is the time when our infl - ence is most, effecti'^e. ^ 4.'+u«+ Our exoeriences before the Council emphasize the fact that th. i. d-ical profession does not always wield that influence on J'^Sislative bod ies which its standing, its disinterestedness and its duty demand that i. should. On the other hand our ex-periences with the Legislature demon- ^ strate that our influence is weighed by. such men when we band together in vigorous and concerted action. An educative campaign medical men would also be of great value in placing the medical- profession in a better -ign before the community. tt- Our Committee secured a copy of the law passed by the Wisconsin ^ ^ Legislature entitled "A.n Act to Define and Punish Fee-splitting by P.oysicians and Surgeons." '''^e 'are enclosing a copy of this law with this repor.- an recommend. tha.t measures bb ta.ken to get a similar act passed by oiir ovm Legislature at. its next'session." and the other from Dr. H.J. Davidson, Chairm-an of Press and Publication Committee; "In our association with the editorial staff of the Sun we took up manv matters associated with medicine, and it was through our inf3-uence^ that the series of exoosures of medical fakes was published. We stood in an 9.d-a-i.sor;r and directed the investigation which fifrnished the data for the articles. . t. ^ We are a.3-1 familiar with the series of exposures to which we reier. You may not be as familiar with'the resu3-ts. The Dr. Cook Institute closed" its doors. Dr. Wilkins at Yesler and Occidental 3.eft the and a new man was put in his pD.ace. We know that tnere was a decide falling off in patronage with all the quack establishm.ents. Three victims were assisted in recovering their money on the ground of false pretense, after the prosecuting attorney's office had passed judgment that the cases would come under contracts and discouraged prosecution. The Institutes paid xvithout letting the cases go to court. We were instrumental in informing the public of the iniq.uitous dangers, and rank fakerj!^ of Dr. Friedman's Serum, and also of that of Damourette. The latter seems to be doing some business in the city, but not on the colossal scale be would have enjoyed had he not been exposed. Not onlv did we enjoj^ the privilege of ampl.e space in the news columns, we were also a.co"orded space on the editorial page when our " arguments were time3.y and properly written. ^ t j • Wr. Medill McCormick of the Chicago Tribune was in Seattljr during the campaign, and was so impressed with the work, that upon his return to Chicago'he ordered an investigation of conditions there, 1:^ his repor-torial staff, simiD.ar to that carried out in Seattle. The conditions exnosed were so notorious that upon the publication of the articles two o/ Chicago's worst instiUites closed their doors and the proprietors f-ed to Canada; one to Toronto and the other to Montreal. The city counci-. ordered the corporation counsel to make an investigation of medical iatanism as practiced in Chicago, and xv^ithin two days of the puolication of the first article the Gox/ernor of the State and the U.S. Posta_ aut. or-ities began activities tending toward a general cleanup. The campaign 18 is still in progress and promises Fuch good to the raedical profession and to the peop3.e of the entire pdddle west. We fee3. that the example presented hy the work done in Seatt3.e was directly responsiW.e for that ca.rried ont in Chicago." Through the Scc5.et2/'s influence Dr. l^ag^.eson was appointed its representative on a Corwiission for a new City Charter. It also approved a xd.an for a vSchool Clinic at 7th & Madison under the direction of Ira. C. Brown, and members were permitted to semre on the staff. Dr. Mabel Seagrave was to report "The Condition of Chi3-drens Teeth" after her examdnation of 2000 chiH-dren at thj.s Clinic, Dr. H.E, Allen was again to discuss the First .Aid Law and requested an opinion on the Contract System. Opposition to the contract system had been discussed before but bad never been formally brought before the Society. On motion of Dr. J.H, Lyons the Society