Board of Directors Meeting, April 8, 1954 6
So, it would be 1-medico-legal
2-3 outside speakers
3-2 local speakers
Dr. Bernstein--We would like comments. I observed some time ago that we have, except for the Vets, we invite a guest speaker each time, and always it takes all of our time--leaves no time for anything else--now if he inspired us to a great extent so that we went out and did big things--however, they have not done this. I do not think it is anybody's fault--it is almost impossible for us here in Tucson to get the top notch speakers very often. This man last month was an absolute nincompoop. Went on and on endlessly, I tried to interrupt him. He never spoke about his subject. He spoke down to us and then when someone, out of courtesy, asked him a question, he went on with his speech. I think we have suffered because of a lot of these guys. I thought the Eye Lesions was kind of boring, too. I am sure that any committee of us could probably not go out and get us good speakers. If somebody drifts into town, let's catch him and maybe ask him to give us a talk.
Dr. Neubauer--I would disagree with you rather strongly on our ability to draw excellent speakers here. The ideas of getting the business done is all right, but the fact that we did not get good speakers here last year I think entirely falls on one individual's shoulders. If you want to have it for the three, we should not have it for the mediocre ones. They accepted last year and everything, but were not followed through on, and I am sure the other fellows can do the same thing, if you want it for three meetings. You are belittling our opportunities to get good men.
Dr. Bernstein - #1. I do not think you should be too critical of another fellow's efforts, and #2. Don't forget that the speakers we got were good speakers until they got here. This man recommended to us a man who was a medical writer and the book stands on my shelf and I will never look at it again--he is supposed to be ace high. I still fell we cannot do it consistently and if we give it over to them entirely we will fail.
Dr. Beaton--I like speakers and if there are good ones I will go to meetings. It is a part of our constitution to have a scientific program.
Dr. Lesemann--I would like to suggest that we should not have local talent--they have ample time to present papers at the hospital staff meetings. I would hate to see local men give local papers.
Dr. Bernstein--One of our Committee members made a strong recommendation that the local men be allowed to present papers at one or two meetings. I think if we had speakers who spoke to us on allied subjects with medicine. Anyway, the point is that this matter of programs is undergoing worry and study and we hope we will come out with something interesting.
Report of the Legislative Committee.
Dr. Costin--All the members of the State Legislative Committee got a letter on this Bill S 3114, and we were to contact as may people as we could and report back, and I called a meeting of the County Committee. The situation was that the majority of the committee was against it and I reported it to Dr. Shupe. Since then the AMA has come out against it, the re-insurance Bill--most of the insurance companies who have testified have done so against it; however, the American Hospital Association have wanted some changes in it.
Second thing was that there was a Bill in the State Legislature concerning this Sales Tax. It has been passed by the House but was still in Senate Committee and we were urged to try to get it out of committee. Telegrams were sent to about five members of the Committee stating we were in favor of the Bill exempting professional people from this tax. So that is out of the way.
I have a resume here of all the Bills in Legislature now, none of which have been passed, but I think there is nothing so important that we should take up the time now.
