The physician became
very much involved in community life and the advancement of the profession.
He was unselfish in extending to other physicians the knowledge gained from
medical practice. This led to the formation of an association with other
physicians to improve the quality of medical care and to maintain a high
level of community health."
"History of Medical
Practice in Toledo and the Maumee Valley Area 1600-1900" - by Walter H.
Hartung Jr., MD
The Toledo Medical
Association was founded by eight physicians in 1851, and a separate
organization, The Lucas County Medical Society, was formed in 1894. The two
organizations merged In 1902 to form The Academy of Medicine of Toledo and
Lucas County.
Mission
Statement
The mission of The
Academy of Medicine of Toledo and Lucas County is several-fold: To provide
service to physicians by preserving unity in the profession and supporting
professionalism and the independence of medical judgment; to respond to the
medical needs and concerns of the community; and to provide accurate and
current medical information to the public. In these ways, The Academy of
Medicine is actively engaged in the support and enhancement of medical care
in Toledo and Lucas County.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
These Historical Recollections are excerpts from the
Sesquicentennial book, The First 150 Years - A History of The Academy of
Medicine of Toledo and Lucas County, 1851-2001, and were compiled by Howard
S. Madigan, MD
These HISTORICAL RECOLLECTIONS chronicle significant
activities and events in the history of The Academy, and demonstrate
commitment to serve the profession and the public throughout the year.
1851
On June 22, eight doctors met to discuss forming a
medical society in the city. A constitution and by-laws was drafted and
approved at a September meeting.
1870
In accord with the AMA ethical code prohibiting the
advertising of physician services, Dr. D. B. Sturgeon was voted out of the
Toledo Medical Association for an insert in The Live Yankee announcing
establishment of the 'Toledo Medical and Surgical Institute'.
1892
The Toledo Medical Association accepted the group's
first woman member, Dr. Elizabeth Woods.
1896
Concerns about the safety of the water supply in
Toledo, particularly in relation to the city's sewage system, prompted the
Association to pass a resolution objecting to a change in the route of the
city's water supply in order to wash away sewage collecting in Swan Creek
near the county infirmary.
1897
The Toledo Medical Association supported passage of
the Musgrove Medical Bill before the Ohio General Assembly, requiring all
physicians to register with the Board of Registration and Examination, and
show credentials of a medical diploma. A committee was appointed to assist
in State enforcement.
1902
The Joint Committee of the Lucas County and Toledo
Medical Societies adopted a resolution to merge their identities and form a
new association under the name of The Academy of Medicine of Toledo and
Lucas County.
1903
The Toledo Medical Association and the Lucas County
Medical Society consolidated to form The Academy of Medicine of Toledo and
Lucas County. At the age of 23, Dr. Julius H. Jacobson was elected the first
president. Sadly, in 1919, he was stricken by the flu, and died at the age
of 39 in New York City.
1907
An editorial, "The Anti-Tuberculosis Crusade," in
the Toledo Medical and Surgical Reporter, decried the number of deaths,
family dissolutions and high economic costs of tuberculosis. The Academy
advocated a city ordinance prohibiting spitting in public, as a control
measure.
1908
The Academy of Medicine's 'Milk Committee,'
established in 1907, supported passage of a new city law requiring all cans
of milk to be sealed during shipping.
1917
The Academy initiated a new publication, the
Bulletin of The Academy of Medicine of Toledo and Lucas County, "... devoted
to the advancement of medical science, prophylaxis, and all things in which
MEDICINE is interested."
The Toledo State Hospital on Arlington Avenue
(1888), the first asylum in the country built on the cottage system, treated
over 1800 inpatients and employed a staff of 235. The Academy Bulletin
addressed the philosophy of the hospital toward its patients: "To many the
subject of caring for the insane is ... a mystery. The secret of their care
and keeping them contented is to have them lead as normal a life as
possible, with good, clean, healthy surroundings, plenty of nourishing food
and fresh air."
1918
Academy members were successful in efforts to get an
emergency hospital and laboratory for the control of communicable diseases
(notably venereal disease), and the city opened a two-story facility at
Superior and Lafayette Streets.
