Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-11-29
THE EVENING STAR.
DOUBLE SHEET
SATURDAY. November %, 1873.
Medical Society Of the District.

ITS ORIGIN AND HISTORY.
At regular meeting of the Medical Society
Of the District OF Columbia, on Wednesday eve
ning-Dr. d. r. Hagner president) In the chair.
the special business of the evening was the de-
livery OF the annual Grafton of the society.
There was good attendance of the profession
and their friends. The chairman of the COM
mittee OF arrangements, DR.. j. NJ. Toner, In in
Producing the orator OF the evening. alluded to
the origin of the society," and remarked that the
first public notice relative to its formation was
contained in the National Inteaigence1, OF Sep
tember oath, 1911, In the following words :'The
physicians OF washington and Georgetown are
requested to meet at Tennison's Hotel on Fri
day, the 26th inst. Sept, 1917 at II O'clock Tor
the purpose of taking into consideration the Or
ganiZation of Medical Society,"" Sixteen ply
sicians assembled at the time and place indica-
ted. On an occasion like this, after lapse OF
over siAty-two years, 1t may have some histori-
fathers of this society: Drs. Charles Worthng-
ton James II. Blake, Thomas Sim, Alexander
McWilllams, Robert French, Samuel Hearsley,
James T. johnson, j: P. c. Mcmahon, Paregrini
Wartield, Thomas Henderson, George Clark,
BENJAMIN s. Bohrer John Harrison, VIM. Jones,
Nicholas Worthington and Henry HUNT. DR..
Charles WOrthingtOn was requested to take the
chair, and DR.. Henry HUNT chosen secretary.
The object of the meeting having been stated
and fully discussed. the project met with unani-
nous approval as was manifested by the pas
sage OF resolution, which appeared In the
notice Of the meeting in the National
dn 4 The following IN, morning
deem it important and eXpedient to organize at
once a society in the District for the promotion
of medical science" A committee OF seven men
| was then chosen by ballot, to draft consttu-
ton and bylaws for the government of a society
to be called 1.-THE Medical Society OF the District
of Columbia - and to report to meeting to be
held on the first Monday in Nov, at the same
hour and place. This committee consisted OF DrS.
Blake. Sim Henderson, Clark, Worthington, jr.,
Wartield and HUNT. The society met accordingly
Nov, 3, and heard the report, which was taken
up section by section and altered or amended as
| they desired. Being unable TO complete The
work at this sitting they adjourned until the
10th, to meet at the same place. (See National
| Lte{{jgencer, Nov. sth 1919 At the third meet
| ing the work OF reducing to form the funda-
mental regulations was concluded, but, as the
| first notice had unintentionaly omitted in the
call Of the Alexandria physicians, final vote of
| adoption Of the constitution and bylaws as a
| whole was deferred until they could be copied
| into book, and until notice was published In
wiling all the physicians in the District to par
| ticipate in the formation of the society," to meet
January 5th, 1918, at 'TennisOn's Hotel, for the
purpose OF completing the organization. AT
| this meeting the physicians OF Alexandria at
| tended, and took part in the organization and
were given places among the officers and on the
different committees, and continued in active CO.
| operation until 1916, when that part of the Dis
| tiict south of the Potomac was retroceded to
| Virginia. The society at that time provided for
the establishment of a library and for four regu-
lar meetings in each year. The officers chosen
at the first meeting after the adop-
ton Of the constitution and bylaws were
1
| Ely and James II. Blake, vice presidents; DR..
| Henry Hunt, corresponding secretary; Dr..
| Thomas Henderson, recording secretary; DR..
| Richard Weightman, librarian; DR.. William
| JONES' treasurer. The society was popular and
| prosperous, and In 1918 twenty-one members of
| the society joined in petition to Congress for
| charter. An act passed Congress incorporating
| the society under the name of ''The Medical
| Society of the District OF Columbia" which be
| came law Feb. Is, 1919. The charter Of the
| society has been amended but once, which bears
| date July I, 1888. None of the original members
| are now living. DR.. William Jones, who died
| June 25, 1867, was the last of these WORTHLESS to
| pass from earth. At the time the revised char
| OF the 81 original incorporatOrs living. These
| seven, with fifteen additional names, members
! of the society, making % physicians who are
| named in the revised charter. OF these 20 there
| are, after Al years. but seven Of them living,
| namely, Drs. ,unnrn B. Blake, Joseph Barrows,
| b. F. Condict, j. c. Hall, benjamin King, Har-
vey Lindsly and Noble Young. In closing Dr.
| Toner said" Although a resident physician
| and member OF this society for nearly quar-
| ter OF century, 1 see in the room physicians
| who were born in this city, and who have been
| over half century physicians and members of
| this old and honored society, and who know its
| origin and history better than myself. I will
! not therefore, detain you longer with a recital
| to you the orator OF the evening, Prot. Robert
| Reyburn, who has been chosen to address you
| on this occasion" DIR. Reyburn then delivered
| the annual Grafton, which was a very interest
| ing one to his hearers, ably sketching as he did
| recent progress and improvements in the science
| of medicine and throwing out valuable SuggeS-
| tons for medical practice at the present day.