concentrated, thereby cutting down on overhead, with the idea in mind of eventually having only one drive for all funds. If we are going to stay in this world of things we will have to do things whether we want to or not. If we do not do them, the government will, but I am still interested in free enterprise and in making some contributions to the community.
Dr. Kent--Why not have a Special Services Committee, covering everything?
Dr. Steen--These group will become angry and ask osteopaths on their committees. We are responsible for the health of the community. It entails a great deal of work, but when you draw out of these things you give up something else. We cannot retreat, we have to keep our hand on the pulse of the community.
Dr. Manning--Suppose the multiple sclerosis group goes out and has a drive, and someone inquires if the Pima County Medical Society backs it? The same is true of Polio. They cannot function without the blessing of the local group of physicians.
Dr. Kent--Look at your arthritis and heart groups.
Dr. Manning--But these National Societies insist on a committee from the local Medical Society in an advisory capacity. If we pull out of one we must pull out of all, including the Red Cross.
Dr. Costin--That is not the same sort of private outfit.
Dr. Bernstein--Dr. Steen is absolutely right. We cannot appear to be disinterested. I think the Cerebral Palsy Foundation should be left out of our plans until they ask for a committee.
Dr. Rudolph--I understand the Cerebral Palsy group has pulled out of National and are local. We ought to be represented.
Dr. Manning--The main issue seems to be that we allow the group to suggest names to us and we approve them; we might as well appoint them. I do not feel we should pull out. We can write Dr. Fonseca and ask him for suggestions to his Board.
A letter from Dr. Francis J. Bean, Superintendent of the Pima County General Hospital, was read by the Secretary. The concerned and requested suggestions on appointment of a medical examiner to assist the coroners in their duties. Dr. Bean stated that the Board of Governors met on this problem and referred it to the Supervisors; later the Staff of the Hospital voted to refer the problem to the Medical Society.
Discussion:
Dr. Rudolph--Why cannot the pathologist help in this case?
Dr. Bean--If the first place he does not want it, and in the second place it might interfere with his activities at the hospital, since he might be called out, and thirdly, the man who now does this might object to having the money for this taken away. The coroners have asked for medical help; the Supervisors are asking for our help.
Dr. Costin--Recently an article giving data on counties in the country which have M.D.s as coroners revealed that it is not always the best thing to have a physician as coroner.
Dr. Hileman--moved that the President appoint a committee consisting of the pathologists in town to act as liaison committee between the Society and the Board of Supervisors to thrash this mater out. Motion seconded by Dr. Kent and carried.
Appointed by the President for this purpose, were : George Hartman, Chairman
Louis Hirsch
Ralph Fuller
Frank Cohen
Statement of Accounts for the Society, month ending November 30, 1953, was presented by the Secretary.
Inquiry for physicians needed at the Arizona State Prison in Florence was presented by the Secretary.