1920
The Academy purchased the former Hurd Club property
at Monroe and 15th Streets as a location for The Academy.
1923
In opposition to government measures to control the
medical profession, The Academy members passed a resolution insisting that
local and state medical association and AMA officers oppose efforts for
mandatory health insurance, state takeover of medicine, and any other effort
"attempting to centralize authority and destroy the democracy of those
health associations."
1925
The Bulletin announced National Negro Health Week as
part of educational efforts aimed at particular groups of high-risk
patients.
A Service Bureau, the first such service of a
medical society in Ohio, was organized. The bureau operated 24
hours-per-day, and patients unable to locate their doctors called the bureau
for assistance.
The first Academy executive secretary (later
director), William Burns, was appointed.
1926
The Academy pioneered another educational effort
aimed at women - the "Hearty Health for Women Week." Representatives from 22
women's organizations worked with The Academy's Executive Council for a
lecture series on maternal and children's health care.
1927
During the presidency of Dr. Edward J. McCormick,
The Academy's Education Committee became active and ran a twice-weekly
column in the Toledo News-Bee, "to educate the public about medical matters,
and therefore hopefully negate the success of quackery medicine hucksters."
At the suggestion of Dr. James A. Duncan, an
endowment fund was created to raise funds for medical research in Toledo. It
was to be underwritten by members bequeathing life insurance policies to The
Academy. A goal of $300,000 was set and Dr. Duncan made the first donation
of a $50,000 insurance policy.
1929
The Academy appointed a committee to help form a
chapter of the American Heart Association to further the goals for support
of research, education and patient care.
A change in governance structure was approved,
establishing a Council system for managing Academy policy. Members elected
three Council members who served with the eight elected officers and the
executive secretary to administer The Academy.
1930
A series of health talks on radio, first started in
1927 by the Education Committee and broadcast on WTAL from the Waldorf Hotel
in downtown Toledo, was re-instituted on WSPD radio.
1934
The Academy established a Physicians and Dentists
Credit Association to collect on delinquent accounts and furnish credit
ratings of patients. It handled only Academy accounts and was available only
to Academy members.
1937
An anonymous Academy Bulletin article, "The New Deal
- Friend or Foe of the Medical Profession," warned, "the direct relationship
between physician and patient will be destroyed in favor of a direct
relationship between them through the medium of a third party, viz., the
government. Bureaucracy and political meddling will make the practice of
medicine a task instead of a joy."
1947
The Papanicolaou method of detecting cervical and
uterine cancer was introduced by Dr. E. L. Burns, a pathologist at Mercy
Hospital. The Academy sponsored a city-wide effort that resulted in 1500
examinations and discovery of 27 cases of cancer in the first year.
1950
The Academy Defense Committee, under the direction
of Dr. Richard Hotz, was asked to provide medical advice in the event of an
atomic bombing.
1952
The new Academy of Medicine building at Central and
Collingwood, with enlarged library and service bureau facilities, a spacious
auditorium, conference rooms and an adequate parking lot was dedicated.
The Academy displayed its first scientific exhibit
in the Museum of Science Building at the Toledo Zoo.
1953
Toledo was one of six cities nationwide selected by
the American Cancer Society to present a series of 30 weekly, one-hour
television programs for medical professionals on detecting, diagnosing and
treating cancer. The programs were presented in The Academy's auditorium.
1955
The Academy sponsored eight public health forums
held at The University of Toledo. The program, "Live Long and Like It,"
attracted the highest attendance.
1956
Founding of the Greater Toledo Blood Center of the
American Red Cross was the culmination of eight years work for Academy and
Red Cross members.
1957
The Foundation Fund of The Academy of Medicine of
Toledo and Lucas County was created. The stated purpose: "The income and
principal ... shall be used for promoting the technical knowledge and skill
of the entire medical profession, and the health and welfare of the general
public." The Fund consisted of property and assets of The Academy.
1960
The Academy adopted a policy regarding physicians'
telephone listings: "... listing [may] include name, address, office hours
and telephone number, as well as type of practice or specialty in recognized
medical terminology. Any additional information or the use of bold type will
be considered advertising, and as such will constitute unethical practice."
The Well-Oldster Clinic, operated by the Geriatrics
Committee and the Toledo Health Department, was started. Its purpose was to
monitor persons 65 years of age and older who were in good health, to
identify ailments such as arthritis and glaucoma at their earliest stages,
and to establish health standards for the aged through routine check-ups.
1962
Through a collaborative effort by the Toledo Academy
of Pharmacy, The Academy of Medicine, and their auxiliaries, more than
300,000 children and adults in Lucas County were given Type III Sabin polio
vaccine during the month, with no adverse reactions reported.
1963
Persuasive presentations by Dr. Frank F. A. Rawling,
President of the Toledo Area Medical College and Education Foundation, and
UT President Glenn Carlson achieved introduction of a bill in the Ohio House
of Representatives to establish a medical school in Toledo. Bills creating
medical schools in Akron and Dayton also were introduced.
In Washington, Drs. Carlson and Rawling met with
Department of HEW officials to discuss possible federal funding for a
medical school in Toledo. (In September, the U.S. Congress passed a medical
assistance bill that provided for paying two-thirds of the building costs
for new medical schools.)
1965
A 4500 square-foot addition to The Academy building
was opened, providing a large multi-purpose room, a new kitchen, executive
offices, a board room and committee rooms; also, a second floor addition to
expand the Library.
1967
Under the aegis of the Woman's Auxiliary of The
Academy of Medicine, and co-sponsored by the Greater Toledo Nutrition
Council and the Toledo Educational Association for the Aged and Chronically
Ill, Meals on Wheels was initiated. The program provided delivery of food to
shut-ins unable to prepare their own meals. Due to a conflicting registered
trademark, the name was changed to Mobile Meals, services extended and a
Mobile Market added.
1968
Through the efforts of Dr. John S. Kozy, The
Academy's continuing education program for physicians, the Northwestern Ohio
Institute for Continuing Medical Education (NWOICME), was awarded a National
Institute of Health grant of $71,677 over three years. The grant enabled
NWOICME to conduct a 20-county survey of physicians' CME needs, and, in
cooperation with MCO and the Regional Program for Heart, Cancer and Stroke,
to develop programs in Toledo and throughout the region.
Council approved purchase of a new transparent
anatomical model, known as Tam, which became a permanent display at the new
Health and Science Theater at the Toledo Zoo.
1969
Three monthly series of six programs, using tapes
from the Washington/Alaska Regional Medical program, were sponsored by
NWOICME and broadcast by WGTE-TV and WBGU-TV, enabling physicians in seven
counties to view the programs at home.
The new Toledo Museum of Health and Natural History
opened in the Science Museum of the Toledo Zoo. The Academy Scientific
Committee spearheaded its development, working with the Toledo Zoo, the
Northwestern Ohio Regional Medical Program, Toledo Board of Education, and
the Diocesan Catholic School Board.
1970
The Dial Access Library, funded by the Northwestern
Ohio Regional Medical Program, was housed in The Academy Library. The first
of its kind in a U.S. metropolitan area, the program provided mini-lectures
on 325 subjects for physicians and 130 topics for registered nurses in
twenty counties. The 3- to 12-minute tapes were played over the telephone.
A revised constitution and by-laws was adopted,
prescribing a two-year term for the president; replacing the Board of
Trustees with a Council of 12 members including a five-member Executive
Committee; and empowering the president to preside. Five commissions were
established to replace the multiplicity of committees.
1971
On April 5, the fifth and present executive
director, Lee F. Wealton, began his career at The Academy of Medicine.
1972
Dr. Roland A. Gandy, Jr., was the first
African-American physician elected President-Elect of the Academy.
On June 15, the 29 graduates of the first Medical
College of Ohio class received their Doctor of Medicine degrees. The class
included Dr. Donna A. Woodson, Academy President-Elect.
1973
Dr. Herbert E. Stockard, 2001 Academy President,
graduated in the second class of the Medical College of Ohio.
