Medical Missionary Notes
By J. E. Froom, M. D.
ON May 25, our department considered the question of advertising sanitariums and how to discriminate between institutions. It was decided to look to the union conference presidents for statements and recommendations concerning medical institutions in their territory desiring a place in our directory; and also to distinguish between private and conference enterprises by means of a star and explanatory foot-note. Tithing the net earnings of sanitariums was informally considered. May 30 it was voted to ask the General Conference to organize the medical department committee, which they did later by appointing the chairman and secretary. The following names were selected to serve as a committee on health literature: G. H. Heald, S. P. S. Edwards, F. M. Rossiter, Ida Herr, D. H. Kress, J. C. Ottosen, J. E. Froom, W. C. White; W. C. White resigned, and W. A. Colcord’s name was received in his place. It was voted to hold a medical missionary convention west of the Mississippi, perhaps at Lincoln, Neb., between October 20 and November 10, of this year, the same to last from Monday evening to the following Sunday; also that the union and State conferences and our various medical institutions be encouraged to send representatives to that convention, that it be participated in by persons directly interested in medical missionary work, including physicians, heads of departments in sanitariums, treatment rooms, cafes, and nurses’ training-schools; that the nurses from near-by institutions be invited to attend at their own expense during at least part of the convention. Text-books for nurses were considered, and the following received favorable mention:— “A Physiology for Nurses,” Kimber, of Chicago. “Twentieth Century Hand-book,” Rossiter. “Hydrotherapy,” Kellogg, Baruch. “Surgical; Nurses’ Guide for Operating Room,” Dr. Senn. “Materia Medica,” Dock. (It was agreed that nurses should be conversant with physical properties, untoward effects, but not necessarily the physiological effects, of drugs.) “Electricity.” (Dr. Hoenes spoke of how much service could be had from a good electrical catalogue, like McIntosh’s.) In the General Conference Committee meeting much interest was shown in advancing the medical missionary work in the South. They appointed a strong relief committee to develop the sale of “Ministry of Healing,” a step which we believe is of great importance to the future of our sanitarium interests. On the last day of the conference a most stirring testimony from Sister White was delivered dealing specifically with issues particularly in the Medical Department, which have been before the people for some time. We understand that this matter will be published later. The General Conference Committee has offered to conduct health schools during September and October in those suburbs of Washington where our canvassers shall succeed in organizing schools during this summer. The basis upon which schools are organized is the sale of health literature, upon terms stated in printed announcements. The present assortment of reading-matter used by our field agents is represented by:— “Ladies’ Guide,” Kellogg. Social purity publications, Wood-Allen Publishing Co. “Colds: Their Cause, Prevention, and Cure,” Heald. Life and Health, published at Washington, D. C. The organization of the schools is to be self-supporting. It is hoped that this will be the inauguration of similar efforts in the vicinity of many of our sanitariums. J. E. Froom, M. D.,
Secretary Medical Council.