MEDICAL CODE, a set of regulations adopted by a medical association outlining the conduct of members of the profession. The various codes prohibit advertising in public prints, as well as the endorsement of proprie tary or secret remedies. The ethics of both °regular* and homceopathic schools define the relations of patient and physician and of at tending and consulting physician, and provide that a physician shall attend the immediate family of a brother physician without charge, except when unusual labor, expense or ex posure is involved. The medical code in this country was founded on the English code of medical ethics prepared by Thomas Percival in 1803. In 1847 the American Medical Asso ciation adopted a general code which super seded codes existing in several States, and which was unopposed till 1882. In the latter year a majority of the members of the New York County Medical Society voted to dis obey the provision of the code which forbade them to consult with any but "regular') physi cians, claiming the right to consult with any physicians that the legislature of each State decided to be legally qualified. Similar action
was taken by a majority of the members of the New York Academy of Medicine. This an tagonism affected the whole profession in this country, and the immediate result was the for mation of New York County and State associa tions, whose delegates were received by the American Medical Association to the exclusion of those from the old societies. In 1903 steps were taken to heal their differences and unite the rivals into one body, with the code so modified in effect as to allow individual liberty in the matter of consultation. Consult Flint, 'Medical Ethics and Etiquette' (New York 1883) and 'Principles of Medical Ethics' (Chi cago 1912), the official work of the American Medical Association.