" CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION, February 6, 1868. "REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE AND THE COMPOUNDING OF DRUGS. "The undersigned, a special committee, appointed to consider the question of raising the standard of the medical profession in this State, and of regulating the dispensing and compounding of drugs, respectfully present the following article for adoption by the Convention : "SECTION 1. The Legislature, at its first session after the adoption by the people of the amendments proposed by this Convention, shall enact laws creating a State medical board, before which all candidates for admission to practice medicine in this State shall pass a satisfactory examination. "§ 2. In the organization or creation of said board, none of the schools of medicine now recognized by law, or hereafter to be recognized, shall have a major representation. 66 § 3. The Legislature shall make it a criminal offense for any person to practice medicine in this State without the license or authority of the aforesaid board-excepting, however, such members of the profession as now are possessed of authority from some legally incorporated medical college of this State, or such as are recognized by a legally incorporated medical society of the same. "§ 4. The Legislature shall confer authority on the respective pharmaceutical societies legally incorporated, to regulate the dispensing and compounding of drugs and shall make it a criminal offense for any person to compound drugs in this State without the authorization of such society. But practicing physicians who compound their own medicines shall not be included in this prohibition. "STEPHEN J. COLAHAN, "Remarks. Your committee have carefully avoided what might be deemed legislation, and have offered in the proposed article but a framework, which, when perfected by the Legislature, will, in their opinion, relieve the public to a great extent from the complained of evils. No question more vital to the health and life of our people has been considered by this body. The people of this State ask not to be made altogether dependent upon the pleasure of the Legislature. They have received in the past no redress from such source. Action on this subject has been generally demanded. Some sixteen hundred petitioners have asked your protection, and the public press of the State have demanded reformation at your hands. Not a single remonstrance has been presented to the Convention against the proposed measures to raise the standard of the medical profession and for the protection of the public. "We have done much to protect the property of our citizens, let us not shuffle responsibility-but do the more sacred act still, protect their lives." Dr. Holmes offered the following resolutions which were adopted: Resolved, That this Society fully realizes the importance to the people of this State, of protection against empiricism and ignorance of pretenders in medicine; also, the importance of the elevation of the standard of medical education; we, therefore, respectfully recommend the Constitutional Convention, now in session for the purpose of revising the Constitution of this State, that the Article proposed by the Committee appointed thereby be embodied in the fundamental law of the State. Resolved, That the Secretary be requested to place a copy of the foregoing resolution in the hands of the Hon. S. J. Colahan. The committee appointed to consider the suggestions set forth in the President's inaugular address, presented the following report: Report of the Committee appointed to consider the suggestions contained in the President's Inaugural Address. Your committee have carefully read the address of the President, as published in the Journal of last evening, and find great reason to commend many of the suggestions therein contained. Some of these have already been acted upon. A new financial plan has been entered upon, which, though necessarily imperfect, and perhaps open to some objections, is still worth a trial. At any rate, no other feasible plan has been proposed, and the present system of raising the funds necessary for the adequate support of the Society has proved an utter failure; having yielded not. more than an average of one hundred or one hundred and fifty dollars per year. Any plan for the raising of money to support an institution like this must of necessity be onerous and burdensome to some. Let us give the new systein a trial, and if it prove like the last, a failure, we can but try some other mode of taxation. The President has suggested that every paper presented upon medical topics should be read in course. While this idea does simple justice to those who have taken pains to furnish material for scientific discussion to the Society, still the committee are of opinion that papers are sometimes presented of a statistical character, and upon other subjects which, while eminently worthy of record in the Transactions of the Society, will fail to be of interest to the Society if read before it, and they recommend that while each paper should be brought to the notice of the Society, and an abstract of its contents given, we should still adhere to our old rule of reading such papers only in full as the members present shall deem of sufficient interest to warrant it. Discussion of any paper presented would be very properly postponed until all have been brought to the notice of the Society, as the President has suggested. The action suggested by the President upon the matter of the new lunatic asylum, is eminently worthy the consideration of the society, and we cordially unite with him in urging the appointment of a committee, who shall see to the interest of homœopathy in connection with it during the coming year. The report was adopted. Dr. H. M. Paine offered the following resolution, which was adopted: Resolved, That the Treasurer be authorized to levy a pro rata tax on the several county societies in this State, equal in the aggregate to one-third more than the amount of the present indebtedness of the Society. The Secretary introduced Dr. E. J. Fraser, of Erie, delegate from the Pennsylvania State Homœopathic Medical Society. Dr. Fraser remarked substantially as follows: Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Society: Having business engagements which require my presence in your city a few days, I gladly avail myself of the opportunity to attend one of the annual meetings of your noble society. It is with pleasure that I look upon your efficient efforts to elevate the standard of medical science in the Empire State. In Pennsylvania, where I reside, homœopathy has taken a deep hold on the minds of the people, and is daily growing in public estimation, notwithstanding the desperate opposition of its ene mies. New accessions from the intelligent and refined classes are made to our ranks daily. This is true also, with regard to all the western portion of our country. The demand for homoeopathic physicians seems to be much greater than the supply. The calls for competent homoeopathic practitioners to locate in eligible situations are pressing. I have also noticed that homœopathic physicians are usually liberally patronized, and are well paid for their services. I would recommend the members of our school to give greater encouragement to young men, who desire to qualify themselves to become successful practitioners. It gives me pleasure to meet you, and to express an interest which we, of the Keystone State, feel in promoting the advancement of the noble art of healing. Dr. H. M. Paine was appointed a committee to prepare a biographical sketch of the late Dr. H. C. Hubbard. Dr. C. Dunham was requested to prepare a memoir for publication of the late Dr. John Barker. Dr. Wells reported, verbally, cases cured by high attenuations of remedies; also presented the following: "Report of the Oneida County Medical Society, by the Secretary, Dr. H. Willis." "Tænia Solium, by Dr. C. Judson Hill." "Petroleum in the Treatment of Burns, by Dr. G. J. Jones." "A case of Epulis," by Dr. H. Willis. Dr. G. B. Palmer presented a paper entitled, "Surgical Cases." Also, a report of the Madison County Medical Society. Also a paper entitled, "Treatment of Fistula," by Dr. N. F. Adams. Dr. H. D. Paine presented the report of the New York County Medical Society. Dr. Charles Lowrey presented the report of the Washington County Medical Society. Dr. E. D. Jones presented the report of the Albany County Medical Society. Dr. S. D. Hand presented the report of the Broome County Medical Society. Dr. H. B. Fellows presented the report of the Cayuga County Medical Society. The committee on nominations presented the subjoined report. The officers for the ensuing year recommended by the committee were elected by ballot : WILLIAM H. WATSON, M. D., Utica, President. E. D. JONES, M. D., Albany, Corresponding Secretary. Drs. H. M. Paine, Drs. E. D. Jones, Drs. W. S. Searle, |