American College of Surgeons - Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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The Permanent Administrative Home 5 America, and brought to a consummation the recent absorption of the latter organization by the former. The records show that Dr. Martin has at great personal sacrifice both of time and money made this result possible. We also wish to acknowledge our debt of gratitude to that master surgeon, the late Dr. John B. Murphy, for the aid he gave in promoting higher surgical education and fostering purer professional ideals. (Signed) William J. Mayo, President William W. Pearson Miles F. Porter Arthur D. Be van George David Stewart THE PERMANENT ADMINISTRATIVE HOME Since the inception of the American College of Surgeons, a paramount problem in its organization has been the one of fixing a permanent central administrative home. From the beginning, in the minds of its friends and organizers the American College of Surgeons has been compared with the Royal College of Surgeons of England, with its nine centuries of accomplishments; its dignified home in Lincoln ' s Inn Fields, London; its Hunterian Museum; its great medical Hbrary; its collection of paintings and busts of men who made the history of surgery; and its store-house of traditions of unprecedented value. The American College of Surgeons, com- prising the surgical profession of the United States and of Canada, and representing a population of one hundred and fifteen million people, must, they conceived, have a home which will compare favorably in dignity and importance with that of its predecessor in England; and while the counterpart cannot vie with its original in traditional treasures, it can offset these by the compensating advan- tages that accrue to the College because of its greater field of activity and its newer methods of attack. Confronting the Regents at the outset in the consideration of a permanent home was a three-fold problem — location, financial ♦Abstract of Secretary General ' s Annual Report for 1919

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4 American College of Surgeons geons in joint session, first, that for the welfare of the two organiza- tions the management and the control of the Clinical Congress of Surgeons shall be vested hereafter in the American College of Surgeons; second, that hereafter the Clinical Congress of Surgeons shall be known as the Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons with its invited guests. The past presidents of the Clinical Congress of Surgeons are Dr. Albert J. Ochsner of Chicago, Dr. Edward Martin of Phil- adelphia, Dr. George E. Brewer of New York, Dr. John B. Murphy of Chicago, Dr. Charles H. Mayo of Rochester, Dr. Fred B. Lund of Boston, Dr. John G. Clark of Philadelphia, and Dr. William J. Mayo of Rochester. Special Audit of Accounts Soon after this afiiliation had been effected, the President of the American College of Surgeons deemed it advisable to review the affairs of the College and of the Clinical Congress of Surgeons of North America in order that their organic union might start with full knowledge of the financial and business status of both organizations. He therefore appointed an Auditing Committee of five with authority to make this survey. This Committee met at the offices of the College on December 31, 191 7, and after a thorough examination of all the books, papers, and records con- cerning the business of the American College of Surgeons and of the Clinical Congress of Surgeons of North America, submitted the following report: We, the Auditing Committee of the American College of Surgeons, find the accounts of the American College of Surgeons and of the Clinical Congress of Surgeons correct in every re- spect, the methods of bookkeeping accurate, and proper vouchers and receipted bills on hand for all moneys paid out. No money has been spent without proper authority and only for value received. We desire to express to Dr. Franklin Martin, Secretary Gen- eral, our appreciation of the vision, courage, and sincerity with which he originated and developed the American College of Surgeons and the Clinical Congress of Surgeons of North

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6 American College of Surgeons means, and scope. The location was the most important phase on account of the spirit of contest which inevitably ensues when many individuals, who have varying ideals and who reside in widely different areas, are to be satisfied. At the Philadelphia meeting in 19 14 the Regents, as the result of a spirited discussion of the subject of a permanent home, ap- pointed a committee to consider the matter, with Admiral Charles F. Stokes, formerly Surgeon General of the United States Navy and a resident of Washington, as Chairman. This Committee presented a tentative report at the annual meeting of the College held in Washington in 19 14, which distinctly favored Washington as the home of the College inasmuch as it is the capital of the United States, the center of population of the East, and a distinctly neutral ground. Although the report was tentative and not sup- ported by a definite recommendation, it was loudly applauded by a large number of the Fellows present. It was not, however, made a subject of vote because it had not received the cordial endorsement of all the Regents. The subject of location was discussed by the College from three principal standpoints: First, should the home be situated in a medical teaching center? Second, should it be in the capital of the nation, which would also have the advantage of neutrality? Third, should it be in a geographical and medical teaching center of the United States? The greatest difference of opinion in the minds of those who discussed the matter seemed to be between the capital of the United States and one of the medical centers. After the above-mentioned Committee had submitted its report and recom- mendation, the subject of the future home of the College aroused an interest among many Fellows who had previously given it but httle thought, and it became apparent that an opinion was developing which more and more favored one of the medical centers. In the meantime the European v ar, since it was inevitable that we were to be drawn into it, was occupying our minds, and the problems of our medical societies and of the College were tem- porarily dwarfed.