Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
June,  1907. 
American  Medical  Association. 
255 
In  the  reorganization  of  the  American  Medical  Association  the 
county  society  was  made  the  unit  in  the  plan  of  organization.  If 
we  keep  in  mind  the  objects  of  organization  we  find  the  local  society 
is  most  important  of  all  the  medical  bodies. 
While  the  State  and  national  bodies  meet  but  once  a  year,  some 
of  the  local  societies  meet  weekly,  bi-weekly,  monthly,  bi-monthly 
and  quarterly.  This  makes  the  local  society  the  foundation  on 
which  the  State  and  national  societies  must  be  built. 
It  will  be  perceived  that  nearly  all  of  the  scientific  work  is  per- 
formed by  the  local  societies. 
To-day,  and  in  years  to  come,  the  County  Medical  Society  must 
necessarily  be  the  chief  centre  of  interest.  It  must  be  built  up  and 
made  strong  and  representative  ;  it  must  produce  harmony,  promote 
good  fellowship,  remove  petty  jealousies;  it  must  teach  its  members 
that  the  keynote  of  organization  is  co-operation  ;  and  it  must  give 
to  its  members  educational  and  scientific  advancement. 
A  member  will  have  his  education  continued ;  he  will  have  his 
resources  multiplied ;  he  will  achieve  both  self-confidence  and 
respect  for  others,  and  increase  public  respect  for  the  medical  pro- 
fession and  for  himself. 
The  local  society  is  becoming  more  and  more  of  a  post-graduate 
course  every  year,  and  our  members  are  being  benefited  by  coming 
in  contact  with  those  medical  activities  which  mentally  brace  them 
for  their  daily  professional  duties.  In  other  words,  the  real  teaching 
is  being  done  not  by  the  text-books  but  by  our  high-grade  medical 
journals,  and  the  teaching  received  at  the  meetings  of  the  medical 
societies. 
Our  purpose  of  organizing  the  medical  profession  is  to  increase 
membership,  to  extend  and  develop  personal  intercourse  in  order 
that  to  each  may  be  given  the  opportunity  of  bringing  out  what  is 
best  in  him,  to  aid  him  in  cultivating  and  strengthening  the  scien- 
tific spirit,  thus  aiding,  individually,  in  advancing  the  common  good 
of  the  whole  profession. 
No  profession  can  attain  and  maintain  a  high  position  among 
people  unless  it  is  founded  upon  great  principles  of  service,  to  the 
great  mass  of  humanity,  and  this  differentiates  our  profession  from 
a  trade  organization,  labor  union  and  a  political  machine. 
The  local  society  has  its  power  and  influence  increased  in  a  two- 
old  manner,  viz:  First,  from  circumference  to  centre  ;  second,  from 
