The reciprocal duties of the medical profession and the community : being the inaugural address delivered at the sixty-sixth annual meeting of the British Medical Association / by Sir T. Grainger Stewart.

Date:
1898
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The reciprocal duties of the medical profession and the community : being the inaugural address delivered at the sixty-sixth annual meeting of the British Medical Association / by Sir T. Grainger Stewart. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    scarcely be an addition), it is more to suggest that he should take so high a place as that of Secretary of State ; but even with the difficulties which I admit, it seems to me obvious that the great importance of the public health, equalling, indeed, that of almost any other department in the State, warrants such a step. And as I believe that history will regard it as one of the chief glories of the reign of Her Majesty that the nation then awoke to the importance of the question of public health, so I should desire that the Execu- tive which subserves it should in that reign also be put upon a footing worthy of the greatness of its work. In respect alike of administration and of legislation, such changes as I advocate would give a great increase of efficiency. Conclusion. But I have reached the utmost limit of my time, and must hasten to conclude. I have briefly reviewed what I consider the chief relative duties incumbent upon us and the com- munity. I have shown that in our personal relationships things stand fairly well, but that in regard to preventive medicine the attitude of the community and the State leaves much to be desired. I have shown also reason to think that there is room for more generous dealing in respect of the endowment of research and of Universities and schools. But I should sum up by saying that our part is to perform our duty conscientiously and to the best of our ability. It is not by banding ourselves like a trades union and crying aloud about our wrongs, real or imaginary, but by the efficient discharge of our own duty, that we shall best aid the com- munity to perform theirs. When each of us does his best for every patient and for the State, not with eye service as