now went" on record as being opposed to contract practice in any form. It had previous3,y recorded its opposition to fee splitting. Strangely enough there had been no Roster of the Society since its earliest days but due to the activity of its secretary, Dr. G.W. Sx^dft, for 191^» one was now compiled. He reported the average attendance ?t meetings to l>e eighty-one; the membership 371* Ihe Board of Trustees had met thirty-one times during the year a.nd wany matters of importance had required discussion. The secretarial work was becoming increasingly burdensome and Dr, Swift urgently recommended that a. lay secretary be appointed to handle all clerical work. He also suggested that the sm.all printed program be enlarged to include items of i?iterest. Thus a form of Bulletin, could be issued monthly whose cost would be borne largely by the advertisers. On •the -scientific side the subject of goitre was now recej.ving attention, Dr.,D.C. Hall reported to the Society on his examination of 19 3500 students entering the University of X-Jashington. He found that j?oitre vas inore prevalent on the slopes of Tnountain ranges and felt that organic matter in the water was a contributing cause. In the state of Washington one—third of the population were affected by goitre in some forin whereas in Alaska it was less than one—fifth and st5.T.l less in Oregon. Dr. Brien T, K^.ng" was l2.ter to i-eport his original, work done with brook trout at a local aquarium. Through the administra.tion of iodine in the food he cured one fish of goitre but in another fish pro duced exppthalmus. The non-goitrous fish x^rere unaffected. He showed pictures of the only fish ever afflicted with Kxopthalmic Goitre. X^/'e note, however, that in 1920 Dr. J.M. BlacldTord was to advise against the administra.tion of iodine or thyroid extract. He found the injection of boi3.ed xjater in the gland or the cauterization of certain areas to be effective in certain cases. Four 3?"ears later Dr. Sloan of the .ihnerican Medical Associa.tion in his studxr of Goitre advised the use of Lugol's solution in hyperth^TToidism, a re'^rolutionar^'" de^relopment. The surgery of Goitre was to be fully treated bj?" Dr. John Hunt in 1920. He was Seattle's first Goitre specialist. The va?-ue of blood transfusions was slowlj" becoming recognized. Dr. W.C. Speidel bad been a pioneer in this field and used Flsberg Modification of Crile CaniO.a to facilitate transfusion hy the Direct method. He described the transaction of the radial arter37' which after transfusion could again be anastomosed. Dr. Speidel illustrated in his own wrist that pulsation could follow th3.s anastomosis. The use of the Fimpton-BroT'TH tube for indirect whole blood transfusion was deraonstrated by Dr. J.C, Moore. The simplicity of the method was commended. The imocrtance of chest radios^raplw was stressed bj'" Dr. H.L. Snively who demo'Mstra.ted 1^' a series of p3-ates a wide "vraraety of abnoPDisl chest 20 conditions impossible to diagnose clinically. He urged its more fre quent use. He also discus<^ed "Deep RadiotVierapy with Coolidge Tube" and outlined the inrilcstio^s for its use. The year 3.916 w?,s a landmark in medical education. President Henr^'' Susr.alHo of the University of Washington outlined to the Society the functions of a modern University and referred to the high standards ^ of education and competent teaching forces. Because of thes« high stan dards he opposed consideration of a Medics3. School at the University but .felt that a medical center here could be developed. A pre-medica.l course vras already,'' in the curriculura and a postgrad'aate- cour.se could easily be established with the support of the Medicai. Society, With some prominent teaclier as a Gu.est Speaker and under the au.spices of the University a University Extension cour.se could be gi'^ren annua.i.li'" to the profession in this State. This .sugge.stion met with •i.m.mediate'and fa.vorab3.e response and its early inauguration with Dr. liix of Chicagoj as first Guest Speaker, 'oroved a mreat succes.s. It wa.s the nrecur.sor of many