Gradual changes in the nature of our civilization have brought ever more complex problems for solution by the medical profession. As has been stated repeatedly in these columns, the ethical principles which guide medicine are fundamentally so sound that they may be adapted to any situation arising in medical practice, provided those concerned wish to observe the spirit of these principles. Nevertheless, physicians involved in new types of organization, such as contract practice, industrial practice, hospital practice, university practice, and the practice of medicine by lay corporations which employ physicians, have been brought before the judicial councils and committees on ethical relations of various medical bodies, because of infringements of these ethical principles. In some cases there have apparently been difficulties of interpretation. To overcome these difficulties, the Judicial Council of the American Medical Association, at the Cleveland session, presented three amendments to the Principles of Medical Ethics. These were