1891.1 



73 



[Ruschenberger. 



cultural societies at several places in Delaware and Pennsylvania, and 

 published a pamphlet on the cultivation of cotton in the Middle States. 

 He edited The Farmer's Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Rural Affairs, an 

 octavo volume of 1173 pages, illustrated by seventeen plates, which was 

 published by Carey & Hart, in 1844. In adapting it to American use, Dr. 

 Emerson added to the original English text about thirty per cent, of the 

 volume. 



Although attentive to whatever related to agricultural improvements, 

 he was seriously interested in medical affairs. 



In 1845 the New York State Medical Society invited the medical insti- 

 tutions of the country to appoint delegates to meet in the city of New 

 York on the first Tuesday of May, 1846, and form a National Medical 

 Convention to devise measures to promote the common interests of the 

 medical profession and improve medical education. Many prominent 

 physicians, representing medical bodies in different parts of the United 

 States, were present. Dr. Emerson, one of the delegates from the Phila- 

 delphia Medical Society, was with them. 



On organizing the meeting it was found that 133 delegates from medical 

 societies in sixteen of the twenty-nine States were duly accredited, and 

 that seventy -five of them were from New York. This partial and une- 

 qual representation led a delegate to propose that the Convention should 

 at once adjourn sine die. His proposition was not accepted. After due 

 deliberation officers were elected, and committees were appointed to pre- 

 pare a plan of organization, etc., and among them a committee to prepare 

 a code of medical ethics to govern the medical profession of the United 

 States. Dr. Emerson was appointed a member of it. 



The several committees were instructed to report at a meeting of the 

 Convention to be held on the first Wednesday of May, 1847, in Phila- 

 delphia. 



The National Medical Convention met at the appointed time, May 5. 

 Of 239 delegates elected to it from twenty-two States, including the Dis- 

 trict of Columbia, 175 were present. 



The committees appointed in New York presented their reports, which 

 were duly considered. 



The Convention, by a resolution adopted May 7, became the American 

 Medical Association. The new organization elected officers, appointed 

 standing committees and adjourned to meet in Baltimore on the first 

 Tuesday of May, 1848. 



Dr. Emerson participated in the creation of the American Medical 

 Association. In a note written by him on the cover of a copy of it, he 

 claims that the Code of Medical Ethics was compiled exclusively by Dr. 

 Isaac Hays and himself. The Association still holds its annual meetings, 

 always to the advantage of the medical profession, and is recognized as 

 authority on questions of medical policy in the United States. 



Dr. Emerson was a member of its first Committee on Publication, 1847, 

 and served on till 1853 ; of the Committee on Medical Sciences, and con- 



PROC. AMER. PHILOS. SOC. XXIX. 135. J. PRINTED JUNE 8, 1891. 