similar meetings in the .following years. Dr. John Hunt, Chairman of the Legis3.ative Comioittee, re->riewed med- •ical le«?islation at Ol^nmia am'd •>iraed the esta.b3.ishment of a. Publicity Bureau. The later estab3^i.shmeht of this Bureau, became an i.mportant factor in obtaining favorable medical l.egi.slation, a.nd through 5.ts influence candidates x-iere persuaded to appear before the .Society to explain their attitude. The Society success.fully opposed a bill, before the Legislature T^rhich would permit osteopaths to practice surgery. Its influence had already killed the "Drug3.ess Healer Bill", In 1920 this Bureau was to be supplanted by the Public Health League, Dr, Clark Pi. Bi.ssett, professor of law at the University, had addressed the Society on the "The League 21 for Conserv/'ption of Public P^alth" and had introduced Mr. C.J, Sullivan of California: general secretary of the League, who outlined its ach ievements and actdnrities. Dr. K.W, Young served as the first President of the Public Health League in Washington and J.W. Gilbert as the first Secretary, Joe Gilbert was to serve under a nurnber of succeeding Pres idents and becav-e a power in the Society*s legislative welfare. The year 191? found the Society facing a new Medical Aid Law and as a result the Industrial Service Burearr of the King County Medical Society became established. This new law legalized the Contract System with individual choice of ph^/^sician and hospital care for the injured workman. Through the Societjr's Bureau members could volunteer to participate in negotiated contracts. Five m.embers of the Society were elected to super vise the Bureau's activities. The Bureau was an immediate success and by Septemberone hundred sixty-seven contracts had been signed to cover 3^00 workmen. Two m.onths later this number was doubled i-Tith the Burea.u in sound financial condition. Dr. D.C. Hall reported on his examination of 40,500 University students for Spina Bifida. He had found onJy one such case. Dp, G.B, McCullough in discussing the diagnosis of Intussuception related his personal exper ience:. while riding on the Madison Street cable car he was seated oppo site a mother whose child was having recurring spells of pain; he intro duced himself, told her of the diagnosis of Intussuception and referred her to Dr. Faglespn: operation disclosed that his diagnosis was correct. Papers on stomach surgefollowed the trend elsewhere, "Partial Ga.strectopy by Pclya technic"; "The Use of Gastroenterostoiy and the Finney Pj'"loroplasty" were som.e of the titles. Dem.onstj'ations at the County Morgue illustrated the surgical anatomy?" involved in gastric surgery'"' as well as in many other procedures. 22 In 1918 with Am.eric?.'s participa.tion in the war papers on military subjects were of increasing interest. Dr. Edger C» Lee who had served w'ith an Arjerican unit in France reported on "Qimshot Wounds of the Chest" while Dr. J«B. Eagleson who had been in corrimand of the Base Hospital 50 gave his e: roorieta,ry remedy or patented instrument, or who shall enter into agreement to receive pecuniarn?" compensat5_on or patronage for sending prescriptions to any apothecary'" or for sending orders to an instrument manufacturer or retailer-or optical company shall be liable to censure j suspension or expulsion'.' Another earnerimental step was to divide the meetings into four sec tions with a ?ueeting on the first foui' Mondays of the month. The Pres ident appointed Dr. C.V7. Sharpies chairman of the surgical section, 24 Dr. Blackford of the medical section and Dr. Walter SeSlye chairman of the specialty section» From now on the Minutes of the general meeting only are recorded. This innovation was not entirely satisfactory'" and was finally changed to bi-monthly general meetings, Xllumina.ting resnlts of the routine Wasserman test was brought out by Dr. D.H. Nickson. He referred to a 1915 svn:a'"ey of men between twenty and thirty examined for the army in which sixteen percent were found to be syphilD.tic. Similar surveyrs in Minnesota varied between ten percent and fifteen