B. 



REPORT OF THE 



COMMITTEE ON PRACTICAL MEDICINE. 



The Committee on Practical Medicine, appointed by the American 

 Medical Association, at Philadelphia, in May, 1847, respectfully 

 beg leave to submit the following 



REPORT. 



The duty "with which the committee are charged divides itself into 

 two parts. 1st. To report on the more important improvements 

 effected in this country in the management of individual diseases ; 

 and 2dly. To report on the progress of epidemics; referring as oc- 

 casion requires to medical topography, and to the character of 

 prevailing diseases in special localities, or in the United States 

 generally, during the term of their service. 



In respect to the first part of their duty, the committee regret 

 that circumstances, not under their control, have prevented them 

 from fulfilling it in a manner which is satisfactory to themselves; 

 and consequently they can scarcely hope, in what they may offer, 

 to meet the expectations of the Association. 



It is rare that any signal improvements in practical medicine are 

 introduced and established in the brief space of a year. Improve- 

 ments in the treatment of individual diseases are effected only, or, 

 for the most part, by careful and reiterated observation and experi- 

 ment, and cautious and rigorous induction. The medical journals 

 and periodical retrospects are replete with announcements of novel 

 methods of managing various diseases. Many of these methods 

 disclose, in their narratives, evidence of their hypothetical origin; 

 while others seem to betray a disregard of well established princi- 

 ples and rules of practice, and are mere crude substitutes for accre- 



