486 
SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
Huntington, L. I., and A. 8. Cook, Binghamton, to the same effect, but 
favoring an examination clause in the bill for non-graduates. 
The President stated that the question of legislation was the main point to 
be decided upon; not so much as to whether or not we should get a bill passed, 
but whether the one as printed, and sent to each member, should be adopted by 
the society. He should like to have an expression from those present. 
Dr. R. A. Finlay remarked that, at the last meeting it was decided to send 
to each member a copy of the drafted bill, asking for an expression on the same, 
if they could not be present: what had been the result ? He questioned whether 
there were sufficient members present to take the responsibility. He favored the 
question being dropped. 
Dr. R. Ogle thought that by all means we should proceed with the consider¬ 
ation of the bill. Although there were only a few present, he considered that few 
well able to transact business. Drs. Bretherton and Boyd saw no reason why 
it could not be passed in its present form. 
Dr. Faust was in favor of having an examination for non-graduates, who 
should not be allowed to practise if they could not pass a satisfactory one, and 
pay a fee for a certificate equal to that„patd for a diploma. 
Dr. L. McLean said while it was true that the members present were few 
yet they were there as a society, and they were a quorum. We could not but 
deplore the apathy of those members absent; we could not expect to have things 
all our own road ; we see to-night men who have prominence making themselves 
conspicuous by their absence. He approved the bill; it was one that should 
pass, and would, he thought, meet the present requirements; it was cer¬ 
tainly a very liberal bill, and irrespective of the cold shoulder given it by 
members, from whom we should have expected better things, he would advocate 
the few fighting for its passage. 
Dr. Charum considered that the peculiar position of the profession obliged 
us to be very liberal, but in view of the want of interest shown, he would suggest 
that the bill be laid on the table. 
Drs. Cuff, Jackson and Newman favored fighting for the bill as it now stood, 
so did Dr. Denslow, only he objected to the amount of punishment as laid down 
in the fifth section. 
Dr. R. W. Finlay spoke of the attempt last year to get a bill passed, going 
considerably into the work done then; now, he said, another one had been 
adopted, one that was much more liberal, yet he questioned whether that could 
be passed without the aid of money ; and again, the members of the society had 
each been sent a copy of the proposed bill, with a printed circular, asking them 
to be present, or send their views regarding the matter. What was the result? 
Out of over sixty members of the profession, we had fourteen present, and only 
six had thought it worth their while to auswer the Secretary’s letter. Forty 
would only have been a reasonable number to have expected to be present. It 
certainly indicated that many wished to have nothing to do with the bill; and he 
did not consider it fair to saddle the work of getting a bill passed on the few, 
for the whole to get the benefit, and so he had to withdraw all his favors for it. 
Dr. L. McLean replied that the fourteen present evidently indicated that 
they wished to legislate; if we were to stop because there was only that number 
present, then we had better drop the society. 