percent. In obstetrical patients Peterson found six percent to be syphilitic and in gynecological patients eight percent. In 1926 Dr. J.B, Fagleson addressed the Society on "The Gorgas Memorial Institute for Tropical and Preventative Medicine", This was a "Personal Health Movement" designed to develop public opinion .in favor of better health and in the practica3_ measures of obtaining it. It was national in scope and it was hoped that public education would favor appropriate medical legisl.ation. The foDJ.owing y/ear an entire xDrogram was to consist of the dedication and presentation of the bust of Dr. Fagleson, Fitting tributes to this "great ajnd good man" were paid by Seattle's Mayor Landes, the Rev, Mark Matthex<rs and Dr. R.C. Coffey/' of Portland. They spoke of his irreproachable character, his modesty and his leadership and felt that in this dedication the Northwest was honor ing its best surgeon, and Seattle its greatest medical personality. Dr. Sagleson was greatly touched and in reply reca3-led tiiany of his exper iences since coming to Seatt3.e in 1887. This was to be. Dr. Eagleson's farewe3_l appearance as he passed on the fol3.owing year.- He had always taken an active interest in the Society and in medical affairs generally. He wrote the Articles of Incorporation, he assemb3.ed books and Journals for a Medicgl. I-ibraiyV be was a Founder of Northwest Medicine and a Founder 25 and Reg:ent of the A'Tierican Col3-9ge of Surgeons. In his personal and professional life be represented the highest t\^e of Ajrierican citi^-en. For several years Fing County bad beoorrie increasingly aware of its lack of proper hospital facilities and in 192^1- the Commissioner of Health had pointed out the urgent need of a new Count^'" Hospital. The Public fjo-pfsf.v ^iiiid^no" erected in 190C was totally inadeoua.te for the care of " ww— ' •c» — >• ' O ' ^ erierf^enc'' cases, whereas the old Hing County Hospital erected in 1893 had long since failed to keep step with increasing population in its care of the sick and inj\ired. In 1925 the Society led the movement for hos pital construction when at the readiest of one of its appointed committees the lea*is3.atiTre eria.cted a 3_aw authorizing the County' Commissioners to submit a Bond issue as a first step in new hospital construction. The comi'-'ittee a.ppointed by the Society's president, Dr. v'J.C, Woodward, con sisted of Drs, Fag3.eson, Bourns»• Nicholson, Horton, Dow3,ing, Bates, Griswo3-d, Hanley, Swift and VonPhu3-, At the renuest of the Committee the Rev, M.A., Matthews accepted the position of Chairman, This General Hosi^ital Committee was reappointed by Drs. A,T. Wanamaker, D,C. Hall and B.T, King, who were Presidents of the Society in the follovjing three years. The County Commissioners officially appointed them as their representative.^ to proceed with the necessarj^ sur\''eys and p3.c.ns. The Bond issue was passed by an oven'The3_ming ma.jorit2?' and 5^2,759,000.00 bsc-^me available for the erection of a new Hospital and Medical Health Center. Great credit is due the Board of Countj'" Commissioners Don H, Fvans, Wilmer B, Brinton and William Brown to whom were entrusted the duty of erecting, equipping and dedicating this Institution. The culmination of the Society's leadership was the dedication or Harborview Hospital on February 27, 1931* The Societ'^'" lost one of its distinguished pioneer piem-bers in 1927 when 26 Dr. George M, Horton passed away. His fajfiily had settled in Georgetown when he was .five years old so that his life had run parallel with the growth and developinent of Seattle, Graduating frora Bellewe in 1890 he ca^.e at once to Seattle and entered T.nto the genera.l practice of medicine. He joined the Society in 189^*' and later served as its President. His interest in its affairs continued throughout his life and ne wielded great influence in the civic, fraternal and professional organizations of the coiriiriunity. He a renowned individua3-ist and his fame as a surgeon was widespread. Throughout his life he bad the affectionate regard of his patients and