Second. The appeal to the individual members of the profession to study and introduce practical methods into their work, whereby they will modify their fees or, in certain cases, relinquish them altogether, in accordance with the circumstances of their poorer patients, whose real merits they have the best opportunity of ascertaining.

Third. The establishment of a better understanding between the general practitioner and the specialist, whereby the willingness of the latter to modify his private office fees in favor of the really deserving, which undoubtedly very generally exists, may be better known to the former.

Fourth. The establishment of a system that will enable the private practitioner to retain distinct professional relations with a patient while he is an inmate of a hospital or an out-patient at a dispensary.

Fifth. The introduction of control, by properly authorized public boards, over all appropriations by the State to medical institutions, whereby the expenditure of the money can be faithfully watched, and its original gift determined by the real merits of the institution. Sixth. The intervention of appropriate legislation to secure the regulations mentioned, with others that on further study of the question may be demonstrated as practical. In this connection your committee desires to call attention to the bill before the New York legislature.

Seventh. The demand from the general profession upon our medical schools to assist the movement looking to the correction of these abuses by the powerful influence which their faculties can wield, by the inculcation of appropriate sentiments in their students and by the appropriate modification of the course of study, this demand to be made with the assurance that their necessity for clinical material will be fully respected in the pursuit of this movement, and that no real retrogression is required.

Eighth. The thorough organization of the profession is the system of county, State, and national societies, whereby the power of full representation can be thoroughly exerted.

Your committee begs leave to offer for the consideration of the society the following resolutions:

Resolved, first, That it is the sense of this society that the organized profession in this State should secure the passage of a bill by the legislature, either similar to that now before the legislature of New York or so modified as to suit any peculiar local conditions which exist.

Resolved, second, That it is the sense of this society that the organized profession in this city, represented by the County Society, should so move on the governing forces of all institutions as to secure their co-operation in determining the dispensation of medical charity exclusively to persons who are without means to pay for private attendance and supplies.

Resolved, third, That it is the sense of this society that the organized profession should endeavor to use to the fullest extent consistent with professional

ethics the lay and the medical press to enlighten the public and the profession on this question, and for the advocacy of proper methods of reform.

Resolved, fourth, That it is the sense of this society that, in the pursuit of these resolutions, the conservation of all established or projected rational measures for public beneficences, and for advanced scientific medical training, shall be jealously guarded, and, if possible, enhanced.

Resolved, fifth, That we advocate the establishment of a system of adequate and direct payment for medical services in all institutions requiring such services. Resolved, sixth, That we advocate an appeal from the County Society to the faculties of the medical colleges and the medical staffs of hospitals for the support of the measures embodied in these resolutions and the propositions submitted in connection with them.

Resolved, seventh, That we advocate the exercise of systematic and organized influence by the profession on candidates for the legislature during political campaigns, and on the members of that body during its sessions, for the purpose of securing desired and appropriate legislation.

Resolved, eighth, That, in any rearrangement of the location of medical charities, distinct and definite topographical considerations shall prevail.

Resolved, ninth, That we advocate dissemination of information on these subjects by addresses before rural county societies, with free and full discussion, and that the Philadelphia County Society appeal to them for support of measures of reform through their delegates to the State society, and by resolutions addressed to their representatives in the legislature, as well as by the exercise of the influence of their individual members.

Resolved, tenth, That it is the sense of the society that an efficient means in the prosecution of these reforms would be a large, permanent commission for the investigation and recommendation of means and methods, and that such a commission should embrace representatives from all the existing medical societies in this city, from all the college faculties, from the medical staffs of all the hospitals, and from the profession in general, so as to represent it topographically.

Resolved, eleventh, That the organized profession should be best represented by the county societies, and that, to be so representative, these societies should embrace in their membership all eligible practitioners.

Therefore, Resolved, twelfth, That the members of this society not connected with the County Society are urgently solicited to join that body and, together with all present members, to use their privileges and prestige by frequent and faithful attendance on its meetings and active, earnest participation in the management of its affairs.

