Kerper, Alver H.

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The Linacre QuarterlyVolume 12 | Number 3 Article 47-1-1944Catholic Doctors Protest Harmful Medical ArticlesAlver H. KerperFollow this and additional works at: https://epublications.marquette.edu/lnqPart of the Ethics and Political Philosophy Commons, and the Medicine and Health SciencesCommonsRecommended CitationKerper, Alver H. (1944) "Catholic Doctors Protest Harmful Medical Articles," The Linacre Quarterly: Vol. 12 : No. 3 , Article 4.Available at: https://epublications.marquette.edu/lnq/vol12/iss3/4,. THE LINACRE countries. In general the spirit of a guild or society depends on the spirit of the leaders and in some way on the collaboration or apathy of religious authorities. The most active societies were the French and the Belgian, with the British probably next. These, as well as the Austrian guild, also had their special youth groups formed by medical students of both sexes, who were trained in the spirit of the societies but otherwise taught to work and meet independently of their elder colleagues. But whatever direction a guild or society takes, whether it works more in the scientific or in the active domain or in both, all have one thing in common: the care for the religious education and in­struction of their members, the endeavour to form their minds and their wills, not only to make of them good and practicing Catho­lics, but to form Catholic doctors in the full sense of the word. This task is not quite easy. The medico­religious and medico-moral prob­lems with which we are concerned now-a-days require an amount of learning, even theological andphilosophical, which the average physician, even highly specialized in his own domain, cannot possess. A typical example will suffice: At the last international Con­gress of Catholic Doctors in Vienna, 1936, "Eugenics and Ster­ilization" was, by the special de­sire of His Holiness, Pope Pius XI, the principal theme. It was discussed by scientists from all over Europe. The following sci-QUARTERLY ences were involved in the reports and discussions: genetics ( anat­omic and physiologic), sexology, venerology, obstetrics, surgery, psychiatry, and net1rology, psy­chology, criminology, jurispru­dence and administration of jus­tice, statistics, mathematics, meta­physics, moral theology, history and history of the Church. Such an amount of knowledge can be brought forth only by a large collectivity. This feeling and the necessity of an internationally coordinated movement against the already overflowing tide of hea­thendom in modern medicine, en­gendered the last development in the history of the societies of Catholic doctors in Europe. It was inaugurated at the above mentioned meeting in Paris at the celebration of the French Societe de St. Luc in 1934. The thought broke out spontaneously, some of us had brought it from home and the French had it "up their sleeve." So, when Austria and Belgium, almost simultaneously (Austria, first letter, Belgium, second letter in the alphabetical order of speakers) proffered the suggestion of organizing interna­tional congresses and brought the respective invitations of their countries, the idea was taken up immediately and voted unanimous­ly. It found the warmest interest and support of His Holiness, Pope Pius XI, the great friend and pro­moter of 'Catholic science. It was under his · special guidance and with his Apostolic Blessing that [ 60] THE LI NACRE the First International Congress of Catholic Doctors was held in Brussels in 1935, and the second in Vienna in 1936. In accordance with the special wish of the Holy Father the third was to be held in Rome in 1937. But somehow the Italian colleagues failed in the QUARTERLY organization, and it had to be called off. And then the general break-up began, cutting short every further attempt. We should like to hope for a better future, but we feel that it might be slow in coming, should Europe be con­trolled in great part by Russia. CATHOLIC DOCTORS PROTEST HARMFUL MEDICAL ARTICLES A strenuous protest against the publication in medical magazines of articles contrary to the natural law was made at a meeting of the Catholic Physicians' Guild of St. Louis. The Very Reverend Mon­signor John P. Cody, Chaplain of the Guild, is Chancellor of the Archdiocese. The association num­bers almost two hundred members, including some of the most out­standing medical men of St. Louis. Monsignor Cody strongly endorses the protest, for he considers one of the articles "diabolical." The other paper deals with contra­ceptives. The letter of protest to the A. M. A. follows:To THE BoARD OF TRUSTEES, AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, 535 North Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois. GENTLEMEN: The attention of the Catholic Physicians' Guild of St. Louis, Missouri has been called to an ar-ticle by Hannah Lees in the May number of HYGEIA, entitled "The Word You Can Not Say." If the American Medical Associa­tion or its publications are to be used to tear down the standards of morality and decency which the Catholic Church was instituted to preserve, it is only right and just that the Catholic members of the A. M. A. should be apprised of that fact. In the Journal of the American Medical Association of December 18th an article appeared under NON - OFFICIAL REMEDIES, giving detailed information apout the relative efficiency of various contraceptive devices and prac­tices. The information given in this ar­ticle promotes