Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 67.djvu/483

Rh purely business standards. To use the methods of industrial trusts in conducting colleges and universities is to threaten the present efficiency and ultimately the life of all higher education." Thus, for perhaps the first time in the history of our educational system, the autocratic powers of presidents and trustees are directly challenged by the faculty. The outcome will exert a decided influence on the future character and control of our universities.

American Medical Association met at Portland, Ore., during the week beginning on July 10, under the presidency of Dr. Lewis S. McMurtry, of Louisville, Ky. There was a registration of 1,714 members, which is more than the average. The scientific sessions were good, and the business transacted was of more than usual importance. It appears that in this case a meeting held during an exposition has proved to be pleasant and successful.

The presidential address reviewed the history of the association which was organized in 1846. For many years it was chiefly a body for the presentation of papers, but it has recently assumed additional functions. Perhaps the most important step was the establishment of a journal some twenty years ago. The Journal of the American Medical Association has now become one of the strongest medical publications in the world. The publication expenses last year amounted to not less than $181,000, but in turn the receipts of the association, largely through subscriptions and advertisements for the journal, amounted to $244,709. At the Portland meeting, the association decided to compile a directory of the physicians of the United States, who are said to number about 120,000.

Four years ago the association adopted a plan of organization which appears to be destined to unite the physicians of the country in a powerful body. The county medical societies are made the unit of organization, these are affiliated with the state organizations, which are in turn united in the national association. The legislative body of the national association is a house of delegates to which members are sent from the different states in proportion to the membership in the state societies. This body consists of 150 members, and has proved competent to transact the business of such a society. This form of organization appears to be both more efficient and more democratic than that of the National Educational Association, on which some comments were made here last month. It is, however, significant that both the physicians and the teachers of the country are developing compact organizations which have many of the characteristics of trades unions. They will exert an influence for the material welfare of the members of these professions, and may eventually become strong social and political agencies, which it may be hoped will ordinarily act for the welfare of the whole country.

The American Medical Association applied last year for a charter from congress, but this has not yet been granted. The question will come up again this winter. Here again the American Medical Association appears to be acting more wisely than the National Educational Association, the, whole bill being

Be it enacted by the Senate and House or Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That [Here follow the names of the incorporators] and their successors, and those who may be associated with tnem, are hereby made and constituted a body politic and corporate by the name American Medical Association with perpetual succession and power to take, for the purposes of its incorporation, by devise, bequest, grant, gift, purchase, or otherwise, and hold or convey, both real and personal property and transact business anywhere within the United States.

Sec. 2. That the object and purpose of such corporation shall be to promote the science and art of medicine and the public health throughout the United States.