was chosen
President, Dr. Dan C. Stone of Vergennes, Yicc President, and
Dr. David C. Goodale of Addison, Secretary.
Since the last organization in 1842, the society has been in
cffioicnt * and successful operation. The meetings have generally
been regularly held and atunded ; and we judge many of them
most interesting and profitable. A member at one meeting was often
appointed to malio an address or read an essay on som.e important
subject at the next, and at Al the meetings it was made the duty
of each member to report such interesting and difficult cases of
disease as had occurred in his practice, and each case w as discussed
by the other members of the society. It was one of the rules of
the society that each person appointed president should make an
address at the close ofthe term for w^hich he was elected. At the
annual meeting in June, 1817, Dr. Jonathan A. Allen, having
officiated as President the previous year, read an address which
was published. From this we make a quotation, principally to
show how he regarded the influence of the organization. He says,
"It is noAV five years since the Addison County Society was
organized in its .present form. During this period twenty meetings
have been held, generally well sustained by the attendance of the
members. Many facts, highly interesting to the profession, and
consequently useful to the public, have been presented. Muck
valuable information has been elicited by our discussions, and we
have every reason to believe that not a member has failed of adding
120
UISTORY OF ABDLSON COUXTY.
to his general stock of practical knowledge. In addition to these
advantages, valuable acijuaintances have