p. 17 | The Council of the Medical Department of the Atlantic Union Conference

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Feb 25, 1904

The Council of the Medical Department of the Atlantic Union Conference

By G. A. Hare; J. R. Scott

At the session of the Atlantic Union Conference held in South Lancaster, Mass., Nov. 6-11, 1903, the medical missionary work was made a department of the union conference. A board of nine members was elected to advance the interests of the department.

At the session of the Greater New York Conference, which immediately followed the Atlantic Union Conference, the same arrangement was made for the management of the medical work in the Greater New York Conference, and a board of five members was elected to develop the medical work in the Greater New York Conference.

A joint session of the Atlantic Union and the Greater New York Medical Boards was held in Miller's Hall, Sixty-fifth and Broadway, New York City, N. Y., Feb. 5-8, 1904.

There were present, representing the Atlantic Union Board, Drs. C. C. Nicola, A. J. Read, A. R. Satterlee, G. A. Hare, E. H. M. Sell, Elder J. E. Jayne, Prof. M. D. Matteson, and J. R. Scott. The members of the Greater New York Medical Board present were Dr. Ruth Bryant-Leake, and Brethren O. E. Reinke, J. A. Wood, and Geo. M. Chaffee: absent, Dr. J. P. Vaughan.

There were present by invitation Elders H. W. Cottrell, W. C. White, A. G. Daniells, A. E. Place, A. O. Burrill, and a number of workers in the Greater New York Conference.

H. W. Cottrell was elected Chairman pro tem, and Dr. A. R. Satterlee Secretary pro tem. Dr. C. O. Prince was elected to a place on the Atlantic Union Conference Medical Board.

Drs. Nicola, Read, Hare, Prince, and Sell, and Elders W. C. White and A. G. Daniells were appointed to act as a Committee on Plans.

At the second meeting there was a general discussion of the duties and relationship of the Board to other committees and boards.

At the third meeting the Committee on Plans submitted the following recommendation:—

“Whereas, The territory, the duties, and the relationship of the various medical boards, committees, and trustees in the Atlantic Union Conference have not been clearly outlined, we hereby agree upon the following as an expression of the views of this convention:—

“Union Conference Medical Missionary Board—

“1. Territory: The field of the Atlantic Union Conference.

“2. Duties: To aid in advancing all the medical missionary interests in the Atlantic Union Conference.

“3. Relationship: To the Atlantic Union Conference, departmental and administrative; that is to say, the Medical Missionary Board is responsible to the union conference for doing the work of the conference in the Medical Missionary Department. To local medical boards, institutions, and enterprises, advisory and co-operative.”

At the fourth meeting the Committee on Plans made the following report:—

“We recommend, That this branch of our organized work shall be designated as follows: The Medical Missionary Department of the Atlantic Union Conference.

“Whereas, The Medical Missionary

Department will require funds to meet the expenses of postage, stationery, traveling, salaries, providing literature, etc., therefore,—

“We request the Atlantic Union Conference to provide what may be deemed best from the regular funds or from special offerings taken for this work.

“We recommend, That a standing committee of four be appointed to provide suitable literature for the medical missionary work of the Atlantic Union Conference.”

These resolutions were unanimously adopted.

G. A. Hare, A. J. Read, C. C. Nicola, and W. C. White were named as the Committee on Literature.

At the fifth meeting the Committee on Plans presented the following recommendations:—

“Whereas, There is great need on the part of our people, and the world as well, of fuller knowledge of the truths of healthful living; therefore,—

“We recommend, That there be inaugurated a vigorous health and temperance educational campaign throughout the Atlantic Union Conference—

“1. By the circulation of an efficient, up-to-date health and temperance literature.

“2. By encouraging those conducting sanitariums, treatment rooms, hygienic restaurants, and food stores to continually endeavor to make their work truly educational gospel enterprises.

“3. By aiding in making all our sanitariums, treatment rooms, hygienic restaurants, and food stores centers for the circulation of our health and temperance literature.

“4. By encouraging our physicians and nurses who are doing independent, self-supporting medical missionary work to make their work evangelical, and to be active in circulating our health and temperance reading-matter.

“5. By inviting all our ministers to unite heartily in this campaign by preaching more frequently on health and temperance subjects, and encouraging all our churches to engage in this work.

“6. By holding annual conventions for all our physicians, nurses, and medical missionary workers, where practical questions on all phases of medical missionary work may be considered, and plans of work laid.

“7. By conducting schools of health as opportunities may make it advisable.

“We recommend, That a field worker be appointed to devote his time to the carrying out of the foregoing, and to the advancement of all phases of the medical missionary work; and that the selection of the field worker be left with the officers of the Atlantic Union Conference and this medical board.”

