By participating in the founding of the San Francisco County Medico-Chirurgical Association Cooper secured a base of operations from which to organize a State Medical Society. Because of the parochial outlook and instability of the early city and county societies in California, there was no leadership at the state level until Cooper seized the initiative and supplied it. We now have sufficient information about the local societies to enable us to undertake a chronological account of the organization of the State Society.
The San Francisco Medico-Chirurgical Association had been in existence for less than a month when Corresponding Secretary E. S. Cooper requested authorization to address the following historic letter to Dr. Thomas Logan, his counterpart in the Sacramento Medical Society: [1]
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San Francisco, 27 August 1855 Thomas N. Logan, M.D., Corresponding Secretary Dear Sir: In accordance with a resolution of the San Francisco Medico-Chirurgical Association imposing upon this Corresponding Secretary the duty of addressing the Societies as well as Medical Men of the State where there are no societies yet formed upon the subject of taking the initiatory steps to call a convention for the purpose of organizing a State Medical Society, I now address you. Our Society does not wish any particular place of (precedence) to dictate in this matter but (wishes) rather that all who may be supposed to feel interested and who are actuated by the right spirit shall stand upon the same footing. We are asking to meet you here or in Sacramento or if more conducive to the success of the enterprise to go beyond you and join with our brothers in Marysville or any other place so that it may (bring) the greatest good to the project. It has been proposed here that an effort be made to cause the profession to effect local organizations in Marysville, Stockton, and two or three of the larger towns of the State . . . and that their Corresponding Secretaries fix the time and place of meeting in convention under the sanction of their respective Societies and when thus arranged have the profession throughout the State notified of the same and invited to join by organizing local Societies and sending delegates. We are in no haste about the matter but would be pleased to join our full efforts to those of our brothers of the State generally in doing what we could to elevate the profession and think a well conducted State association calculated to have much influence in affecting this and are ready to offer our aid at any time when others are willing to give concurrence of action. If the plan here suggested as an initial step is not thought to be best we are ready to adopt and pursue any other of seeming greater practicability and would rather work under disadvantage than not at all. We are resolved not to be contentious or to weigh individual or local interests when the good of the profession of the State must be opposed to us in the balance but wish rather to contend with all others as to who shall best work and best agree in doing for the good of our beloved profession. Respectfully yours, E. S. Cooper |
After a delay of three months, Dr. Logan of the Sacramento Medical Society responded to Cooper as follows: [2]
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Sacramento, 29 November 1855
Dear Sir: On yesterday (was) the first full meeting of our Society since the reception of your communication of September last. I had the pleasure of reading your letter and views respecting the formation of a State Medical Society. The Society appear to think favorably of the subject and have appointed a committee of three to report on Wednesday week at an extra meeting to be called for the special purpose. As Chairman of the Committee I have deemed it best to drop you a line for the purpose of ascertaining whether you have anything more to suggest preliminary to our taking action on the subject. Yours very respectfully, Thomas. M. Logan, Corresponding Secretary |
Cooper, eager to keep negotiations regarding a State Society moving briskly, responded to Logan's encouraging letter of 29 November by dispatching to him the following letter on the very next day. [3]
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San Francisco, 30 November 1855 Thomas M. Logan, M.D. Dear Sir: I was glad to receive your communication acquainting me with the fact of your Society having taken steps calculated to further the project of organizing a State Society which the Medical Profession of California so greatly need. Nothing in my humble opinion would go so far towards elevating Medicine and Surgery and suppressing Quackery as a well organized State Association connected with local Societies all having unanimity of feeling and concurrence of action and composed of working liberal men who consider no efforts of their own as any sacrifice provided the good of the profession is enhanced thereby. Our Society does not wish to be forward in suggesting places but would be well pleased to listen to and pursue the suggestions of you and others throughout the State and consequently have but little further to offer than contained in my former communication which designed should merely offer some hints for your consideration. I would remark however that many of State Associations have had their operations much compromised by jealousy growing up between the larger and smaller towns of the State and that San Francisco and Sacramento being the largest cities it might be well to push other places forward pretty well and work under disadvantages ourselves rather than not work at all. It would be according to custom for Sacramento or San Francisco to call a convention to meet at any time and place thought best or this might be done in connection with the two places but if several other towns of the State could be induced to organize and join in the call it might give a more general concurrence of action. However, we are ready to act at any time with others in whatever may be decided on. I think, however, Sacramento would be the best place to hold the convention and would give my vote in favor of that place if agreeable to all others but still would prefer it if agreeable to you to let some two or three of the smaller towns make a choice before insisting on any preference of our own seeing that our two places will no doubt have to use some little exertion to stir up others and it will matter little to us whether others dictate in the matter or ourselves so we reap the benefits of improvement by association. Dr. McLane of Marysville wrote me some weeks ago that he thought Yuba County would organize soon. Drs. Spencer and Bell of San Jose likewise informed me that an effort was being made to induce them to quicken their efforts a little. I wrote to Hon. Dr. Thomas Kendall of Sonora but have received no answer as yet. Any communication from you upon this subject will be gladly received at any time and, if requiring it, would be promptly responded to. Respectfully yours, E. S. Cooper, M.D. |
Two long months now passed before the impatient Cooper was rewarded with the following assurance from Logan of "unanimity of feeling and concurrence of action" with respect to the founding of a State Society: [4]
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Sacramento, 3 February 1856 E. S. Cooper, M.D. Dear Sir: At a stated meeting of the Sacramento Medical Society held on 3 February, I was instructed to communicate to you the following Resolution which was unanimously adopted: Resolved - That we the members of the Sacramento Medical Society and the San Francisco County Medico-Chirurgical Society respectfully invite you (the physician addressed) to meet us in Convention at Sacramento on the 2nd Wednesday (the twelfth) of March 1856 for the purpose of an interchange of opinion respecting the expediency of organizing a State Medical Society. If this resolution meets the approbation of your Society, it can be addressed as a Circular signed by the respective Corresponding Secretaries (in printed form) through the members of the Legislature now in Session, to every medical man in the State, and a State Society can be organized and a charter obtained before the adjournment of the Legislature. Prompt concurrent action is therefore respectfully solicited on the part of the Society you represent. Your obedient Servant, Thomas M. Logan, M. D. |
Logan and his colleagues, by proposing in his letter of 3 February that a convention meet in Sacramento on 12 March 1856 to organize a State Medical Society, acutely accelerated the planning process. Less than six weeks remained for completion of all arrangements.
It was, of course, imperative to inform the State's physicians of the objectives of the Convention as soon as possible, and to assure a substantial attendance that included leaders of the profession. With these requirements in mind, Cooper responded immediately to Logan proposing the following Preamble and Resolution to be printed in a Circular and sent to all physicians: [5]
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Preamble and Resolution of Sacramento Medical Society and San Francisco County Medico-Chirurgical Association Whereas - The time has come for medical men of the Pacific Coast to turn their attention to the elevation of the profession and whereas an efficient State Medical Organization would do much towards accomplishing this result, therefore Resolved - That we the members of the Sacramento Medical Society and of the San Francisco County Medico-Chirurgical Society consider it not presuming too much to take the initiatory steps by inviting the medical men of California generally to meet in convention for the purpose of organizing a State Medical Society and that the Secretaries of our respective Societies be instructed to proceed immediately to that duty. |
Cooper also provided Logan with the following list of leading California physicians with the suggestion that they be invited to join in the call for the Convention:
In accordance with the foregoing Preamble and Resolution the undersigned do hereby call a convention to meet in Sacramento on the 2nd Wednesday of March 1856:
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Doctors |
Location |
Doctors |
Location |
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Cory |
San Jose |
- Baldwin |
Shasta |
|
Spencer |
San Jose |
Hon. Dr. Keen |
Placerville |
|
Bell |
San Jose |
H. J. Hammond |
San Diego |
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J. Crane |
San Jose |
J. S. Griffin |
Los Angeles |
|
A. N. Sasee |
Santa Clara |
-..Walland |
Santa Barbara |
|
A. B. Caldwell |
Santa Clara |
- Ayer |
Stockton |
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W. Warburton |
Santa Clara |
- Kerr |
Stockton |
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B. R. Mitchell |
Vallejo |
- Screvens |
Mariposa |
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J. N. Rice |
Marysville |
- Carman |
Nevada |
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J. T. McLane |
Marysville |
D. Austin |
Nevada |
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R. McDaniels |
Marysville |
R.C. Wyatte |
Cherokee |
|
J. Prisson |
Marysville |
T. Kendall |
Sonora |
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J. T. Finch |
Marysville |
J. Walker |
Sonora |
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- McKee |
Monterey |
- George |
? |
We do not know whether any of the above physicians actually joined officially in the call for the Convention as proposed by Cooper for we have no copy of the Circular announcing the Convention. However, Cooper's strategy to solicit their support was sound and consistent with his other diligent efforts to arouse interest in forming local medical societies as well as a State Society. With these objectives in mind, he wrote numerous letters such as the following one to Dr. McLane of Marysville: [6]
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San Francisco, 15 February 1856 J. T. McLane, M.D. Dear Sir: As Corresponding Secretary of the San Francisco County Medico-Chirurgical Society and under the direction of the Society I several months since wrote to you in regard to taking the preliminary steps to form a State Medical Society requesting you to use your efforts to procure a local organization in your County in order to be prepared to take an equal part with ourselves and others. Though I received one communication from you upon the subject no notification of your having organized has been given me. The propriety of calling a convention is now being discussed in our Society and in the Sacramento Medical Society. Have you a Society in your County and if so would you not like to join in the call? This is no local or individual matter but one in which all worthy medical men are on an equal footing. If you have a Society and wish to join in the call for a convention for the purpose of organizing a State Society please give Dr. Thomas M. Logan, Corresponding Secretary of the Sacramento Medical Society immediate word. I hope if your County cannot act in this work as a Society you will do it individually. Respectfully yours, E. S. Cooper, M.D. |
It was now just one month before the Convention and much remained to be done to assure efficient transaction of the complex business of organizing a State Society. The urgency is reflected in Logan's next letter to Cooper that addressed politically-sensitive issues: [7]
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Sacramento, 13 February 1856 E. S. Cooper, M.D. Dear Sir: In compliance with your expressed wish I have ascertained from our President and several other influential members of our Society that there can be no objection to the preamble and mode of procedure you propose. I think therefore you can go ahead and calculate upon our hearty cooperation. Permit me to suggest, however, the impropriety of nominating and publishing the names of a Committee on Credentials before even a temporary organization of the convention. We are perfectly willing that this committee shall consist exclusively of county members, i.e., gentlemen not members of our respective societies, but it may look like assuming too much to select beforehand certain names to the exclusion of others. In order to produce harmony and concert of action we must scrupulously avoid exciting jealousy. I have added such names to the Committee of Reception as in my judgement are most proper. In the same perfect confidence permit me to advise you to select from your San Francisco delegation a suitable Gentleman for President - one who has professional and moral force and character to command the respect of the community. Settle this point before you leave and I promise you our support. There are several matters concerning which I am desirous of advising you in propria persona, and therefore would be glad to see you immediately on your arrival here. I have written this in great haste - my time being at present constantly taken up by professional engagements, chiefly caused by the recent steamboat explosion. If convenient, pray present my regards to Dr. Toland, and invite him in my name to attend the convention. Hastily and truly yours, Thomas M. Logan (Postscript): What think you of Dr. Gray for President? I am not acquainted with him. |
Imagine Cooper's chagrin at having the name of Dr. Gray so innocently brought forward by Logan for first President of the State Society. Cooper held his tongue and ignored Logan's question, but vented his annoyance by crossing out the Postscript on Logan's original letter with a sweep of his well-inked pen. There was also another cause for concern in Logan's letter. He asked Cooper to convey his special regards to Dr. Toland. Logan could not know that Toland, like Gray, was counted by Cooper as among his detractors. Now for the first time Cooper began to be apprehensive about the leadership that might emerge to dominate the State Society in which he had invested so much of his own effort.
A week later Cooper heard again from Logan, this time with the good news about arrangements for advertising the Convention. [8]
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Sacramento, 21 February 1856 E. S. Cooper, M.D. Dear Sir: I will send you some of the circulars tomorrow. Perhaps you had better publish immediately in one of your daily papers, that has the largest circulation, the same as we have done. Can you not spare the time to come up here before the convention meets in order to make some preliminary arrangements. I wish to hold a consultation with you, Dr. Morse, and one or two other of our most influential confreres respecting our County Hospital, a Medical Journal and a Medical School, as well as the organization of the Convention. In great haste, Logan |
It was clear from Logan's letter of February twenty-first that preparations for the Convention were reaching their final phase. Whether Cooper went to Sacramento for a pre-Convention conference with Logan and Morse, we do not know. That the Sacramento group were considering "a Medical School" must have aroused his concern, but we have no evidence that they made a serious move in that direction.
For his part, Cooper had been busy developing an appropriate response to Logan's magnanimous suggestion in his letter of February thirteenth that the San Francisco delegation to the Convention agree in advance to nominate one of their number as the first President of the State Society, with the assurance that the candidate would receive the support of the Sacramento Society. Given the strained relations among San Francisco's three medical societies, Cooper was faced with a delicate task. In a letter to Logan dated February twenty-third, he proposed a solution that took the high ground for the Medico-Chirurgical Association, showed deference to the "seniority" of the San Francisco Medical Society, and at the same time took a supercilious dig at the Society. The letter, Cooper-style, is fraught with pious resolutions: [9]
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San Francisco, 23 February 1856 Thomas M. Logan, M.D. Dear Sir: The proposition in your private communication to me viz that the San Francisco delegation to the Medical Convention should select one of its members for President of the State Society when formed with the promise of support of the Sacramento Medical Society (which by the way would be the equivalent to an election) shows too much liberality to pass unnoticed. I have therefore taken the liberty of placing it before our Society which authorizes me to send you the following resolutions as an official reply. Resolved that the liberality of the members of the Sacramento Medical Society argues well for the future harmony and prosperity of the State Medical Society that may be formed under their auspices. Resolved that the members of the San Francisco County Medico-Chirurgical Association are willing to labor for the good of the profession and await their reward through its elevation. Resolved that we should under all circumstances select with reluctance one of our own members to be the recipient of the chief honors of the State Medical Society and never unless the good of the Society unquestionably demanded it. Resolved that we will use our combined influence in favor of anyone of seven delegates whom the San Francisco Medical Society may send to the convention if they (the delegates) will make a selection among themselves first. Resolved that we do not offer this as a premium for delegates of that Society but because we regret its apparent apathy towards a matter equally important to all and because we desire to let no opportunity of promoting universal fraternity among the regular medical (men) of California pass unimproved. Resolved that whatever may be the manner in which this proposition to fraternize is received we know our motives to be praiseworthy and shall regard that Society according to (their) devotion to the true interests and dignity of the profession regardless of party prejudices and other emotional influences that may have unfortunately disturbed the harmony not to say prosperity of medical men in this city in times gone by. Resolved that a copy of these resolution be sent to the San Francisco Medical Society in order to show the members that we are not unmindful of the respect due to a Senior Association. E.S. Cooper, M.D. |
In accordance with the final resolution, Cooper sent a copy of his letter of February twenty-third to Dr. W. P. Gibbons, Henry Gibbons' brother and Corresponding Secretary of the San Francisco Medical Society, with the following covering note: [10]
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San Francisco, 23 February 1856 W. P. Gibbons, M.D. Dear Sir: At a regular meeting of the San Francisco County Medico-Chirurgical Association held 22 February 1856 I was instructed to forward you a copy of the following official communication to Dr. Thomas M. Logan of Sacramento. Its contents will I doubt not explain sufficiently the objects for which it is sent your association. Permit me to express a hope that an active effect to promote unanimity of feeling and concurrence of action among the regular members of the profession in San Francisco so much to be desired by all honorable medical men may mark the progress of our two associations in future and that unitedly we may turn our faces against quackery which like a strong tide has hitherto overflown our State. Respectfully yours, E. S. Cooper, M.D. |
In view of the tone of Cooper's letters to Logan and Gibbons, one would not expect a cordial response from the San Francisco Medical Society. As far as we can determine there was no formal response at all, and the selection of the first President of the State Medical Society took place appropriately on the floor of the Convention, where we will now join Cooper, Logan et al. [11]