The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-02
MARION COUNTY DOCTORS
A MEETING HELD AT THE CENTRAL
HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE.
Paper of the Evening by DIR. Rogers,
of the Northern HospitaI-Dis-
cussion of Topics.

The Marion County Medical Society held
a meeting last night in the pathological
building of the Central Hospital for the In
sane, after which luncheon was served in
the chapel followed by the delivery of a
number of toasts. The occasion was one of
much social enjoyment as we'll as of in
structive value to the members of the So
ciety.
The subject of discussion at the meeting
was that of first aid for the insane, DR..
Joseph G. Rogers, of the Northern Hospital
for the Insane, at Logansport, delivering
the paper Of the evening. His address was
rather technical in character, but in a gen.
eral way urged upon practicing physicians
the value of an early diagnosis of insanity
and the Importance of having patients suf-
fering from this disease committed to some
institution desiged for their treatment. He
thought that there were comparatively few
cases in which practitioners would be JUS
titled in advising home treatment, and that
such advice should only be given when it
is possible to change the environment of
the patient. Among other things he called
attention to the fact that paranoia, the
species of insanity in which the patient
has delusions on one or two subjects, and
paresis are incurable, and that as a result
of thirty years experience he had found
that acute mania is durable in over so per
cent of the cases, while melancholia is also
durable to nearly an equal degree. He de-
scribed some of the leading symptoms of
approaching insanity, a prominent one be-
ing subyersion of ordinary tendencies as,
for instance, when a Mr.. Hyde is trans
formed suddenly into DR.. Jekyl
There We're nearly hundred members of
the society that heard the paper, and the
discussion that followed was an evidence
of the absorbing interest aroused by DR..
Rogers in the subject. DR.. Sterne DR.. W.
b. Fletcher and DR.. S. E. Smith, of the
Richmond Hospital, in particular, made
some very interesting remarks DIR. Smith
dwelt on the need Of conserving the nervous
force of the patients and the danger aris-
ing from the use of sedatives and hyp-
notes
After the discussion the society was pi-
loted to the chapel, where an excellent
luncheon was provided. The handsome
room was decorated in a very tasteful man
ner, and every arrangement had been made
by DR.. Edenharter for the comfort and
pleasure of his guests. Dr. l.. c. Cline.
president OF the society presided as toast
master. AS the guests of honor were Dr.
j. &; Rogers superintendent Of the North
ern Hospital; DIR. S. E. Smith, superintend-
ent OF the Eastern Hospital, at Richmond
pr George Mason, superintendent of the
Southern Hospital, at Evansville, and Dr.
W. b. FLETCHER, ex-superlntendent of the
Central Hospital. Besides Superintendent
Edenharter, the full board of trustees of
the Central Hospital were also PRESENTLY
II. Davis, Albert Lockridge and John Oster-
meyer.
The first toast was responded to by DR..
H, M. Lash, ex-president of the society,
who spoke on the subject, THE Duties of
a Superintendent of all Insane Hospital ;"
He said that SuD6rintpndpnf mn han
compound double-acting machine and must
possess as much force within himself as a
triple expansion engine that propels an
ocean steamer The superintendent must
possess not only great executive ability, but
must also be the chief physician of thou
sands of patients
DR.. William H. Wishard responded to the
toast, 'The Veteran Members of the So
Getty subject which was very appro-
titioner in the society. He delivered an ad-
dress that was heartily enjoyed He said
that If d physician Keeps up with the
progress of medicine in these days he must
be we'll mounted and with spurs on. II con-
graduate the profession of medicine" he
said, for the advance 1T is making in the
Der when Edinburgh was the Mecca Of med
zeal knowledge, then London and then
Paris, in which latter place much was to
be learned, for 1T is said when the Parisians
could not diagnose a disease they some
times killed the patient so that post
norton could be held. Now many go East
coming unnecessary. Every State is rapid
ly rising higher in the profession. God
never made such a nation as ours since
Noah unloaded his animals on Mount
Ararat."
The remaining toasts of the evening were:
1.-THE Young Men of the Society," by DR.. j.
RiluS Eastman: 1.-The Evidences of Scien-
tiic Progress in This Society,"" by DR.. Z.
Hadey, and 1.-THE Social Element in Our
Meetings." by DR.. S. E. carp
Among those present were: Evan Hadley,
j. T. Barnhill, j. w. Bates, o. B. Pettijohn,
Theodore p. Potter, Henry Ostroff, w. b.
Fletcher, L. z. Cline, Robert Hester, J. RI.
Carson, f. b. Wynn, w. G. Rice, George l..
Servoss. f. c. Heath, w. B. Mcdonald, A.
L. Wilson, George H. F. House j. o. Still
son, r. Frank Stone, William H. Wishard,
l.. H. Dunning, Martha j. Smith, Luella NJ.
schnick, Annie Hoskinson, J: c. Rogers. H.
a benson. w. E. Jeffries. j. L. Williams,
B. V. Garfield, G. p Mason, John w.
Brown, H. G. Gaylord William V. Morgan,
S. r. Smith. o.. f. carp, Edmund Ludlow,
Fred L. Pettijohn, L. A. Hyde, +. M. Miles,
W. J. Browning, Joseph r. Eastman c.
McNaullp ID. A. Leathers, Thomas B. Noble
r. o. Alexander, David Ross. z. D. Moffett,
]. B. Champion, DR.. Erayton, Dr. Sterne,
DR.. Beraeer. DR.. Durham, DR.. Crosse, DR..
Robertson, DR.. Guido Bell, DR.. f. r. Charl-
ton DR.. Reyer, DR.. Dan Thompson, DR. j.
II. Oliver, DR.. McShane, DR.. NJ. c.. Cronin,
DR., Kimberlin, DR.. Ridpath. H. Hillard
Weir.