procedures posi­tively forbidden by the Natural Law. These papers can not fail to con­vince any reader who believes that morality and religion are neces­sary for. the preservation of our Nation that HYGEIA and the [ 61] I ' I I I THE LINACRE Journal of the American Medical Association have become immoral and anti - religious publications which can no longer receive the support of that portion of our population which belongs to the Catholic Church. Bearing this fact in mind, the St. Louis Catholic Physicians' Guild, made up entirely of members of the American Medical Association, at its annual Communion break­fast at Kenrick Seminary on May 14th, 1944 RESOLVED, That the above pre­amble be sent to the Chairman of QUARTERLY the Board of Trustees of the A. M. A. for presentation to thatbody at its next meeting, with therequest that whatever action theBoard takes, be reported at theearliest possible date to His Ex­cellency, Most Reverend John J.Glennon, Archbishop of St. Louis,and to Dr. James L. Mudd, Pres­ident of the St. Louis CatholicPhysicians' Guild.Ordered transmitted by the unan­imous vote of all members presentthroughAlver H. Kerper, M.D.Secretary MEDICAL MISSION SISTERS REPORT 1943 ATTENDANCE LARGEST IN HISTORY OF MISSION HOSPITAL According to the annual report from Holy Family Hospital in Rawalpindi, India, which has just been received at the Motherhouse in Philadelphia, Pa., the in-patient attendance for 1943 is the largest in the history of this 60-bed hos­pital, 2329 admissions within the past twelve months. In addition, 33,078 patients were treated in the dispensary. The many operations performed by the sisters are evidence of the increasing confidence which the people place in the hospital. Dur­ing the past year there were 125 major and 838 minor operations. The medical officer in. charge of the hospital is Sister M. Alma Lalinsky, M.D., a graduate of Woman's . Medical College, Phila­delphia, Pa. She is assisted by Sister M. Leonie Tummers, M.D.,who received her medical degree from George Washington Univer­sity, Washington, D. C. One of the chief activities of the Medical Mission Sisters is mater­nity and child welfare work. Dur­ing the past year 630 babies were born in the hospital. Visits to the Maternity Clinic which is con­nected with the hospital totalled 2444, while home visits made by the sisters numbered 4481. Another important feature of the hospital work is the training of Indian sisters and young lay women. as nurses, compounders, laboratory technicians and nurse­midwives. Among the student nurses are sisters from five differ­ent religious communities, three of (Contin,ued on Page 68) [ 62] THE LI NACRE QU ARTERLY OUR CATHOLIC LITERARY HERITAGE Bv "BROTHER MrcHAEL C. BRANGAN, S.M., Belleville, Illinois INTRODUCTION: It would be utterly impossible for me, in these few minutes, to give you even a sketchy outline of Catholic Letters. I shall attempt to give you a few of the highlights. Even then I will have to be very discriminating and present only the beaconlights. My aim is to acquaint you with the fact that our heritage is a rich one and that at the present time we are enjoying what is termed a Catholic Literary Revival. I would ask you to picture to yourself this revival as a great tree that sinks its roots down through twenh cen­turies of Catholic traditio� and cnlture, drawing from them the inspiration and sustenance for the great trunk that symbolizes the unity, universality, -and strength of C>ttholic letters, the branches and leaves representing countries and their respective authors draw­ing life from the trunk of the Catholic Church that is one in doctrine, one in authority, and one in Christ. We must read ourselves into a realization and appreciation of our past, and into the conviction that our present literary revival is no clinging vine or withered shrub with no depth of earth, but a rich and precious burgeoning ofa tree that sinks its tap-root down to Christ Himself, and is fertilized by the pollen blown across the cen­turies from the hill-tops of our heritage: Pius XII is extending his hand to Peter across the un­broken centuri es; Christopher Dawson is building on the founda­tions of Augustine's "City of God"; Sister Madelva is taking up the pen that Teresa laid down four centuries ago ; Fulton Sheen is echoing the words of Newman: "The kingdom of God and His justice will be restored on the earth when man restores God to his heart and aspires to holiness." FOUNDING OF CHRISTENDOM . • .  APOSTLES, FATHERS AND Doc­TORS OF CHURCH: As the Apostles prayed, the Holy Spirit rested upon them in tongues of flame, and they became a conflagration over the earth. Giants with inspiration quivering on their lips, they streamed from the Cenacle to topple the J upiters and Molochs of those pagan days. And the crash of them resounded against the ears of Satan and his deputies who trembled in fear, standing on their cloven hooves. They turned the Christians on the wheel, tore them on the rack, burned them at the stake, fed them to the lions, and drove them into the earth, where they cher­ished the Word against the face of Satan. But truth cannot be shackled, and it ran forth into every civil­ized land springing even into the heavens, where Constantine saw the sign. of it, and professed the [ 6S] 

Catholic Doctors Protest Harmful Medical Articles

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Catholic Doctors Protest Harmful Medical Articles

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