Transactions of the Michigan State Medical Society for the Year ...

I congratulate the Michigan State Medical Society on this occasion for the remarkably successful session now inaugurated. We have only to look at this marvelous program, the work laid out for the deliberations of the various sections of this society, work which will require more time than is at our disposal to do any justice to the fruit of the experience of those who have volunteered to prepare this feast of scientific facts and deductions to realize the folly of attempting to lessen the number of sections. The work of these sections will reach as widely as the scientific application of true medicine is studied and practiced for the alleviation and prevention of human suffering in every clime and among all peoples. I find that abstracts of many papers read in this society are translated into the languages of Europe and published in their

journals and so scattered as widely as the needs of human suffering. I would, therefore, deprecate any attempt at lessening the number of sections and the consequent curtailing of scientific work. I am very glad to note the growth and development of our society in recent years and the fact that so many of our younger men are willing to prepare work for our meetings. Twenty-four years ago when I became a member of this society but few men were willing to write papers, and the whole list of papers could be read easily before the whole society in the two days' session. We who were the young men then are now to be listed among the old. Those who were then old, many of them have laid off their armor and sleep, resting from their arduous toils. But nature's law forbids a vacuum, and wherever one has put off his harness and rested, many others are ready to take his place. As I look around me but a comparatively small number of those who attended that Saginaw meeting twenty-four years ago are present to-day. old friendships, to meet no more in convention terrestrial,. we greet the new friendships which will guide the helm after we lay off our armor and hope that they will be able, as they ought to be, to do many times more for suffering humanity than we have been able to do. In order that these, our young and promising friends, may be able to achieve the greatest good for their communities and have a constant stimulus for work, I would, after some considerable experience, urge on them not to forget the "assemblying of themselves together," but loyally and religiously to attend their respective medical societies, both county and state, and as far as possible the American Medical Association. I can assure any young man that in his business he will never lose in the long run by being a loyal and regular attendant upon the regular meetings of societies where interchange of thought on kindred subjects will always redound not only to his increase in knowledge, but to the increase of his business and the confidence of his clientele. Your patients will be much better pleased if you take a holiday to attend the local or state medical society than if you take one to attend the horse races

While we feel sad at the parting of

Livros

Transactions of the Michigan State Medical Society for the Year ..., Volume 21