his colleagiAes. An item, of interest was a report by Dr. D.C, Eall of results of the new Basic Science Law: Before Basic vScience Law After Basic Science Law Chiropractors ^ ^ Drugless ^ 0 Osteopaths '38 ^ Drs. of Medicine ^7 ^ ^0 177 277° ^5D 87 93*^0 M) These were encouraging figures to the medical profession. In 1930 Dr. G.X\r. Swift reported on his "Original Research in Epilepsy". His work tended to shox-j that I'/ater r'etabolism and venous drainag© were two vital factors in the reduction of periodic convulsive -siezures. Operation for the Idiopathic form, of Epilepsy wa.s not recommended. This "work received national recognition. P2.pers w'='re also pre.sented to tne Society Dr. X\r,C. A3,varez and Dr. A.M. Snel3- of Rochester, Minnesota and Dr. B.C. Nafziger of San Francisco. A portrait of Dr. C.W. .Sharp3_es was presented to the Society by Dr. A.H. Peacock, From, the ea.rliest days the busine.ss o.f Contract Practice bad caused dis.sention in the Society but in 1930 its position was c3-8.rifi©d in reso lutions by a. committee appointed on "Public and Industrial Relations"« 27 This committee forcefully condemned the prgctice and at the same time opnosed consultations by members of the Societ^J" with other non-member p:roups or clinics. These resolutions were passed unanimously and cleared the air of much ill feeling. They also prevented the development of a so-called "Super Clinic" to be modeled after similar institutions in other cities. Plans for such a clinic had already teen made. In 1932 outstanding na.pers x^ere those of Drs. LoyaJ- Davis of Chicago on "The Surgical Treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia"; P.W. Willis "Appen dicitis, x«rhen and when not to operate"; F. Clancy on "Neiirosj^philis by the induction of Malaria" and D. TriJieblood "Dissemination of Cancer of Breast". Dr. Wi3.1is had been one of the first surgeons on the West Coast to ooera.te for Aoeendioitis and ha.d discussed the subject more than twenty-five years before. Dr. Clancy reported on his treatment of 320 cases of Neurosjmhilj.s "trr -the induction of lialaria. Over twenty percent of these had been imiproved sufficiently to return to their former occixx"*a.txons, Dr. Trueblood in the following year vJas to discuss the "Radiation Therapy or Surgery for Cancer". In 1933. we find the very beginning of the King County Medical-Service Bureau x«jhen Dr. A.C. CrooteJ.l addressed the Society on "The Influence of the Depression upon the Medical Profession". He felt that we must return to some .forr»i of CQl3.ectivism in which the pub3-ic x«Jould be x?ro-tected by group activ5.ty of the profession, and .suggested that the Society consider soi^e form of Health Insurance for those in the 3.0X'jer wage brackets. This might be done by the e.stab3.ishment of a Bureau to xvhich ail members xvouLld be e'^.igibPe. As a result of- this suggestion a committee was appointed to be known as the Health Insurance Committee. This committee investi gated the contract situation in the county and .suggested the formation of a Corporation x<rhioh would serve as an agent to vSecure contracts for 28 protection of the low wage earner and his family. The plan was discussed with Dr. Horris Fishbein, secretary of the Araerican Medical Association, who concurred but felt that it might be modified or abandoned after the depression. It was brought out in the Committee's report that of 100,000 families in urban Seattle one-fourth had an income of less than ^1200,00; one-third from $51200,00 to $52500.00 and one-third from $52500,00 to 6000,00 a year. The structure of the Bureau and its relation to the Society was clearly defined. Free choice of physician would be an estab lished rirle. Thus the Fing County Medical Seiu/lce Corpora.tion was formed in April 1933 f^—d became a pioneer in. the furnishing o.f Medical, and Stirgical Hospital sen/ice. The public enthusiastically accepted the pD.an insuring a rapid and continuous groT'jt.h. In the December report of 3-93^ it was shown that ^20 of the Society's 555 members belonged to the Bureau and private contract practice