The age-herald., 1901-12-29
MEDICAL SOCIETY AT ANNUAL BANQUET The Doctors Have an Evening
 All to Themselves SPEECHES GRAVE AND GAY Happy Evening at the HiIIman, Where Wit and Wisdom Were Evenly
 BaIanced-Dr. Heflln In
 Role of Mlmlc.

The Jefferson County Medical Society had It's annual banquet at the Hillman last night. The spread was in the large dining room, where covers were lalo TOT sixty-five There were few absentees.
 The society passed a resolution last year prohibiting the presence Of laymen at the annual banquet, and this law was strictly adhered to. The doctors, there fore, had their fun all to themselves. The new rule did not grow out of inhospital- ity on the part of the society. for 1t is generally conceded that doctors in general and Jefferson County doctors In particu- lar are full of charity and the spirit or hospitality. But at these gatherings they sometimes discuss delicate matters Of professional interest-hence the executive session as 1t were.
 The Reason for Closed Doors.
 Physicians are serious minded men, professionally considered They touch life at many points and see more of sadness and sorrow than any other class in the community But when 1t comes to relax ation they are jolly good fellows, and when the banquet period rolls round they are ready with big appetites.
 The banquet was in charge of a com mittee consisting of Dr. Cunningham Wilson Dr. Wyatt Heflin and Dr. w. M. Jordan. Dr. Wilson presided. It was half-past eight o'clock when the doctors sat down at the table and few minutes of twelve when they rose. It was an in formal affair. There was no printed toast list and there were no prepared speeches But the chairman called on number of those present to say some thing.
 Dr. E. H. Shall was asked to talk about medical ethics, Dr. w. E. B. Davis to tell about medical societies, Dr. J. C.. Le Grande to discuss Birmingham water, Dr. R. M. Cunningham to explain the constitution, Dr. H. M. Collins to give an account of his "Old School of Note" Dr. E. P. Riggs to dilate upon the medi- cal profession and pr. Wyatt Hefiin to tell what he knew about night calls
 The Oratory.
 A few of the speeches were on practical lines. Dr. Shall spoke seriously and elo- quentIy of professional ethics and told what the Medical Society had done and was doing for the welfare of the com munity especially in the way of improv- ing sanitary conditions. Other profes- sons, he pointed out, were always after the dollar while physicians were giving much of their time to guarding the pub lie health.
 Dr. Riggs made some thoughtful ob- servatons on the theme assigned to him the medical professionalism the other speakers had free scope and struck out on humorous lines. Dr. Davis, in telling about medical conventions he had at tended and eminent physicians he had met, got off some racy stories. pr. Le Grande made witty hits on water; Dr. Cunningham spoke in a vein of dry hu- nor; Dr. Collins called up his old class of singers and provoked hearty laughter, and Dr. Hef1in, the mimic, was In happy form and, surpassed himself In an old fashioned sermon, the theme of which was What we do in this world we will do in the next.
 The banqueters broke in with laugh ter and applause at the end of every sen tence. When the doctor had finished it was time to break up. Nothing was need ed to aid digestion. The laughter was sufficient.