Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-07-24

| DEATH OF DOCTOR FRANCIS T. STRIB-
LING.-Y esterday morning at II O'Clock
Doctor Francis Taliaferro Stribling, SUI
perntendent Of the Western Lunatic Asy-
| lum Of Virginia at StauntoT, and perhaps
more widely known than any other physc-
| ian for the insane in this country, died at
his residence in this city after brief i'll
ness, surrounded by his family and friends.
! He was born in Staunton January Goth,
/ 1910, and was in the Goth year Of his age.
He was son Of Erasmus Stribling, the
clerk of the County Court He was edu-
Gated at the University of Virginia, and
| was the first Medical graduate of that in
stitution, and afterwards graduated at the
Medical college of Philadelphia. In 1886,
at the early age of tWenty-siX years, he
was elected Physician to the Western Lu-
matte Asylum by the Board, OF which the
late John H. Peyton was President, TAX
| ing the place of his old preceptor, Dr.
| Boys, the first physician, who was dis
| tinguished graduate of the University OF
Edinburgh, Scotland. In 1910 the office
Of Superintendent was united with that OF
Physician and Dr.. Stribling elected to fill
both. bv the Board, of which the venerable
Samuel Clarke was President, his profess
sional services, which from his success, had
been in great request in the vicinity being
thereafter limited to the Institution. He
at once made ameliOrating the condition OF
the insane the speciality of his life. All
the old style Of practice was discarded, the
claiming Of patients, and all the seventies
Of treatment were put an end to, and
system Of treatment adopted which was
soon copied by the majority of similar III
stitutions in the land. His far reaching
perception of the character of the patients
and the nature Of their insanity and a
happy adaptation Of all the means at his
command to their cure, gave him a mar
yellouS degree Of success. With firmness
he united a peculiar graciousness of NAH
ner which gained their affection and ODE
dience, as well as their control. His COM
bnation of executive ability with the 9TH
er qualifications for the position was most
remarkable. Under his hand everything
was reduced to the most exact system, SO
perfect in it's working that to-day though
the city church bells are tolling for his fu-
neral, that immense Asylum with it's hun
d. eds Of patients and officers and atten-
dants is moving with the regularity OF
clock-work, while the master hand that set
all in motion is lying cold in death. This
work, however, was not accomplished
without sacrifice, and the severe physical
and mental strain which it entailed, sever
al times induced him to tender his resig-
nation Of the position a tender that was as
often withdrawn through the entreaties Of
the friends of the unfortunate, and the re-
monstrances of those connected with him
in the management of the affairs of the
institution. When Dr.. Stribling WAS first
appointed to the position there were y pa
tients in the Asylum and to-day in those
vast buildings there are nearly four hun
dred.
Dr. Stribling's last illness was of short
duration, and at one time his friends hop
ed for his recovery, hope which he him
self did not encourage. He had set his
house in order, and for that ''house not
built with hands'' his whole life had been
a long preparation.
The funeral of Dr. Stribling will take
place this friday afternoon at 5o'clock
from Trinity Church.