had been exc3_uded from-the county society members. The Corporation, held 750 contracts covering 31j700 employes whose income, with a few exceptions, x^Tas 3,imited to $5150,00 per month. Much credit was due to the cooperation of those clinic groups who grac iously turned over their contracts to the corj>oration. The Gonstitrxtion and By law.s of the Serv5-C9 Bureau were adopted on Ma3'' 8, 1933* Article 2 read as fo3-lows: "The objects and purposes of this ormaniaation are and shall, be to cooperate with the King County Medilcal. Service Corporation in securing to 3.0W wage earners and to their .fami3.ies health service, including the benefits of medical and surcical. care and. treatpent, hosoital.ization and nursing, of which ipany of such iridividua3-s and their families have here tofore been, deprived; to estab3_ish and govern a piedidal staff to assist in carrjdLng out the purposes.of said corporation; to assist in m.aintain-ing discipline among the Physicians, who shal3_ agree to furnish serxrices to said Corporation;' to cr^pstalize the opinion and to enforce the views of such Physicians and to represent their views in infl.nencing the conduct of said Corporation and to 2?romote through this associati.on and objects and i^^^i^poses of said Cori^oration". The members of the copiirdttee who had studied the subject and recommended 29 format-ion of the Corporation were now eleoted its first Trustees; they were Drs. ifrigbt, Zech, Spickard, Crookall, Bowles and Moroom; advisory inembsrs were Sharpies, Swift, leede and H»J, Da.vidson. At a later meeting Mr. John A. J'ingsbujy, secretary'" of the Mi3.bank Memorial Fund of New York described "The Medical Services of Soviet Russia." t He felt that State Medicine was making progress in Ainerica and praised the King County Medical Service Bureau as a. riiost effective means of keep ing control within.'the profession# A.t the same pieeting a resolution proposed by Dr. Sharpies was quickly adopted - it was resolved "that the Trustees of the King County Medical Semrice Bureaii be instructed to adopt all means in their power to obtain compensation for medical and surgicyl service rendered to dependents of King County". That the depression had made inroads on the Doctor's income was made evident in a paper"by Dr. I.B. Greene intitled "Medicine at the Cross Roads" • He presented graphs and charts to illUvStrate the economic con dition of members of the .Society of whom-more than fifty percent, he said, were in debt for their rent. He suggested that a Federal loan of ^^00,00 be made to each meBiber needing financial help. The value of charity, anmially ffiven by the Seattle members, he estimated at 05>BOOi000,00. Scientific presentations of interest were made by Drs. V. Hancock in "Treatment of Infections bj'* Irradiated Blood Tranisfusions"; Jv.K. Sherwood "Vaccine Treatment of Arthritis"; A.G. Friend "The Therapen.tic Value of Hydrochloric Acid Used Intravenously/'". Dr. Friend had given l600 injections of a l/lOOO solution of USP Hydrochloric Acid for certain type.s of pul monary/" tubercixlosis, a.ethma and other allergic conditions: Dr. H.L. Updegraff of Hollywood, California, trho illustrated by motion pictures his "Method.s of Reconstructive Surmerv"; bv Dr. Max Cutler, of Boston, who described 30 "The General PrinGiples of the Treatment Cancer hv Radia,t"ion and X-ra^rs" • by Dr. Henry F, Vaaghn, Health Commissioner of Detroit, on "Methods of Immunization" and by Dr. C.W, Coiintryman, Spokane, "The Post-operative Enema". Dr. Countr^rman ha.d studied resiiD.ts where enemas had been used postopera.tivel^T" in four hundred cases and felt that it was frequently harrnfuD, and could usua.lly be dispensed with 5n the first five dayvs; Dr. J.E, Hunter "Functional Disorders of the Colon"; Dr. W.C. Woodward, Director of Bureau of legal Medicine and Legislation of the American Medical Association, who talked about "Ihlpractice and Malpractice Su3-ts"; Dr. A.C, Broders, of Rochester, who discussed "Some Phases of Cancer Problems"; Dr. W.C. Spiedel who gan'^e his eweriences of twenty-five