Cooperation in Clinical Trials

Abstract

t N Thank you, Dr Urist, for your kind introduction. Fellows of the Southern, guests, my wonderful wife, Judy, one of my daughters, Kris, who is able to be present, and her husband, Michael, my son, Bill, and future presidents of the Southern . . . I begin by stating my humble but profound thanks for the honor of serving as the president of this Society . . . It is a great honor to follow in the footsteps of people whom I admire and many of whom I consider dear friends. Last year, President LD Britt magnificently made the point that the Southern Surgical Association is regional in name only. I must confess that the president lso presides in name only. The major responsibility for eading and directing our association falls on the council nd our secretary, not on your president. The late President rad Aust pointed out in his address that the presidential uties include such arduous matters as consulting on the inner menu and the wine and participating in the selecion of the scientific program abstracts. His major obligaion is the preparation of the Presidential Address. Presient James O’Neill kindly sent me a selection of prior residential addresses early in the year to assist me, and in he case of his own, perhaps intimidate me. You may have oticed that I included in my salutation, “and Future presdents of the Southern . . .” That is because virtually every residential address begins with the note that the prior residential addresses have just been read. I became sadly ware that future presidents read these addresses that they ave previously heard delivered because, like commenceent speeches, the carefully wrought, elegantly phrased tatements leave no imprint on the memory. One’s presiential address, like one’s funeral, requires that you be presnt with assembled family and friends. The great difference s that only for the presidential address do you need a manscript, but only what you say at your own funeral will be ong remembered. Choosing a topic proves difficult not because there are so ew options, but so many. There is a great temptation to ass on some great life lesson such as: