History of Atlantic County Medical Society
Fred Weber MD, JD, Past President Atlantic County Medical Society
The first license to practice medicine In New Jersey was issued in 1705. Between the French and Indian Wars and the American Revolution the New Jersey Medical Society was formed in 1766. This is the oldest state medical society in the United States. Then the life expectancy was 42 years and no surgical anesthesia or antibiotics were available. The Latin inscription above reads "Throughout The World I Am Called The Helper." Dicor is the first person passive of the Latin verb, Dico, to speak. The Latin abbreviations on the shield stand for, "The Messenger Of Apollo Frowns Upon Materialistic Tradings." Below, in Latin, New Jersey was known as New Caesar.
In 1765 the invitation went out to "every gentleman of the profession in the province" to join a new society "for their mutual improvement, the advancement of the profession, and the public good." They met in New Brunswick one year later. The first physician elected president, was Rev. Robert McKean, who was also the rector of St. Peters Episcopal Church in Perth Amboy. He died the following year at the age of 35. The combination of minister/physician was hardly uncommon at the time with 6 of the 36 founders being members of the clergy.
The Society's first act was the drafting of a bill of tariff and although noble. in that it represented the maximum that a patient should expect to pay, was an immediate failure in public relations. According to the prevailing fees in 1766, visits in town were free. Obstetrical services were charged according to difficulty. Special fees were assessed visits "ome noet," or all night. Much of medical practice was of blood letting, and creating issues with tbe seton, which was a primitive drain.
In 1767 it was decided that no student be taken as apprentice unless he possessed a competent knowledge of Latin and some initiation in the Greek. Cases were presented at every meeting. Beginning in 1790 new applicants were required to present at least one case to tbe general membership. By 1800 several members had been expelled, thereby establishing the societies early leadership in peer review.
The Society received from the legislature the right to license practitioners. The Society also received from tbe legislature the right to confer the degree of Doctor of Medicine. This is the license to practice medicine which. was issued to Dr. James Swan in 1822. Although the last degree was awarded by the Society in 1904, even today the New Jersey legislature has not rescinded right to award degrees. The American Medical Society was formed in 1847. That same year the first general hospital in the state was opened at St Barnabas in Newark.
The Civil War was a significant time in United StateS history. South Jersey's rich bog iron stores were central to tbe war effort. New Jersey medicine was pivotal. The amputation of General Sickles leg was performed by Dr. James Calhoun of Rahway. There was adequate lighting outside, there was whiskey for anesthesia and there were only primitive efforts directed toward asepsis. Amputation was the treatment of choice for a complex wound of an extremity. One year after the completion of the Civil War the New Jersey Medical Society celebrated its first centennial. That year the presidential address was delivered in Latin.
The first president of the Medical Society of Atlantic County was Job Braddock Somers. He was born in 1840 in the Somers Mansion which had been erected in Somers Point 110 years earlier. He was related to Captain Richard Somers, hero of the Libyan Wars. At age 20 he graduated from Jefferson Medical College, and for two years thereafter was assistant to a Dr. Leaming of Seaville. Returning to Linwood he practiced for over thirty years. For the purpose of establishiog a precedent, he addressed the Society on the history of medicine in Atlantic County. The text was published, and provided a glimpse of those who proceed us in the healing art.
In 1765 Richard Collins became the first physician to settle in the area. He was born and educated in Ireland and settled in Galloway Township. When he arrived he sent for his fiancee, but she could not be located. After he married an American woman, his fiancee was found and had given birth to his child, a blind daughter. He sent for them, they settled in Galloway, and thereafter provided for their existence. This daughter later married Chester Ludlam, possibly the namesake of Ludlarns Beach in Sea Isle City. Dr. Collins arrived a Roman Catholic, became a Quaker and died in the Methodist faith after over 40 years of practice.
Following five succeeding physicians, Dr. Jonathan Pitney rode into Absecon from Monis County in May of 1797. He was educated at Columbia, and received two years of training In Staten Island. He brought to the area the new notion of diagnosis by inspection, which was far superior to the old method of basing diagnosis solely on history. For over 50 years he was the most influential physician in the area. He must be credited for being the promoter and founder of Adantic City as a resort. He lobbied for creation of a lighthouse on Absecon Island, created the railroad to Absecon Island, and most importantly created the desire of Philadelphians to journey to Absecon Island for recreation and the medicinal properties of the ocean bath. He participated in the creation of Atlantic County in 1837. After a long productive and sometimes controversial life Dr. Pitney died at the age of 72. A tavern and road in Absecon are named in bis honor.
Eleven years following his death the Atlantic County Medical Society was founded in 1880. Eight physicians met at City Hall in Atlantic City and elected Dr. Job Somers president. An essayer was appointed for the next meeting and a committee was formed to "report a plan for the collection of bills."
Th. records of the county physician lists 31 examinations for the cause of death in 1882. 'There were three railroad accidents and two accidental drownings and one homicide. One drowning was a man from Smiths Landing who was swept from his boat in the Great Egg Harbor Inlet. The other was that of a 20 year old excursionist from Philadelphia. He was last seen swimming beyond tbe breakers before his body wasbed ashore. The report ends by praising the life saving service for protecting the one million other bathers.
Dr. North was president in 1888. These were difficult times. A physician needed a horse at all times, Night calls in weather were particularly difficult. Eleven years after he served as president of the county society Dr. North's life came to a tragic end on the night of February 11, 1899 when his sleigh, in which he was driving to see a patient, was struck at a railroad crossing.
The early years of this century were exciting' times for the Medical Society of Atlantic County. Meetings were held regularly and were carefully recorded. Scientific papers were read and discussed at the grand hotels of the time. During the early 1900's papers were read by Dr. Crile of Cleveland and Dr. Chambers Da Costa and Dr. Chevilear Jackson of Philadelphia. The Medical Society also had other concerns. The Society condemned by resolution the selling of obscetle post cards on the boardwalk. They also condemned a Dr. William Westcott of the Camden County Medical Society for testifying falsely as plaintiffs expert against a local physician.
Dr. Richard. Bew was president in 1922. He was a great athlete and was an especially proficient swimmer It was while swimming in the ocean at Atlantic City that he met his death five years later. Near the end of the Steel Pier he was struck by a passing boat and kiled.
The 1940's were also exciting times. For a few days Atlanric City was the Medical Center of the Americas when the Pan American Conference of the AMA was held here. Working relations between the press and the physicians were much better than today. At this time an editorial board of physicians helped the local paper sort fact from innuendo prior to publication. The first live operation was carried by television from the Atlantic City Hospital to the American College of Surgeon at Convention Hall.
The late Dr. David Allman was prominent in medical circles. He was president of the Atlantic County Medical Society in 1933. He was elected president of the New Jersey Medical Society in 1943 and in 1954 he was elected president of the American Medical Association, the only New Jersey physician so honored. Atlantic County continues to play an active and important role in medicine in our state.
Dr. Victor Ruby (1920-1988) was a great supporter of the Atlantic County Medical Society. In addition to his successful practice of internal medicine, he conducted a weekly radio show, uninterrupted, for 35 years. Broadcast time was donated. and local physicians were interviewed on "Your Dr. Speaks." This may be one of the longest running medical shows ever.
Today, in his honor, the Atlantic County component of the New Jersey Medical Society continues this public service.