years under the striking title of "One Mil3.ion Cubic Centimeters of Blood" - he had g5-ven over two thousand transfusions; and by Dr. Lester Palmer who outlined the "Care of the Surgical Diabetic" - he stated that fifty percent of Diabetics becai^e surgical during the course of their disease. During the years 1933 and 193^ three thousajn.d dogs were insulated against rabies and the City Health Cominissioner reported to the Society that there were four cases of death from- paralysis following the inoc-, . ulations. S5_xty-eight complete Pasteur treatments had been given patients during this period and two men had suffered temporarnr para.lysis below the waist. One was confined to bed for sioc weeks. At the 1935 December meeting Dr. Roger Anderson told the Society about hn.s "Ambul.atoiq'" Method of Treating Fractures of the Shaft of the Femur" in which the patient was ambulatory in a few dayvS. The method ha.d been enthusiastically accepted at a recent meeting of the Col3.ege of Surgeons in San Francisco. Dr. Walter Kelton demonstrated his "Improved Cla.vicle Crutch Splint" and enumerated its many advantages. Jt 31 The Publ3.c Health League, supported hy the Soci9t2'''s Legislative CoiriTTiittee, was to sucoessLully oppose a uiwiher of anti-Piedical bills ir 1935 and 193^• Members of the Legisla.ture who were physicians addressed the Society'" on a mirriber of occasions and were of great assistance. One bill filed in the name of the "American League for Medical Freedom" would have forced the Hospitals to allow cultists.and other irregulars full-privileges, At the 193*^ ~ ^-937 Legisla.ture the so-called "Lien Law" was passed. This was "An Act relating-to Liens and the Enforcement thereof by Hospitals, Nurses, Practitioners, Physicians and Surgeons against Claims and Rights of A.ction to Recover Damages of Compensation by Persons Injured Through the Fault or Negligence of Others", TMs 3.aw protected the physician in collecting accounts for servj.ces rendered injured persons who were protected by some form of accident insurance policy. The Society was also addressed by Miss He3.en Wi3-cox, for years the active secretary of the ?ub3.ic Hea3,th League, She emphasized the importance of electing can didates who would (1) defeat attempts to enact State Medical, proposals, (2) protect the Basic Science Law from, modification, (3) maintain hOvSpital standardization, and (4) oppose the endeavors of cul.tists who wished to treat injured workmen u.nder the Worl<men's Compensation Act. It was in January'" 3-93^ that Dr. G,R, Marshal.!, announced the organ ization of a Speaker's Bureau and urged members of the Society to take an active part. The Society had long been aware that in delivery the short-comings of many speakers were pronounced. It was apparent that the keynote to success in speaking, as in other for.ms of endeavor, was study and practice. This Bureau enjo^/ed increasing popularity through the years and became a regula.r department of the Society, Qn behalf of the Entertainjuent Committee Dr. D.H. Houston announced that the Annual Banouet lionoring the retiring President, Dr. 'R.L, Zech, 32 would be held jointly with the Seattle Bar Association. The meeting would be held at the Oljnapic Hotel and he forecast a large attendance. This meeting of the two professions was to become an annual affair and a highlight in the social functions of both Associations. The meeting of Ji.me 1, 193^* was to be notable in the annals of the Society, Dr. J,T. .Mason, one o.f our most distinguished members and now pi-esident-elect of the American HedicaD, Association, had been con fined to the hospital with a thrombosis which had necessitated a thigh amputation. Dp. Ralph Fenton, of Portland, a Trustee of the American Medical Association, was'introduced at this meeting and announced that he had just presented Dr. Mason with a scroll, a tribute frora the Board of the American Medical Association to their President. Dr. Mason had been, inducted "in absentia" to the presidencjr, a gracious gesture never before rendered by the Associa.tion, Dr. Mason*s death