Louisville, Ky., May^j8Kj875. 
To the Medical Profession of Kentucky: « 
Gentlemen—Some of my friends, who were at the 
of the Kentucky State Medical Society at Henderson, in April 
last, informed me on their return, that Dr. J. M. Keller had 
assailed my professional character before the Society. 
I at once addressed him the following note: 
Louisvii.lk, Ky., April io, 1875. 
Dr. J. M. Keller—Sir: I am informed you said publicly at Henderson, be- 
fore the State Medical Society, that the Louisville Academy of Medicine ought 
not to be recognized by the State Society, because of my being a member of said 
Academy, and that 1 was an irregular and disreputable practitioner. I now most 
respectfully ask you to furnish written charges and specifications to the President 
of the Academy on or before Erlday even lag r April 16, 1875. 
I .'in si/, respectfully, 
CARY II. BLACKBURN, M. I). 
To this Dr. Keller answered as follows: 
* Louisville, Ky., April 10, 1875. 
Dr. C. B. Blackburn—Sir: Your communication is just handed me by Dr. 
Wathen. What I did and said at Henderson in my effort to shut the Academy 
of Medicine out from representation was this: I stated that said Society was com_ 
posed in part of doctors who took contracts with certain societies in this city to 
attend their members for (I believe) one dollar per head per year, and, I believe, 
gave your name among others who are reported to me bv members of said 
societies as making such contracts. 
I am not a member of the Academy of Music (Medicine), and will, therefore, 
prefer no charges, failing as I do to recognize it as other than a bogus concern. 
Very respectfully, 
J. M. KELLER, M. D. 
Hoping that Dr. Keller would see the justice of bringing his 
charges before some proper tribunal, T wrote to him again as 
follows: 
Louisville, Ky., April 12, 1875. 
J. M. Keller, M. D.—Sir: You say you gave my name among others, etc., in 
reference to a charge you made in a public manner at Henderson. Your remarks 
about the Academy of Medicine require no notice. I repeat my request for the 
charges and specifications. 
• *r> yo,u,Ln .r;t W • t mt the first section of Sixth Article on “ Duties of 
iLy : to caVr* ’ &c., of the Code of Ethics, requires you to submit your 
ch.T.-cqs againsj me to a ‘ Jourt Medical.” 
I am, sir, a member of the State Society as well as of the Academy, and demand 
as a matter of justice that you give me on paper the substance, if not the words, 2 
of your charge* again*! me, that I may a*k an investigation of the *amc by the 
(.ouisville Academy of Medicine. Trusting that your *en*e of ju*lice to l»«th 
you and me will impel you to thi* course, 
I am, air, truly your*, 
• CARY H. BLACKBURN, M. I). 
The following is I)r. Keller’s reply to my note: 
L itmviLt.R, Kv., April 12, 1H75. 
Dr. C. It. IlLAi'KBl'lN—Sir: Your second noteat the hands of Dr. Wathen i» 
just handed me. I repeat my a** rrtion* as to your contracts with societies, and 
at the same time politely decline to bring you licforc a tribunal *uch a* i* afforded 
by the so-called *• Academy of Medicine," knowing full well the force of the old 
saying, " It is like going to h—II for justice when the Devil i* judge." 
It will afford me pleasure at any nine, before a properly c instituted Court .Medi- 
cal, to give you an opportunity of disproving your society contracts—and in order 
that you may not despair of having an opportunity, I wdl intimate to you that, in 
all probability, the occasion will very soon offer. 
Rc*|iectfully yours, J. M. KKI.LKR, M. D. 
% 
Finding it impossible to get Dr. Keller to make any specific 
charges against me, I addressed a note to the Academy of Medi- 
cine, asking an investigation, as follows: 
Loiicyii.i.k, Kv.. April 16, 187$. 
To the Prrsuhnt and Members of the tjOuitvUU Atademy of Medit iMe: 
Wnmr.As, My professional character ha* been assailed by J. M. Keller, M. D„ 
a member of the profession of thi* city; and whereas the said J. M. Keller, M. 
D.t has, a* will appear from theenclos-d correspondence, po-ilively declined to 
prefer written charges and specifications against me liefore your honorable Ixxly; 
and whereas the said Keller and your petitioner are not both memlier* of any 
one local society in this city where we reside, I request that you will appoint a 
Court Medical to investigate the truth or falsity of the charge against me; and I 
would further pray that the r-:d Court Medical be instructed to make the fullest 
possible investigation of the whole matter, at their earliest convenience, in order 
that full justice may he done to all the parties comrrwd. and ask that the said 
Dr. Keller he summoned to appear before the Court to hi* charges. 
With great respect, I am your humble *ervn«tf, 
C\ >RY B. UI.AfcKBl'kN. 
Charges were hereupon regularly drawn up 
Dr. Keller to have been made by him agamst «U. »Hl « 
mittec appointed by the Academy to same. 
The following is the report of the committee: 3 
Louisville, Ky., April 23, 1875. 
To the President and Members of the Louisville Academy of Medicitie : 
The undersigned committee, appointed at your last regular meeting to investi- 
gate the charges preferred against Dr. C. B. Blackburn (a fellow of this Society), 
of violating the Code of Ethics of the American Medical Association, and the 
rules and regulations of the Louisville Academy of Medicine, would respectfully 
state, that in obedience to your behest, the chairman of the committee gave notice 
to the members of the same, bearing date the 22d inst., to meet him at 1 
o’clock on the following day at the office of Dr. J. M. Keller, who had been 
notified of the meeting, and requested to be present. 
The chairman and members of the committee met at or near the hour and at the 
place designated, and remained some half an hour or more, but Dr. Keller did 
not make his appearance. 
All of which is respectfully submitted. THOS. J. GRIFFITH, 
R. M. ALEXANDER, 
DANIEL GOBER. 
After adopting the report of the committee, the following 
resolution was adopted by the Society. 
Resolved, That after a full and fair investigation of the charges preferred against 
Dr. C. B. Blackburn, the Society find that the same are not sustained. 
Dr. Keller having publicly assailed me, I have deemed it due 
to my character to publish this communication. I will only 
add, that the Academy of Medicine numbers nearly a hundred 
members, among whom are the oldest, and many of the most 
eminent, physicians of Louisville, and that being recognized by 
the Kentucky State Medical Society and by the American Medi- 
cal Association, it may possibly hope to get on without Dr. Kel- 
ler’s recognition. Most respectfully, 
CARY B. 'BLACKBURN, M. D.