EDITORIAL. 
325 
meeting settled itself to serious work. The reports of the 
various committees were successively called up and read and 
recorded, and we scarcely expect to be believed when we say 
that they were all represented. As the time occupied in the 
reading of these papers had brought the meeting quite into the 
middle of the day, their discussion was postponed to a later 
period, and the next meeting passed to the subject in order, 
consisting of applications for membership, forty in number, all 
of whom, with two honorary members, were upon recommen¬ 
dation of the Comitia Minora, duly elected. A few applicants, 
however, were not accepted, and quite a number had their 
names dropped from the roll. The election of officers fol¬ 
lowed, an incident of the meeting which to some members was 
possibly the critical event of the occasion. For ourselves, how¬ 
ever, we cannot believe that any course other than that which 
was adopted, could have secured any respectable support. The 
election was made with careful respect to what might be called 
the rights of each section of the country, if indeed the existence 
of sectional “ rights” of such a character can be conceded, but 
in fact, no weight was given to any such considerations. It 
was not a question of Eastern or Western prominence in the 
Association; it was a selection of officers from the member¬ 
ship, without other distinction than that of character and 
fitness, or other motive than that of securing by a fair canvass 
the selection of the best men for their positions and for the 
Avelfare of all, with a view to the highest advancement of the 
interests of the whole body. Professor R. S. Huidekoper was 
elected President, Dr. W. L. Williams of Illinois, was elected 
Vice-President, and the offices of Secretary and Treasurer 
were continued in the hands of those old servants of the Asso¬ 
ciation, Dr. W. H. Hoskins, of Pennsylvania, and Dr. J. L. Rob¬ 
ertson, of New York. The various committees were appointed 
at a later hour, and the first day of the meeting closed with a 
short discussion of the committee reports, that of the Com¬ 
mittee on Diseases occupying, however, the greater part of 
the afternoon. 
On the second day the meeting was called to order with a 
sufficient approach to punctuality, and the time was well im- 
