The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-20
DOCTORS GO ON A FROLIC
THEY WIND Up THEIR VISIT WITH
An OYSTER ROAST AT WILMINGTON.

Ihe state AAsocAhtAoh Ah4oHFhA 10
Meet in Augusta Next Year-Dr. +.
VI Ridley Elected President-Thc
Asylum Matter Dfscussed-MOst OF
the Doctors Left for Their Homes
Last Night.
The State Medical Association adjourned
yesterday. after having spent three days
in Savannah. The afternoon was devoted
to pleasure. the doctors being taken on
the Vigilant to Wilmington Island. where
they had an oyster roast with all neces-
Eary accomplishments. There was a band
OF music on board and dancing was in
dulged in at the pavilion at the island.
There was a fun supply Of refreshments
of all kinds, and champagne was admin
istered in liberal doses by the Savannah
physicians who had the party in charge.
The party numbered about l50 including
many ladies' members of the families o.
the visiting and local physicians. The
visitors were delighted with their trip
and expressed their appreciation of the
courtesies extended them in the warmest
terms. The party arrived back at the
city at o'clock. and many of the visit
ing physicians left for their homes on the
night trains.
The business Of principal Importance
at yesterday mornings session was she
election of officers. According to the
rules Of the association no nominations
are made each member Of the association
voting for the member whom he thinks
best qualified to fill the office. DR.. F. NJ.
Ridley Of LAGRANGE received the majority
OF the votes cast for presi-
dent. and his election was i'm
mediately made unanimous. The
announcement of the result was greeted
with applause, and there were calls for
DR.. Ridley. In responding he said that
no honor could attach to any position in
the whole state which could compare
with that which had been conferred
upon him by the association. He felt
a deep sense of gratitude, he said, for
the honor conferred upon him, and prom
ised to serve the body to the best OF his
ability and with strict importantly, with
the hope that at the end of his term he
might deserve the plaudit, well done,
thou good and faithful servant"
DR.. W. II. Doughty of Augusta was
elected first vice president on the first
ballot and DR.. NJ. l.. Boyd of savanna
was in the same manner elected second
vice president. Both elections were made
unanimous.
DR.. r. n. Taylor of Griffin was elected
secretary There was a close race be- e.
Atlanta, the former incumbent The elec-
ton was immediately made unanimous
however anu the new incumbent Was re-
There were three vacancies to be filed
in the board Of censors which resulted in
some lively balloung. The balloting re-
suited in the election of Dr.. Charles
Hicks of Dublin; DR.. II. B. McMaster Of
Waynesboro, and DR.. Howard Williams
DR.. Doughty extended the association an
invitation from the medical society Of
Augusta to hold its next annual meeting
in that city. The invitation was unani-
mOusly accepted.
A resolution offered by DR.. r. C. Norton,
expressing the regret of the Georgia Med
zeal Association at the death Of Dr. j. p.
Wall of Tampa, while reading paper be
fore the Florida Medical Association at
Gainesville the day before, and extending
sympathy to the medical fraternity OF
Florida and the family of the deceased m
their loss, was unanimously adopted.
DIR. Ridley announced the appointment
of the following committee In pursuance
with the resolution adopted the day be-
fore authorizing him to appoint com
the condition of the state lunatic asylum
upon the line suggested by him in his
paper upon the asylum; pr f. M; Ridley
DIR. r. r. Barrow Of Macon; DR.. w.
ODaniel of Billiard, and Dr. r. E. Griggs
of Columbus.
Considerable exception was taken by
some of the physicians to the report in
yesterdays Morning News of DIR. Ridley's
asylum, as they considered i calculated
to give the impression that the members
of the association had attacked the man
agement of the asylum, which was not
the case. These gentlemen placed an en-
ttrely wrong construction upon the ar
ticles, as there was nothing in it to war
rant the impression. Dr. Ridley expressly
stated in his paper and was so quoted by
the Morning News, that he made no at
tack upon DR.. 7. o. Powell, the superin-
tendent, or his assistants. but drew the
attention of the association very strongly
to the conditions under which these gen
tlemen labor, due to the insufficient ap-
preparations by the legislature. The Morn
ing News did not show that there was any
attack made upon the management. The
only error In the article was in quoting
DIR. Westmoreland as saying that a mum
Der of illegitimate births had occurred at
the asylum, because of the non-separation
OF the sexes. DIR. Westmoreland said that
one illegitimate birth had occurred at the
asylum. DIR. Powell was interviewed upon
this point by a Morning News reporter.
1t is mistake" he said, "to suppose
that the sexes are not separated at the
asylum. On the contrary there is the
Strictest separation. The case referred to
by DR.. Westmoreland occurred about five
years ago, and was thoroughly investi-
gated at the time and the facts published
The separation is in fact much more thor
oush than in many other institutions of
the KIND in the country, as there are sep
arate buildings for the male and the fe-
male patients. There is no other subject
which causes me so much mental anxiety
in connection with the management of the
asylum as this, and constant and most
Watchful care is exercised upon this line
II IS true lndI the institutions Is over
crowded, but the new building provided
for by the last Legislature is nearing
completion and will afford remedy for
this evil for the present al least. The new
building will accommodate about 500 pa
tients. There viii be an overflow from
the other buildings of from $50 to 200 pa
tients, leaving room for about GOO new
patients. From the increasing number of
insane persons it VIII probably not be long
before the extra accommodation is taken
up"
DR.. Powell, who has filled the position
of superintendent Of the asylum for num-
Der of years, has the confidence of the
physicians. Before adjournment a resolu-
ton of thanks to the medical fraternity
and citizens of Savannah for courtesies
extended was adopted. There were in ali
over 100 physicians in attendance upon the
session.
DR.. Frank Ridley, the newly elected pres
ident, is not only an able physician and
man of prominence in his section of the
state, but a very popular gentleman gen
orally. He is a graduate of the state uni
Versity, and has several classmates in
Savannah. DR.. Ridley is a cousin Of Judge
Hampton L. Ferrin, Chatham county's
popular ordinary.
At the adjournment of Thursday morn
ing's session of the associa ton those
members interested especially in the treat
nnent of diseases of the eye, ear and throa-
FTslF too. (, Hv~ n