The motion to adopt was carried unanimously.

After a recess of fifteen minutes, Dr. Read, in behalf of the Committee on Plans, submitted the following recommendations:—

“Resolved, That it is the sense of this committee that articles be regularly published in the Atlantic Union Gleaner in the interests of a medical missionary forward movement, calling attention to appropriate articles in the Good Health, Medical Missionary, Pacific Health Journal, and Life Boat, also to new books which may be published, as ‘Ministry of Healing,’ and other suitable books for use in active medical missionary work.

“Resolved, That our people be encouraged to utilize these medical missionary and health publications as they may be able in their homes and in doing self-supporting medical missionary work.

“Resolved, That provision be made for systematic instruction in medical missionary work, including simple treatments, hygiene, physical culture, and dietetics at all general gatherings of workers, as at camp-meetings and general meetings.

“Resolved, That the local conferences and institutions be invited to consider the advisability of sharing equally the expense of sending out well-trained workers, who shall organize schools of health among the churches, and devote a portion of their time to the sale of health literature in their territory.”

After an interesting and profitable discussion of these resolutions, they were adopted.

By invitation, Dr. Sell presented a brief paper regarding the establishment and operation of treatment rooms in our cities. The subject was freely discussed, but no definite recommendations were passed regarding it.

At the sixth meeting, by invitation, W. C. White addressed the council on the subject of the establishment and management of food stores in our cities. This address was followed by a lengthy discussion, and the adoption of the following recommendations:—

“Resolved, That we suggest to our several Sanitarium Associations in the Atlantic Union Conference that each one make an earnest effort to promote the health food business within the sphere of its influence, by the organization of a food department, under the immediate control of a departmental committee; that the work of these departments shall be—

“1. The sale of sanitarium health foods, by house-to-house canvassers, by traveling salesmen, and by food stores in various places.

“2. The establishment in the most favorable localities of bakeries and restaurants.

“3. The purchase and sale of nut foods, baked foods, nuts, legumes, dried fruits, and kindred lines of foods.

“Resolved, That we suggest to our people who wish such stores established in their vicinity, that they provide the necessary funds for the enterprise by gifts, or loans at a low rate of interest.

“Resolved, That we recommend that beginnings be made in a careful and economical way, and that the principal lines of goods be sanitarium health foods, nuts, legumes, dried fruits, bottled fruits, olives, and olive oil, with sample lines of health publications, and nurses’ supplies.”

It was voted that the Chair appoint a committee of three to nominate a permanent Chairman and Secretary. The Chairman appointed Dr. A. J. Read, A. G. Daniells, and Dr. E. H. M. Sell.

At the seventh meeting the following report was rendered by the Committee on Nominations:—

For Chairman, Dr. C. C. Nicola; for Secretary and Treasurer, J. R. Scott.

Dr. Nicola gave reasons why he could not agree with the report of the committee to make him Chairman, and moved that the name of Dr. Hare be substituted for his own. Dr. Hare urged that, inasmuch as Dr. Nicola had been a resident of this part of the field for a number of years, and had his institutional work well in hand, he ought to accept the nomination.

After considerable discussion it was voted that the name of Dr. Geo. A. Hare be substituted for that of Dr. C. C. Nicola as Chairman of the Medical Missionary Board.

(All but two members of the council voted for the substitution.)

It was unanimously voted that J. R. Scott act as Secretary and Treasurer.

The following resolution was presented by the Committee on Plans:—

“Whereas, It is desirable that health literature be provided for use in the Atlantic States, which shall be adapted to the wants of the people in this district, and which shall also serve to advertise our medical institutions in the Eastern States; and,—

“Whereas, The Review and Herald Publishing Association has the facilities for the publication and circulation of all classes of literature; therefore,—

“Resolved, That we appoint Brethren G. A. Hare and W. C. White as a committee to confer with the Board of Managers of the Review and Herald regarding its taking the burden of the publication and circulation of health books, tracts, and periodicals.”

The resolution was adopted.

At the eighth meeting the committee entered into a free discussion of plans for lightening the burden of debt resting upon our medical institutions, and of the territory which should be considered as being in the special sphere of influence of each of the following medical associations or institutions: Melrose Sanitarium, Philadelphia Sanitarium, Buffalo Sanitarium, Greater New York Sanitarium Association, Washington (D. C.) Sanitarium Association. After arriving at a general understanding regarding these matters, and agreeing that their further discussion be deferred until a future meeting of the Board, the council adjourned sine die.

G. A. HARE, Chairman.

J. R. SCOTT, Secretary,