While the formal subject of my address is Undergraduate Proctology, there are, however, some matters of special interest to the society about which I wish to say a few words before taking up that subject. But before considering these matters of special interest, I desire to thank the society for the very distinguished honor conferred in choosing me for president. I wish also to thank the executive committee for their efforts in behalf of the society and for upholding the chief officers in all work attempted by them. I am truly grateful to our able secretary for his untiring efforts and thoughtfulness in furthering the welfare of our society, for to the secretary more than to any other officer is due the success of our meetings.

This society stands for a high class of scientific work. The discussions in our meetings should treat in an exhaustive way every subject taken up. In order that this may result, would it not be wise to single out for this purpose at least one proctologic subject, or possibly two, for special consideration at each annual meeting. I would recommend that at our next annual gathering a part of our program, be made up of a symposium of essays that shall treat thoroughly some selected subject, or subjects and that these papers be written by men whose part in the symposium shall be assigned to them by the executive committee.

In addition to the symposium, a few miscellaneous papers and reports of cases may be read, but these should be limited in number so that our program will not be too crowded.