p. 21 | A Medical Missionary Council

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · May 23, 1907

A Medical Missionary Council

NEARLY two years have passed since the first and only medical missionary council of this denomination was held. This was a very important meeting, and much good came from it to the medical missionary cause. Many who are directly connected with the Medical Department of our work have felt keenly the need of another council. In view of several favoring circumstances, it has been decided to hold a medical missionary council at Takoma Park, Washington, D. C., June 9-11, 1907. A few of the reasons for holding such a meeting at this time are these:—

1. The annual meeting of the American Medical Association is to be held at Atlantic City, N. J., June 4-7. This will bring many of our physicians to this locality at that time. Every progressive physician has a desire to attend such meetings where the most approved methods of caring for the sick are discussed by men of national and international fame. The railroad fare will be greatly reduced on account of this meeting, being one fare plus one dollar for the round trip.

2. The new Sanitarium at Takoma Park will be ready for opening at the time, and our physicians and nurses who attend can then become better acquainted with the work in Washington. It is expected that the new institution will be opened to patients June 12.

3. Just at this time the representative brethren who have been attending the councils in Europe will be returning, and will be able to meet with those who attend this council, and impart some of the enthusiasm gained from coming in touch with representatives from the broad harvest-field. From these we hope to receive much valuable instruction. Meeting these delegates will be the next thing to being permitted to attend the European councils.

4. The Drs. Kress have just arrived from Australia, having spent some weeks visiting various sanitariums in the West, and will be able to assist greatly in the council.

It is hoped that every physician and nurse east of the Rocky Mountains will take a lively interest in this meeting, and plan to be present. Such a council has already been planned for the Pacific States, for July or August, and so it may not be possible for those west of the Rocky Mountains to attend this council, but we ought to have some representatives at least from the Western States.

Will not the State and union conference presidents and committees, sanitarium boards, and medical secretaries do everything possible to have sanitarium superintendents, physicians, and nurses, and all others interested in the medical work of the third angel's message attend this council? Many questions are demanding attention, and our leading medical men should counsel over these. We know that we are not doing a tenth of

what the Lord requires in this line. Let this meeting mark an awakening in our medical missionary work.

The new Sanitarium will be ready to entertain all who attend this council. Write the medical missionary secretary at once that we may know how many to plan for.

A few of the subjects to be considered are:—

1. Relation of the medical missionary work to the third angel's message.

2. Sanitarium management.

3. Surgery and physiological therapeutics.

4. Entertainment of patients.

5. Nurses exchanges, and how to provide for graduate nurses.

6. Reports from the American Medical Association meeting.

7. Reports from sanitariums.

8. How shall we secure proficient male and female help in our sanitariums?

9. Need of a distinguishing name for our institutions.

10. Gynecology in our sanitariums.

11. Advertising.

12. Uniformity in rates, remuneration, diet, and meal hours.

13. Requirements for nurses' training-schools—entrance, course, time, studies.

14. Education of missionaries for foreign fields—physicians and nurses.

15. How shall we eliminate commercialism?

16. Shall we train professionals or missionaries?

17. Relation of private sanitariums to the third angel's message.

18. Medical education—what kind? where? COMMITTEE.