For the past few years it has been customary for your President, in his address, to give some form of scientific or philosophic discussion on a definite phase of pathology encountered in our specialty. Many excellent papers have been presented by the members of this outstanding society on every variety of disease involving the anus, rectum, and colon. These articles have proved, fundamentally, the need of thorough anatomic knowledge, of basic physiologic study, and of careful surgical training, if satisfactory results are to be obtained.

Our organization, now in its forty-first year, is to be envied, and deserves the highest praise for the great strides that have been made in convincing a former skeptical laity and a none-too-helpful medical profession, that the diagnosis and treatment of proctologic disease in an ethical way can best be accomplished by assigning such particular ailments to those physicians who have been properly prepared to treat them.

Many of you have witnessed my best efforts in presenting scientific papers, and you have been patient and tolerant in a most respectful way. It is my desire to thank you for the consideration you have shown me in the past.