PRESIDENT-ELECT JOHN B. MURPHY jured in Continuity;" "Surgery of the Lungs;" of the Gall with of There are probably but few men in the ranks of "Operative Surgery Tracts, Report, Means American medicine who are better known at home Twenty Successful Cholecysto-Enterostomies by and abroad than the President-Elect of the American of the Anastomosis Button ;" "Fracture of the Olecranon Medical Association, Dr. John Benjamin Murphy of Treated by Subcutaneous Exarticular Wiring;" "Sur¬ of Chicago. His work in surgery easily places him in the gery the Spinal Cord and Peripheral Nervous Sys¬ " of the in front rank of American \p=m-\whichmeans in the tem;" Patella;" "Proctoclysis the Treatment front rank of the surgeons of the world. of ." As a and member of the medical Dr. Murphy was born in Appleton, Wis., Dec. 21, progressive aggressive no less than as a educator and a 1857. He was reared on a farm, attended the secondary profession leading of Dr. honors the office to schools and was graduated by Appleton High School high rank, Murphy in 1876 and by Rush Medical College in 1879. After which he has been elected. service as intern in Cook County Hospital, Dr. Murphy formed a partnership with Dr. Edward W. Lee. In 1882 THE ST. LOUIS SESSION he went to , where he studied in the hospitals of The St. Louis Session of the American Medical As- Vienna, Berlin, Heidelberg and London, returning in sociation was an unqualified success. From the scien- 1884 to Chicago. tific point of view, and from Dr. Murphy has been suc- the effect in the promotion cessively lecturer in surgery of a closer and more har- at Rush Medical College; monious organization of the professor of surgery in the profession, as well as of College of and social interest, little more Surgeons, Chicago; profes- could have been desired. sor of surgery in the North¬ The registration was a little western University Medical over four thousand, a num- School; professor of sur¬ ber exceeded only twice\p=m-\at gery in Rush Medical Col¬ Boston and at Chicago. lege, and for the second In the scientific interest time, professor of surgery in and in the earnestness and the medical department of fulness of the discussions on Northwestern University, the topics presented the sec- which position he still tion meetings equaled or sur- holds. While Dr. Murphy passed those of any previous is known best to the med¬ session. Every section had ical profession in general profitable meetings and the attendance in each was as a surgeon, he is known good. notable were the to an increasingly large por¬ Especially in the Section tion of the profession as an symposiums instructor of the highest on Preventive Medicine and rank. He is a born teacher Public Health on hookworm, and and not only has a message pellagra typhoid fever, to give but possesses in a and in the Section on Path- John . , M.D. marvelous degree the power ology and Physiology on can- to give it. cer\p=m-\subjects which, aside As a surgeon Dr. Murphy is typical of the country ; from their interest to the profession, have particular not content blindly to follow precedent, he has blazed interest for the public, because of the wide-spread mor- in the new trails. And, what is of even more import, in attack¬ bidity and mortality which they cause, especially is ing a problem he is not content to leave it half-solved, instances of typhoid fever and cancer. Indeed, it in a formative stage as a mere interesting academic pos¬ interesting to note the many points at which the papers sibility; when it is perfected he has a fully developed, throughout the whole program of this session touched practical method, given as a complete procedure to his the public directly in the matter of hygiene, sanitation contemporaries. In this particular Dr. Murphy stands and prevention. It is a reflection of the wide-spread unique; he has not only invented, he has perfected. interest of the public in what is being done in medicine.. Some of the best-known of Dr. Murphy's writings are : In many respects the Section on Preventive Medicine "Cholecysto-intestinal, Gastro-intestinal, Entero-intes- was the most interesting of the Session. Cancer, with tional Anastomosis and Approximation Without Su¬ its frightful mortality and increasing prevalence, was tures;" "Ileus;" "Besection of Arteries and Veins In- probably the most prominent subject of the Session,

Downloaded From: http://jama.jamanetwork.com/ by a University of Pennsylvania User on 06/16/2015 being considered in one or more of its aspects in almost needed were provided. A member of the committee was every section, far outshadowing tuberculosis in this always in attendance to see that nothing was lacking. respect. In some of the other sections symposiums on The Scientific Exhibit and the Commercial Exhibit, diabetes, the "infectious diseases and eclampsia, with the in the Coliseum, in harmony with the rest of the Session, discussions, served to clear the atmosphere about many were a complete success. The Scientific Exhibit in the mooted questions. There were many other interesting balcony, though not so accessible, perhaps, as could be features of the scientific program, but space forbids desired, was interesting and