Resolved, thirteenth, That this appeal to non-members of the county societies and to the present members shall be considered as made to the profession at large, and not to members of this society alone.

On May 4 a largely attended meeting, presided over by Judge Ashman, was held in the hall of the College of Physicians. The meeting was intended to be representative of the staffs and boards of the various institutions of the city in which medical charity is administered. The main speakers were Dr. Edward Jackson, presi

dent of the Philadelphia County Medical Society, Dr. J. W. Walk, of the Board of Health, and Dr. Burnett. The result was a motion to appoint a committee of physicians to examine into the subject and to report at a future meeting, which, up to the present writing, has not been called.

It will be seen that the subject has received within a few months much attention, and that out of the agitation will probably soon come such organization and action as will give hope for extensive reform.

XII.

Dependent Children.

THE STREET ARAB.

AN ADDRESS BY MRS. E. E. WILLIAMSON.

I came to this Conference in New York, this great city, with rather a fear in my heart that it might not be a success; but the New York members of the Conference have made it a most notable success. We have had crowded meetings, the subjects have been handled with judicious care by all those who have spoken, the papers have been to the point, and we have discussed theories and fundamental principles in such a way that it will be a great benefit to the Conference hereafter.

I am simply going to give you, in a very few words, some anecdotes of the street Arab of New York, of Chicago, of Baltimore, and of Boston, the street boy of the United States.

These street boys, my friends, sometimes make our best and noblest citizens. We find them all around us in our large cities. I have made a close study of them during the last few months, and have made up my mind that they are not only honest, honorable, and industrious, but that they are chivalrous. With the right kind of training in their own environment, not in taking and placing them in. homes above their station, you can make of them the best of men. I speak advisedly, because I have studied the question thoroughly right here in the streets of New York. I have visited them in their homes, I have studied them in City Hall Park, I have studied them in the 8th Avenue cars and the upper part of the city.

I stepped into an 8th Avenue car not long ago; and, when I entered, I found three persons seated there,—a man, a woman, and a little boy. The little boy was probably about nine years of age. He was a very attractive little boy to me. He was not handsome,

but he was attractive.

He had on a ragged coat and a pair of very poor shoes and a hat that did not fit him; but his hands were clean, his hair had been brushed, and his face washed. I sat. opposite to him, and looked into his face for a few moments; and, as I looked, I saw that he was gradually being attracted to me. I looked again and again into his eyes, and I made up my mind that that boy was worth knowing. I crossed the car, and seated myself close to him, and began talking to him.

"Where have you been?" "I have been up to Central Park." I said, "Where are you going?" He answered, "Down to the Battery to see the fellers." Then he looked a moment longer; and he said, "I ran away from school to-day: I am playing hookey." I said, "Oh, well, I won't tell." Then I asked, "What are you going to do down at the Battery?" He said: "I am going to see the fellers what sells newspapers, and we are going to do all sorts of things down there to run away from the cops. I am going to have a fine time." Then he looked at me for a moment or two, and finally he said: "I know I am going to get a licking when I get home, but I don't care. I have had a bully day."

I talked to him along these lines for several blocks; and at last I opened my pocket-book and took out five cents, and handed it to him. "I can't bear to think of your walking away up to 90th Street," said I. "So I give you five cents to ride home with." He held it in his hand, and was very quiet; and, at last, he turned round, and said: "Take it back. I don't want it. Take it back." I said, "That is very remarkable." He said, "I won't tell you no lies. I should spend it on candy."

I crossed that City Hall Park, where the Journal sings its patriotic song and the boys get their "extras." I went into the midst of a group, and engaged them in conversation. At first they were a little shy of me, and looked at me askance, as much as to say, "What are you doing here, and what do you mean to do for us?" At last, I gained their confidence, and I learned a great many things about the way they transacted their business. One, a bigger boy than the rest said, "That is the fellow that makes the most money," pointing to a little boy seven or eight years old. I looked steadily into his eyes, and said, "How do you do it?" He whispered, "I put on my raggedest clothes." You see, he had an eye to business. Now in New York almost every one has an eye to business, but you would