100 years ago: Session 1905-06; Meeting VII - The Treatment of Gonorrhoea and its Complications

The Society met in the rooms of the Medical Club 22 Carlton Place on Thursday 11th January 1906 at 9pm.

Sederunt
The President (Dr Stockman) was in the chair, and in all 15 gentlemen were present.

Minutes
In the absence of the Secretary, who was ill, the Treasurer Dr R. W. Forrest read the minutes of last meeting & these were approved.

New Members
The Standing orders were suspended & Dr Robert Taylor Beechwood, Dalkeith Avenue, Dumbreck was admitted a member. The name of Dr Farquhar MacRae, 256 Bath St, was proposed for membership by Dr R. T. Halliday & seconded by Dr J. P. Duncan.

Professional Conversation
A professional conversation on the subject: "The treatment of Gonorrhoea and its complications" then took place. Dr James Weir opened the discussion and confined his remarks to Specific Urethritis. Cases got in the early stage with a watery discharge, and treated with injections of solution of 20 grains of silver nitrate to the ounce were frequently aborted.

Dr Achd Young advocated the use of Salol & 10gr doses of Urotropine. Dr Halliday used Urotropine & Methylene Blue. Dr Wauchope after a general statement of his views on the pathology of the disease recommended rest in bed & barley water as a suitable treatment. These views did not seem to be generally acceptable to the members present.

Dr C. E. Robertson gave a clear exposition of the methods of treatment he adopted in his own practice and advocated the use of Hewlets mixture of cubebs & Santal oil. Dr W. K. Peden advocated the use of urotropine and of lavage of the distal 6 inches of the urethra several times a day & cited cases in which it had worked well & said that in later stages 4grs to the ounce of Silver nitrate solution was to be used.

The President then made some remarks & summed up the matter gone over in a general way.

Dr C. E. Robertson on the political question
Dr C. E. Robertson then introduced an informal discussion on the attitude of members of the Society with regard to medical matters in the present political campaign and suggested that questions to be put to the candidates might be formulated. However after some discussion it was pointed out that notice of motion should have been given & the matter dropped.

This was all the business.
T. K. Monro

Archive: Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
Reference: GB 250 RCPSG 73/1/11 Minute Book No. 6

Further reading
Salol
Grains (measure)
Urotropine
Cubebs
Santal oil
UK general election 1906