Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-17

treasury were, in 1851, SO; 1884. $40: 1863.
/ SS3; 1873, 1914; 1884. S516; 1893, S1,9l9 For
the excellent administration of it's finances
the society is indebted to its treasurer, DR..
Franzoni.
1.-The society record is not without its hu-
NOR. although fun is not always intended
In March, 1873, the society was invited to
participate in the inaugural honors to
President Grant, and to appear in the pro-
| cession on foot, on horseback, or in car
rage, as they might see fit. The picture of
| the staid members of our society riding on
| prancing steeds along Pennsylvania ave-
nue.. bedecked with bright scarfs, and the
society banner of Hygeia waving in ad-
| vance, would without doubt have created
a sensation. and added greatly to the beau
| ty of the pageant On May 10, 1866 the
case Of Dr. Gudgeon, a veterinary sur
geon of great weight and prominence, was
reported to the society, the doctor having
succumbed to excess of fNt This individ-
ual weighed at the time of his death up-
| ward of 800 pounds 1 can remember him
as one of the sights of Washington for
| many years.
The Romance of Lieberman.
'The history Of the society is not without
| its romance. If I could extract from the
| lives of our members all the moving stories
| and incidents of heroism, of dangers met
and overcome. all the numberless acts of
chivalrous valor. when there was no mar
! tial music to ircite to bravery but only the
sense of duty and humanity, I could fill
pages and volumes. 1 would like to tell
| the romance of one who was presiding Off
Ger at the anniversary twenty-five years
| ago, who was member for forty-eight
| years doctor for fifty years, coming to
Washington in 1910. and dying at the age
| of seventyfour. The story was told me by
word of mouth, and is told here as heard
it.
"Lieberman was Russian, the son of a
banker OF Riga; his educa ton WAS Carefully
conducted. and in tim he was sent to the
University of Dorpat. Here he shared in
the political sentiment of the period and
like most other Russian students, then and
since, adopted the revolutionary doctrines
to which his age, his hatred of oppression
and his love of freedom attracted him.
| While pursuing hi; studies at the university
the fire OF revolution broke out in down
trodden Poland, and Lieberman, burning
with revolutionary ardor, Joined a band of
students with the object of assisting this
| oppressed people. Armed with scythes old
muskets and whatever weapons could be
round, the students marched rapidly to
| the Polish frontier, and crossing it, ad-
vanced toward town which afforded to
| their ardent courage, the opportunity want
| ed. With cries of triumph waving their
| weapons in the air, they impetuously rush
ed through the gates, which seemed open
| to receive and welcome them. But once
within, the gates were suddenly closed
| they found themselves caught, trapped; the
| town was already in possession Of the Rus
slams, and the young patriots were prison.
| ers. Lieberman was hurried into Russia
and hung into prison. preparatory to being
sent to Siberia. Here he gave himself up to
| despair; his life seemed ended and he saw
| q Punishment worse than death before him.
! He could not eat nor sleep. In the same
| prison was a Polish woman of rank, much
older than Lieberman. She took pity upon
! his youth and misfortune, and did all she
| could to comfort him. One day, calling him
TO climb ladder in the cell as to COM
| mand a view from a window of the court
yard In the prison. she pointed out to him,
| In the midst of a convoy of prisoners on
| their way to Siberia, a man dressed in
| rags, covered with dirt and chained to the
| axle OF wagon; he was crouching on the
| ground, eating with apparent relish, a
piece of black bread.
| THAT man. she said, IS Polish noble
man of high rank. His misfortunes are
greater than yours; he has lost everything
property. family and liberty: he is going
to perpetual Punishment, and yet he lives
and endures. You are young; you may
| escape; you should be hopeful and brave
This lesson had it's effect. and from this
time he bore his Imprisonment with more
content. 1t was not long before he received
| the happy news that through the solicta-
ton of influential friends, he would be
granted permission to go to Berlin and
study medicine, under survaillan He
went to Berlin, profited well by the ex-
cellent teaching there, and in time received
his degree. A passport was then given
him to return to Russia by one of three
| ways. He chose to go by way of Hamburg
| to take ship there and thus have an oppor-
tunity to visit this important city.
Comes to This Country.
ION reaching Hamburg he saw an Ameri-
can clipper ship just about to sail for
| America. The adventurous spirit was
strong within: him. and having money, he
4 II
liberty before returning home This plan
which could not have been formed by any
one not OF strong and bold character, was
carried out. After a months voyage he
reached Boston. The city was then in the
throes of a presidential election. and Lie
berman's description of his first impress
sions of the PROFESSIONS. flags, firing of can
| mons, and general din and excitement, was
very amusing. From Boston he thought he
| would visit New York, and once there he
could not return to Europe without seeing
the capital of the country. In Washington
| he received the visit of a Russian &C
quaintancc, who learning of his education
under Laugenbach, and of the new opera
ton for strabismus (crosS-eye), brought t
him a big butcher. whose eyes We're look
ing in every direction but the right one
Lfeberman operated so successfully tina
another case of the same kind was soor
sent to him, and SO rapidly did his fame
spread as a corrector of deformites of eye.
and limbs by tenotomy, that IN a little
while, without the wish or effort he found
himself engaged in active surgical practice
His departure. deferred from day to day
was. in time. indefinitely postponed, and Il
was not long before his marriage, his grow
ing popularity and his new associa lions
made him a permanent citizen of Washing
ton, and a member of this society, to whose
welfare he was devoted for nearly fifty
years.
His characteristics were strong self re
lance, readiness of resources, much sur
gical and operative skill. and industry and
energy. His manner was brusque, but hi!
heart was warm, and his friendships anC
affections firm and fixed. 1t was one O
his peculiarities that he would never at
tend any one professionally who lived OF
the same block, or in his immediate neigh
borhood, and when one of his old patients
moved opposite to his residence on 13tl
street, between E and F streets, he posi-
lively refused to continue to be his phys
clan. Up to the very last his strength OF
spirit triumphe1 over the weakness of tn,
body, and an hour before his death he ros.
from his bed, tottered to a chair and signed
an important paper. He died lamented ht
will live in our hearts honored and loved.
HOSPITALS IN WASHINGTON.
Important Address Delivered by DIR
j. Ford Thompson.
The history of the hospitals of the Dis
trict of Columbia was given in an address
by DR.. J. Ford Thompson, who prefaced tn
| lii