The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-04-09
SHELBY COUNTY'S DOCTORS
The Anniversary Meeting and Banquet
Held Yesterday at Shelbyville.
Selection of Officers for the Coming Year, Fol-
lowed by Reading and Discussion Of Papers
and Enjoyable Social Features.
e,., n The INDIANAPOLIS Journal.

SHELBYvILLE, Ind, April S.-There are
several much larger cities in Indiana than
~Shelbyville, but she has, proportionate to
her size, twice as much hospitality as any
place. in the land, and an ELUSIVE generos-
ity that ~astonishes visitors. Yesterday was
the anniversary meeting and dinner of the
Shelby County Medical Society, given at
the Ray House, an affair long to be remem-
bered by those who were there and had
seats at that bountiful table and partici-
pated in the feast of good fellowship that
followed it. For the first time in the his
tory of medical festivities the awful word
ethics was not once mentioned, and a rain
bow of charity bent in a beautiful arch,
spanning all, from the venerable president
10 the youngest member of the society.
The morning opened with a business
meeting, at which the following officers
were elected:
President, r. r. Washburn, of Waldron;
vice-president, E. NJ. Leech, S~helbyville;
treasurer, /. w. Inflow. Cynthiana; secre-
:ary, Il. c.. Kennedy, S~helbyville; censors,
j. w. Green, +. F. Whetzel, ]. w. Snyder;
delegates to American MEDICAL Society, &c.
Kennedy, +. F. Wells, T. +. Whetzel: dele
gates to State Medical Society. M. Drake.
j. r. Jenkins, w. G.. McFadden, 7. r. Ru-
bush, /. w. Trees.
Papers were read on 1.-THE Doctor in a
Court of Law by Hon. K. NJ. Hord, Shell
5yville, and on other topics by DIR. John f.
Harper, of Chicago, and DR.. w. III. Taylor,
Of Cincinnati. DIR. j.. q. Wolf. of Norris
town., president of the society, delivered
the annual address.
The business session over, the doctors re-
paired to the dining-room, seating them
selves after an invocation by Rev. L.
L. Hughes, D. d., of Shelbyville. When
the substantials had been disposed of
there was the rat-tat-tat of a table-knife
upon q musical goblet, and the symposi-
arch, DR.. j. G.. Wolf. of MOrristOwn, presi-
dent of the society, rose at the head of one
toast, Our Guests" which was responded
TO by the Mayor of Shelby vile. John W..
Vannoy, who gracefully expressed the
pleasure it gave him on behalf of the citi-
zens To welcome SO distinguished an assem-
blage of gentlemen.
The next toast, Medical Literature
was responded to by DIR. Dudley s. Reyn-
Odds. of Louisville, the response embracing
as its ext the couplet:
The facts and theories regularly unloaded,
And with each Cycle regularly exploded.
He called attention to the fact that two
years ago the editor of an English publica-
ton, the Journal of Medical Education,
had referred to the unfortunate titles
given by writer's to reports made in current
medical literature of important cases; that
too frequently the most important report is
burial under an inaDt and in~cOnspicuous
title called, perhaps, a report of a clinical
Lecture or a paper read by DIR. Smith or DIR.
Jones before q medical society. DIR.
Reynolds thought 1t might be out of place
on such an occasion to indulge in criticism,
but he would say to the gentlemen present,
who were making medical literature, that
for the substantial benefit of those who
are to follow they should exercise a little
-,>.o 1a- -, Al. H. -
them to spare themselves. the pain of long
quotations from medical authorities, and
to give the result of their own observation
In such a way thatthe human family may
DIR. j. l.. Thompson, of indianapolis, re-
spOnded to the toast Charity DR..
Orpheus Everts. of Cincinnati, had been
chosen to respond to this toast, but as he
was not PRESENT, DR.. Thompson was called
upon. You put me in mind" said the Doc
tor, as he looked over the sixty other
guests who were present, "Of HeliOgabalus,
who used TO take great pleasure in feasting
certain persons whom he designed to de-
strOy on nightingale's tons CUES and peacocks'
livers before handing them down to the
wild beasts. Doctors are supposed to have
much charity, as they give their services to
the distressed and poverty-stricken, and
practice 1T as much as anybody except the
clergy, poor souls, who have to preach and
attend funerals for nothing" The Doctors
speech was exceedingly feiicitOus, with a
serio-comic vein ut the close, in which he
asked the profession to deal gently with
the young practitioner strugglingf for recOg-
milton by the public, and doctors who put
their pictures in the papers.
"The H0Osier Surgeon was responded to
by DIR. Joseph w. Marsee, of Indianapolis,
the sentiment accompanying the subject
being POLITICALLY expressed.
doc! you're wantediquiek. biIer,s busted.
Tom Jones's heads blowed of, an just did
git away.
Bring yore instruments, he begs,
'kase you'll have ter ampertate his legs"
DIR. Marsee said that in the pioneer DAYS
of the State the Hoosier doctor was first of
the learned profession to come into the lit
tie group of cabins in the clearing. He
was there before the people had begun to
inquire into their spiritual condition or is
sued a call to the Hoosier preacher, after
whom came the HoOsier schOol-master, and
lastly, the Hoosier lawyer. The doctor, IA
miiiar with his patients and their rough
life, IN touch and sympathy with them
from daily association. brought to their
bedsides a courage, devotion and self-reli-
ance that no other could bring, and, above
all. a knowledge of men that has not since
been equaled. There were giants in those
days, said the Doctor, men who, If living
now, would be the peers of any man. Up
on this foundation has been erected the
fabric of Hoosier surgery and HOOsier med
icine. 1--WE live" said the Doctor, "in a
blessed time. There are a few men yet
among us whose white hairs and bowed
forms tell of privations we have never suf-
Iereu. lney nave taugnC us the way we
should 60, and we have profted by their
privations in the past"
Right Rev. Francis Silas Chatard, M. D.,
ID. d.. Bishop of Vi~ncennes, had been as
signed to respond TO the toast The
Clergy" The Bishop was unable to attend,
but sent a response by mail, in which he
said that he had been lone of you," and
added: Il have never ceased to value the
diploma given me by the University OF
Maryland when, ip 1857, L terminated my
course OF study in her medical SCHOOL," and
IN conclusion saying: ITO ignore the COM
merce between the soul and the body would,
asany experienced therapeatist viii tell us,
be fatal TO success in treating disease. A
foundation for the standing of the clergy
man Is given because his work is primarily
with the soul, secondarily with the body.
Scientifically it would seem, therefore. that
the physician and the clergyman
are mutually necessary to each
other in the case of their fellow-men. But
this view Is far too narrow to cover the
very exalted relation that should exist be-
tween the physician and the clergyman.
Above the physical order is the moral. and
in its preservation they are as the guardian
angels OF the household. the one protecting
that order by fatheriy a~dmonitions of the
penalties which its violation visits upon
the body, affecting even the faculties of the
soul; the other presenting the lessons of
divine wisdom and the beautiful hope of
the life TO come. AS we see them standing
by the bedside OF the sufferer. their looks