The Medical Council by W. A. Ruble

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 27, 1911

The Medical Council

By W. A. Ruble

Realizing that a long time had elapsed since a medical council had been held for our physicians, it was decided some months ago to hold such a council at Loma Linda, Cal., in connection with the meeting of the American Medical Association, June 26-30, 1911.

Steps were taken to bring about such a council, and our physicians throughout the United States were invited to attend. It was thought that many would be coming West at the time of the American Medical Association meeting, and would be glad to avail themselves of the opportunity of attending the council at Loma Linda. We were happily surprised at the result of this effort. Forty-five physicians and others were present, as follows: Dr. and Mrs. David Paulson and Dr. and Mrs. W. S. Sadler, of Chicago, Ill.; Dr. and Mrs. H. F. Rand, Sanitarium, Cal.; Dr. B. E. Fullmer, Los Angeles, Cal.; Dr. T. S. Whitelock, San Diego, Cal.; Dr. and Mrs. W. E. Bliss, Melrose, Mass.; Dr. and Mrs. A. B. Dunn, Wichita, Kan.; Dr. C. E. Eddy, Fresno, Cal.; Dr. B. N. MacLafferty, Aberdeen, Wash.; Dr. J. M. Bond, Phoenix, Ariz.; Dr. W. H. Warner, College Place, Wash.; Dr. L. H. Wolfsen, Merced, Cal.; Dr. C. A. Burrows, Loma Linda, Cal.; Dr. H. J. Hoare, Los Angeles, Cal.; Dr. F. F. Abbott, National City, Cal.; Dr. L. Wood-Starr, Fernando, Cal.; Dr. A. W. Simpson, Long Beach, Cal.; Dr. A. J. Sanderson, Berkeley, Cal.; Dr. A. N. Loper, Fresno, Cal.; Dr. F. M. Rossiter, North Yakima, Wash.; and Drs. E. H. Risley, A. Shryock, W. A. Ruble, J. A. Vernier, D. T. Harbaugh, and G. K. Abbott, of Loma Linda, Cal. Others present were Elders E. E. Andross, W. C. White, R. S. Owen, C. Santee, J. A. Burden, H. G. Thurston, and J. M. Price, and V. H. Lucas and W. D. Salisbury.

Sunday morning at 6:30 the first regular session was held. The subject under discussion was “The Elimination of Poisonous Drugs From Our Sanitariums.” This was led by a paper from Dr. D. H. Kress. At 9:30 the council met again, continuing the discussion of the morning on drug medication, Drs. Paulson and Abbott leading. This was followed by an interesting and extended discussion on the subject of surgery in our sanitariums. The session lasted until 1:30 P. M.

Consideration of the College of Medical Evangelists, its history, development, and plans, occupied the afternoon meeting from three thirty until six o’clock. This was followed by a continuation of the same subject in a round-table discussion and question box from 7:30 to 9:30 P. M.

Monday morning at 6:30 Dr. Paulson led in the discussion of the city problem, and our relation as medical missionaries to it. Dr. Sadler, Dr. Bliss, and others followed in the discussion. This was a very important and instructive meeting. At nine o’clock Dr. Fullmer read a paper on “A New Worker in the Old Field,” being a new version of the combination of the medical and evangelistic work. It naturally merged into the question of the morning pertaining to city work, so that the entire forenoon, until one o’clock, was occupied in the consideration of this important subject.

Two strictly medical sessions had been planned for the council, but so much interest centered about the matters pertaining to our medical missionary and sanitarium work that time could be found for but one such meeting. This was held from three to six o’clock on Monday afternoon. Several interesting clinical subjects were brought before the council, two being cases of pellagra and one of dermatitis exfoliativa. This was followed by a further discussion of some medical cases, especially that of exophthalmic goiter. Other interesting questions which have perplexed our physicians were brought before the council, and the experience of the physicians present contributed to the interest of the occasion. At seven thirty in the evening the last meeting of the session was held, and lasted until ten o’clock. “Sectarian Medicine and Exclusive Specialties” was the subject presented by Dr.

W. A. Ruble. A lively discussion, in which certain specialties, such as osteopathy, chiropractic, and others, were considered, as compared with our sanitarium methods.

Some profitable resolutions were formulated, which are appended. A number of papers were prepared for the occasion, but it was thought best to leave these, and give our time to the discussion of subjects which are perplexing our medical people all over the country. An excellent spirit prevailed throughout the meeting. Both sanitarium workers and physicians in private practise were associated together. The sentiment prevailed that it is time for Seventh-day Adventist physicians, in whatever capacity they may be laboring, to work together for the advancement of the third angel’s message.

A great deal of interest was manifested by the visiting physicians in the medical school which has been established here. This is shown by the fact that they voted to recommend that our physicians throughout the world accept the responsibility of building the new laboratory, which is now in the process of construction. To add emphasis to this resolution those in attendance subscribed nearly twenty-five hundred dollars to the enterprise.

Already our laboratory is well under way. It will accommodate five large laboratory rooms 24 x 54 feet, for physiology, pathology and bacteriology, histology and embryology, chemistry, and a clinical laboratory for the work of the institution. In addition to this there will be several offices, a hydrotherapy room for teaching this subject, and storerooms. The cost of the laboratory will be in the neighborhood of twenty thousand dollars, including equipment. Already sixty-five hundred dollars has been donated to the enterprise.

Resolutions Adopted at the Council

“Believing that the work of our medical institutions is fundamentally evangelistic and educational,—

“We recommend, That our medical superintendents and board of management, so shape their work and organization that they can more effectually carry on the medical-evangelistic work in the field as well as in the institution.

“In view of the large responsibility of the surgeon’s work,—

“We advise, That great care be exercised in encouraging young physicians to enter upon a surgical career, and that we discountenance their doing so without suitable previous experience in general medical practise, and proper experience and adequate training in practical surgery.

“In view of the large responsibility and educational mission of our sanitariums,—

“We urge, That we recognize the importance of a larger development and application of those natural remedial agencies commonly known as physiologic therapeutics; and, further,—

“We recommend, That a positive and definite movement be made away from the employment of the more commonly used strong and poisonous drugs; and that special efforts be put forth looking toward the successful and practical demonstration of the superiority of these physiological therapeutic agencies as compared with drug therapy.

“Resolved, That it is our sincere judgment and conviction, from the teachings of the Bible for the time in which we are now living, from the positive evidence that has accumulated in recent years from scientific sources, and from our personal experience in dealing with our patients, that a decisive and aggressive effort should be made to lead the people with whom we come in contact to take their stand firmly and decidedly in favor of total abstinence from the use of flesh food as an article of diet.

“Resolved, That we invite our Seventh-day Adventist physicians throughout the world to take the burden of raising the fifteen thousand dollars required to complete the building and equipping of the medical laboratory.

“Whereas, There are a few of our most worthy students who are in need of financial assistance to meet their school expenses; therefore,—

“Resolved, That our physicians everywhere be invited to lead out in the raising of a fund to be used for that purpose, the same to be held in trust by, and administered at the discretion of, the executive committee of the College of Medical Evangelists.”

W. A. RUBLE, M. D., President.