well attended. The demon¬ further mention of them here. stration of the hookworm, for which Smith of Atlanta The meetings of the House of Delegates were har¬ was given the prize, was especially attractive. Worthy monious throughout. Each succeeding year the reference of particular note was the exceedingly interesting and committees are doing more and more work, making valuable exhibit of the St. Louis Historical Society it possible to investigate thoroughly all the various adjoining the Scientific Exhibit. A feature of the propositions that come before the House ; and thus the balcony exhibit was that of the Association Laboratory, House is able to accomplish much more, and to do the in the exposé it made of a number of well-advertised work in a deliberate, satisfactory manner. Of the im¬ nostrums, in furtherance of the work which the Council portant things done by the House of Delegates, one was on Pharmacy and Chemistry is doing. It elicited much the creation of a new Section on Genito-Urinary Dis¬ favorable comment from visitors and the graphic way of eases, as petitioned for by many members doing work presenting matters caused surprise to many. in that line. Another was the creation of the Council In the interest displayed in the purely scientific sub¬ on Health and Public Instruction, which is to have jects, in the practical subjects, in the matter of pre¬ charge of the work formerly done by several overlapping ventive medicine as touching the public and the general committees, covering such matters as preventive medi¬ welfare, and in the association as an organization having cine, medical legislation, economics, public instruction the highest aims and the most altruistic purposes, the in medicaL sanitary and hygienic questions, etc. The St. Louis session was a notable milestone in the gratify¬ Council will organize complete machinery to facilitate ing progress of the American Medical Association. the attainment of these objects. Any impression that there was the slightest lack of harmony in the organization was dispelled by the work INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE of the House of Delegates and by the spirit shown in the Three national one on in- daily work ; and any attempted disparagement of important conferences, dustrial accidents and workmen's one the aims and purposes of the American Medical Associa¬ compensation, on industrial and one on labor were tion was silenced by the splendid statement of them con¬ diseases, legislation, held on June 10 and 11 in and im- tained in the address of President Welch at the General Chicago; many bodies were in the discussions. It That the understands these portant represented Meeting. public correctly is and the aims and endorses them was evinced in the admirable earnestly hoped expected\p=m-\and expectation is means of these conferences and the address of Governor and the other reasonable\p=m-\that by Hadley gentlemen coordinated and who at the General resulting activities, great salutary spoke Meeting. will be achieved in the conditions to which The for the entertainment of the changes peo- arrangements ple working in trades are those for afternoon, when subject. visitors—barring Wednesday Of these conferences, that on industrial diseases was the rain interfered—were carried out. The admirably the first ever held in this country. The interest which of the and cheer¬ pervasive quality hospitality, geniality the medical profession should take in this subject was ful friendliness which are of the South, characteristic of well indicated by Mr. Frederick Hoffman, actuary of the the people of St. Louis, were in evidence. The physi¬ Prudential Insurance Company, of Newark. N. J., who cians and were and their wives daughters delightfully declares that in many trades one-third of the deaths entertained at the President's and at reception many recorded are due to one specific disease; and that, at a dinners The school and reunions and luncheons. class conservative estimate, the money loss alone in the United were also occasions affording pleasure and satisfaction States in one year, due to preventable occupational dis- to those participating in them. ease, is nearly a billion dollars. (Another statement The arrangements at the various section meeting- made at this conference was that the money loss alone places were declared by some to be a distinct advance in the in one year due to sickness cost, over anything heretofore seen, and the local subcommit¬ loss in wages, and economic loss in industry, may be tee in charge of these arrangements deserves the high¬ conservatively placed at a billion and a quarter dollars.) est praise. Nothing was overlooked which would Mr. Hoffman continues: "Medical practitioners minister to the comfort and convenience of the members will realize some day the practical advantage of or which would facilitate the smooth running of the special knowledge of diseases of occupation;" and sessions. The meeting-halls were models, and tele¬ it is exceedingly gratifying to note his assurance that phones, stenographers, messengers and everything the truth requires only to be known to produce a remedy j

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