Bishop Buddy Scrapbook 1946-1948

ITEMS OF INTEREST-continued .......... , .... ,

ITEMS OF INTEREST-continued

.................................................................................. snatched countless numbers of these boys from the door of death. Their work, the incredible stories of recov- ery are a new saga in this scientific age. T hese _doctors are returning to take up residence and resume their p_lace in the community and profes- ~10n. Many are faced with the hous- mg shortage and the acute lack of office space. As members of this Soc_1ety and in grateful recognition of their selfless sacrifice we must make constructive effort to assist them to re-establish t hemselves, to take up where they left off. Perhaps there are among us, some who are holding office space that could be shared, tempor- ar,ly at least, with one or more of these returning medical veterans. Agam by adjusting your office hours ~s well as yo~ir space you may find it possible to include another in vour office pool. If you, or any that·you kno~v of, have such space to offer, won t you please present it to the Society._ in order that it may act as a clearing house to those who are depending upon us? There a rc a goodly number of young physicians who. went into military service. im- mediately upon completion of their medical internship, those who have no toehold in the professional field. To these also we mu t exend a frater- nsl hand, assisting and counseling them. aiding them to establish in locations where their services are most needed, thereby relieving the burden o_f the rrowdcd a nd overworked phvsi- rrnn who has done such a tremendous .iob through these war years. Plan to adont one of these young men and help him where,·er and whenever vou can. His gratitude will be in ser;.ice to the community. I trust the Council will authorize a co,:nmittee for aid to our returning phys1e1ans with the Society's office as a central bureau and clearing house. . Agai~ _members returning from ac- t,,-e m1htary service have had the opportunity to study in some of our

of Trustees i.nd the Council on Medi- cal Service and Public Relations of the Association adopted jointly a fourteen_ point constructive program for medical care as published in the Journal of the American Medical As- sociation, December 1, 1945. To lessen the burden of medical rare, nationwide voluntarv prepay- ment medical plans sponsored by the medical societie have been approved bv the delegates of the American Medical Association at their annual meeting last month. Your influence will in a degree be measured by your understanding of the basic need of this proposed health measure. As enlightened men of se1e!'ce, you must be aware of the cr1s1s now facing the nation ves even the entire medical world. 'we must be prepared l o guard well our medi- cal traditions, lest the ghosts of to- day's errors rise to confront us on tomorrow's journey. You have a duty to fulfill to your community, to vour Society, and to yourselves. · Ot!r obligation to the returning Medical Veterans is beyond ralrula- t1on. From the air, from the high seas, from the disease infested jungles and from the Arctic ice cap, members of this Society who answered the call of World War II are returning home. 1:here _were 369 members of our So- ciety m the armed service of our country including three past presi- dents, three past secretaries and three past editors. Four of our 'mem- bers .made the supreme sacrifice. I ment10n their names in profound re- spect that we might remember and pay t r,bute to t hem. Dr. Elmer B. M. Casey Dr. H ans L. Kleine These 369 members went willingly to be the guardian angels of vou~ sons_a nd mine. With great personal sacr,fice and courage and by the mir- acles of modern medicine they have Dr. August P. Laudicina Dr. Marshall G. Seibel

all things are hoped for, and nothing is feared. T here are moments indeed that this glowing optimism seems jus- tified and that there is no limit to the advance of modern scientific knowledge. There arc however warn- ing signs about us, if we allow these changes to get out of control they may become a gra,·e danger to our way of life. Life necessarily means change but not all change means life. Ilillions of dollars and exhaustive human effort was spent to unlock the door of the atom. As a result we learned about the atom, how to use it. Tt was an impelling sudden change that hastened victory, and brought the world to our feet. H ostilities havr rcaocd, and now in the light of sober realization we gather again in the lab- oratories and about the council tables, to learn how to control it, how not to use it, lest it be a monster bringing de- struction and death instead of progress and preservation. The machinery set up has gotten out of control and threatens to destrov its makers. Wr originate for our ·immediate needs withont much <·oncern of its rffects upon the future. l nder our free American way of life surh wonderful progress has been made in the field of medicine that it now leads the scientific world. a world that depends upon us. That progress and leadership will be im- peded and destroyed under any form of regimentation. The standard of the medical pro- fcssion throughout the ages has been the prevention and cure of disease, the alleviation of suffering and the medi- cal care of the poor. This high stand- ard will be lowered and eliminated b~· any type of political dictatorship. As evidence of the continual efforts lo improve the health and give better mcdiral care to a ll, the Amen can Medical Association adopted in ,lune. 1944, a platform which calls for "An 1ilability of medical care of high ciuality to c,·cry person in the United ~talcs." On June 22, 1945, the Board

fled with family, aiding that family in maintaining its health and well-being. As ph_ysicians we see the problem in the light of facts, learned through our daily work in the home, the office and the hospital. We agree upon the desirability of a healthy nation, of making available lo all, adequate medica l care. But we are dealing with human life, with the heritage of n democratic peo1)le, the guarantees of the Constitution of the United StatcR and the Bill of Rights, accordingly, we must guard against force and regimentation. It is just such measures as this that led to supreme government con- trol in totalitarian countries and brought these nations to ruin. The taxation, realized from worker and employee, places the gove.rnment in a position to do for the people the things it might be morally healthier for the people to do themselves. The pay em·elope of the worker suffers as government bureaus move in and take over. Every new thought and ideal is exploited for a ll that it is worth, mostly for its monetary value. Often the ideal in its fulfillment ruthlessly destroys individual liberties, social and religious traditions, sweeps away the past and seeks to create a new order. A new order that brings with its efficiency, the tinsel promise of a general Utopia for us all. We cannot rest upon our scientific or humanitarian achievements, and allow them to drift, but our progress must be constructive, rather than rev- olutionary. Let us learn to walk slowh· and circumspectly with pro- found stud~,, and open minds, measur- ing each step with relation to t he distance we muot go, and the good we can accomplish. Let us learn to view each present problem in relation to its effect, not alone upon today, but for its worth , its merit, likewise its damaging effect upon tomorrow. This is an rra of change, tran~form- ing mind a nd concept and with it modern science, so profoundly, that the

FEBRUARY 1, 1948

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W~EKLY BuLLt;1'1N m,· THE ST. J,ou1s M1-:u1cAL Socn;n

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