1974
A new monthly communication, Communiqué, was
inaugurated to facilitate communication with the membership. News of
Council, Commission and Executive Committee actions and decisions, as well
as relevant items of interest to members were reported.
1976
The Academy executive office, Service Bureau and
Mobile Meals program moved into the Secor Professional Building, 4428 Secor
Road.
1977
A program opposing television violence was
spearheaded by Academy Auxiliary members Betsy Ford and Bernice Gosling, in
coordination with the statewide program on 'Violence in Television.'
1979
Tel-Med, a medical tape library aimed at the
community, began as a public service program sponsored by The Academy, St.
Luke's Hospital and Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
1980
An Impaired Physician Committee of Lucas County was
initiated by The Academy to help identify and counsel physicians suffering
from stress, drug and alcohol abuse, or other mental and physical problems
that interfered with the competent treatment of patients. It is now the
Physician Support Committee.
1981
Physicians from The Academy of Medicine volunteering
for medical missions in several countries, e.g., Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras,
Costa Rica, Pakistan, were organized by Dr. James G. Diller to form Midwest
Medical Mission.
1983
Academy Med-Assist, a voluntary program to help the
unemployed and uninsured in Toledo have access to health care was started.
Participating physicians accepted as patients those who had been unemployed
or without health insurance since 1981. More than 500 doctors volunteered
and the program received an award from the President's Citation Program for
Private Sector Initiatives.
1984
A final report of The Academy's Qual-Med Study
Group, calling for formation of an HMO in conjunction with Blue Cross of
Northwest Ohio and the Physicians' Medical Care Foundation, was accepted by
Council. This led to the establishment of Med-Choice, a physician-initiated
endeavor to provide comprehensive health care to citizens at reduced costs,
with services provided by Northwest Physicians, Inc.
1985
The Academy held its first Mini-Internship program.
Five business and community leaders were paired with two specialists and a
family physician or internist for two days, to learn firsthand about the
modern practice of medicine. The purpose is to give those who play integral
roles in decisions on health care a better understanding of the field and
its complexities. (The Mini-Internship programs continue, and through the
year 2001, 22 programs for 101 interns were conducted.)
The Academy and local hospitals sponsored a seminar
on the topic of assisted suicide, focusing on the legal, ethical and medical
dilemmas physicians face when patients request help in ending their lives.
1986
Dr. Su-Pa Kang became the first international
physician to be elected President-Elect of The Academy.
The Academy supported a targeted health care access
program, Ohio Project Elderly Need (OPEN), providing free medical care to
needy senior citizens. More than 100 physicians volunteered for the program.
1987
Dr. Murray Howe, assisted by Academy Auxiliary
members, developed a local version of a national program called "Tar Wars,"
aimed at discouraging young people from the smoking habit. He and other
physicians visited schools, using chest X-rays and clinical photos to help
deliver their message.
1988
A series of quarterly public education forums,
"Things We Fear," was sponsored by The Academy's Community Relations and
Communications Commission. Informational packets were prepared and
distributed at the sessions by Academy Auxiliary members.
1994
The Academy Auxiliary assisted physicians with a
bicycle safety program for kindergartners in Toledo Public Schools. A class
called "Don't Just Do It - Do It Right" included a video on bike safety and
discussion on the importance of wearing bike helmets.
1996
To reflect its changing role and membership, the
Auxiliary changed its name to The Academy of Medicine of Toledo and Lucas
County Alliance.
1997
Dr. Su-Pa Kang was inaugurated as President of the
Ohio State Medical Association, becoming the first international physician
to hold the position. Dr. Lance Talmage became President-Elect.
Dr. Donald B. Marshall became the first Osteopathic
physician to be elected President-Elect of The Academy.
1999
The Diller Medical Mission Services Foundation was
established, to provide a data bank of medical volunteers and services, to
develop a central warehouse in cooperation with other humanitarian
organizations, and to facilitate distribution of equipment and supplies
worldwide.
2001
Dr. Donna A. Woodson, a graduate of the 1972 Charter
Class of the Medical College of Ohio, became the first woman President-Elect
of The Academy.