a short time later brought sorrow upon the profession of our state and city. Dr. Charles B, Ward, Chairman of the Library committee, m.ade several recomm.endations to the Society which involved a change in the By Laws. He suggested that each m.ember be assessed Ten Dollars annuall.y for the sxipport of the Library and necessary;" e: enditure of J§6500.00 from the Building Fund for the purchase of furniture and other equipment suitable in the judgment of the Board for use in the permanent home of the Society, As it was now the property of the Society its name was chanmed from, the Seattle Medical lAbr-r^'" to the Kins* Countv Medical w * w V Society Library on January?- 1, 1937» and its official, opening in the new quarters on October 22nd was an event in the Society's history. Its development through the years had been due to the unselfish contributions -I. 33 . of many men, in x'^artionlar Drs. C,A, Smith, J.3, F.aCTi_eson, C.A, Warhanik, A.H. Peacock, W.S. Griswold, H.E. Coe, R,5. Mosiman and G,I. Durand. During the planning and its final development Dr. 'lard, as Chairman of the Library'" CoTninittee, was the spirit and driving force bebn-nd the venture. papers and addresses of importance were given before the Society in 1937* Among these may be mentioned "Renal Calculi, the Problem of Recurrence" by A.B. Kepler; "Gastroscopy as an Aid in Stomach Diagnosis" by RalrAT Loe; "The Psychoneurotic and. the General Practitioner" by Karl Menninger of the Kenninger Clinic, Topeka, lansas; "Hernia of the Cardiac end of the Stomach through, the Diaphragm" H.F, Dwj'er, On June y'th an lanusual departure in the program vjas the so-called "Interne Nieiht" when the rostrum was occupied by essaj'ists chosen from the group of internes then serving in Seattle Hospitals. The meeting w?jS wel.l attended and the eip;ht pax-^ers presented Tlere of high ouality. Several unusually interesting papers x-jere read during the year« • Jcal Baker discussed "Sur??exn'' and Peptic Ulcer". He felt that Duodenal ulcer was prii'.'arily a medical probl.em although 33^ might eventuate in surgery'. Gastric ulcer, because of the possibility of malignancy, was considered surgical until Tiroven otherx-rise. Dr. John Blackford spoke on "Emera"e"nci0s in Peptic Ulcer with particular reference to massix'"e hemorrhaa"e" • l-iuch original data, was embodied in this paper Xv^hich reviewed 91^ •ps.tients treated at the Mason Clinic. Bignteen per cent of these gaxxe a histoi^^ of hemorrhage and of these were rxnder •fifty years-'of aae. Massive hemorri'iage occurred in thirty—six patients suring a fairly nuiescent period. Six fatalities occurred while in hos pital. Vital statistics from the Health Department of Seattle for the years 1935 and I936 shox^red fort^r-two deaths from massixxe hemorrhage. Thirtv—.'"cur of these were 3.n patients over fifty years of age. Thus the 3^ ris^-' oi death from mas.sivG_ heiiiorrhap;e was.ter? times higher in .patients over fiftv vears oi'Sf^e. It emphasized that conser\j'ative treatment was advi.sable in younaer patients but that in tbe.se older patient.s sur gery should not be too lont? dela^^ed. Dr. Brien T, King read his notable , pap&rv'on "A New and Functioning-Restoring Operation for the relief of Bilateral Recurrent Nem'^e Paralysis" • Bila.teral injury to the recurrent la.ryngeal ne3r\'"es had alway.s been the bugbear of Thyroid surgery. The patient who suffered this inju.rj^ x^as often in a pitiful- state character ised by dysnea and var^^'ing difficulty with phonation. No satisfactory procedure had heretofore been revised for its relief. Dr. King's oxaeratibn was based upon a nex'^7 principle and in the fex^T cases reported by hbn the results had exceeded his fondest expectations. Technically the method cons5.sted in transp3.ant5nF the omohyoid musc3.e to the arytenoid cartilage x^ith displacement of the cartilage, an entire3.y original conception. A remarkable co3.1ection of photographs of Presidents of the King County Medical Society had just been hung in the Auditorium of the Medical and Dental Building. These l.ikenes
|
|---|