call on the President of the Arizona Medical Association to find out what his stand on this is.
Dr. Bernstein--Jack Snell called me the other day and said that the data would be published in the newspapers but would be held up until after this meeting tonight. However, it was in the papers today, and jumping the gun is not unusual with them.
Dr. D.E. Engle moved that the President write a letter to Dr. Salsbury stating clearly the position of the Pima County Medical Society in relation to the forthcoming vaccination for poliomyelitis to the effect that the Society does not oppose the trial to be conducted by the State Health Department, but does not wish to be in a position of sponsoring the vaccine or assuming responsibility for it, and send a copy of the letter to Dr. Melick.
Motion seconded by Dr. Kuhlman and carried.
Dr. Neubauer--Could I make a suggestion along this line? Do you not think it would be desirable for the members of the County Society to bring out Bill's comments (Dr. Steen's) or the article from the New England Journal of Medicine or a bit of review on that particular problem at the next meeting?
Dr. Steen--One of the Pediatricians told me there were a couple of articles by Salk in one of the Pediatric magazines and that he had never read such tripe. I think we should get the Pediatricians to comment at this meeting.
Dr. Bernstein--Actually, none of us know what we are doing on this subject.
The President stated that Dr. H.W. Kohl had intended to be present to speak about the American Medical Education Foundation, and that a copy of a Resolution has been received from the Arizona Medical Association on this subject.
Dr. Hayden said that a meeting was held on this in Phoenix, when it felt that in order to make this tax deductible a contribution of this type should be stipulated as being dues; that in order to take if off as an income tax deduction it has to be shown as coming through the Arizona Medical Association as dues. A Resolution to this effect is going to come before the Board of Delegates at the State Meeting in April, and Dr. Melick has said that the more he thought about this, the more he thought that serious consideration should be given to raising the dues and earmarking it for the American Medical Education Fund. In other words, suppose that the Fund comes in at $6,000.00 dollars, an if the entire amount were given to this Fund each year, and the State legal expenses run over what is expected, then it would be necessary to go ahead and raise the dues another few dollars. He would rather not earmark in this way.
Discussion:
Dr. Bernstein--This Resolution is to go before the House of Delegates. Arizona has made a terrible showing in this thing, and we would like to have a better one. It was felt that this might be made in the form of an amendment. I think Dr. Melick is mixed up--we are not going to ask the Arizona State Medical Association to make any contribution--we are going to make our individual contributions toward education through the Arizona Medical Association. To me it seems like a different problem. If the legal fees are growing, we had better pony up and pay them.
Dr. Hayden--I think Dr. Melick has it confused on a State Level. It is true that our legal fees have been more that expected. Dr. Melick said, "My recommendation to you would be that Pima and Maricopa Counties set up committees to consider a raise in dues."
Dr. Kuhlman--All we were going to do was suggest that we each kick in $10.00 and our Treasurer would forward it to the State, on a voluntary assessment.
Dr. Hayden--If anyone did not want to contribute he would write a letter to the Secretary, asking to be excused.
Dr. Thompson--Dr. Melick does not have any reason to draw this thing up. This was the Council. Now, if he wishes to have a committee consider whether this should be used by the State as well as the Education Foundation, that is a different thing.
