The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-15
MONUMENT UNVEILED
TRIBUTE TO LATE DIR. ". '. B'
 DAVIS.
Memory of Founder ef southerr sur gical and GyBeeolcgfcsi Asse- ciatiou Honored by Its
 Present Members.


 Present Members.
 -
 Birmingham, Dec. 4.-(speciA:s
 The beautiful bronze. statue oI w .E. B.. Davis.t the founder or tns Southern Surgical and Gynecolosicai Association, was unveiled today on Capital Park. this city, with oeii'- ting ceermony. ..,., The members or the now on here, with Howard College cadets Troop D, of Alabama's Cavalry, . hand of music and members of the Rba I'd of Aldermen and others. formed . nrocession in front of the City Hall and marched to the park. The exer- cises at the unveilipg were opened with prayer by Dr. l.. S. Handley. of the Central Presbyterian Chruch. The | little daughters of the late Dr. Davis pulled the cords which dropped the | veil and opened to view the noble bronze likeness of the sugeon and phy-
 sician. Dr. Charles Rosser. of Dal- las. Texas. made the presentation | speech in behalf of the association. l Hon. John c. Forney alderman from the sixth ward. for the mayor. deliv- cred the acceptance in behalf of the city and Governor R. M. Cunningham delivered the acceptance speech in be- | half of the State. The speech of Gov ernor Cunningham was able and in
 teresting. G. Moretti. the scupltor of l tine statue was present at the unveil- ing. Governor Cunningham said: Gov. CunnIngham's Remarks. To perpetuate in marble or bronze those who have rendered distinguished service to the State. to science or hu-
 manity is a legitimate and laudable
 purpose. Tn this particular Albbma
 has been rerniss. Many of her sons
 have distinguished themselves in war.
 as soldiers; in peace. as statesmen. and
 in science as scientists. yet through
 out this great State there is but one statue. commemorative of the valor and deeds of her sons-that of Admiral Semmes at Mobile. Allusion is not here
 made to monuments erected to bodies
 of men, for example, the Confederate
 soldiers There are many who have
 participated in making the history of
 Alabama in its industrial development.
 its commercial enterprises. and in oth-
 CT relations of civil life. whose names
 should be perpetuated by statue and monument.
 The present occasion is one Of rare occurrence. It is to be remarked that it is under the auspices of scientific organization whose members consist or men who are devoting their lives to the
 relief of human suffering. The sur gery of today in its principles is science. in its practice an art. A great surgeon must have the wisdom of sage, the courage of a soldier. the Judgment of jurist, the gentleness Of | woman and the skill of an artist. To contrast the surgery of today with | that of a hundred years ago is a | thorough demonstration of the great | advance made in the healing art. At | that time the practice of surgery was | little short of assault upon the persons | The strong tables and harness for con- , lining the patient. the pulleys. levers | and other powerful mecnanlcal m | struments demonstrate it's crudity. In | the surgery of today, pain has been | abolished by anesthesia, main strength | by scientific manipulation. and unclean- | mess by arseptic technique. The dis | covery of anasthesie by Crawford w.
 Long, of Georgia. the previous inven- 1 ton of the ligature by Ambrose Pare. | and the aseptic technique evolved from | the principles of antiseptic surgery ac- cording to Sir Joseph Lister make the art and practice of surgery humane and
 safe to the patient and requires pro- | found knowledge and skill upon the l part of the operator. The legature TOT
 con trolling hemorrhage the suture for l coaptation. and the methods of drain l age and the arseptic technique are the
 principal factors in the art of surgery.
 The knife, forceps and needles are the | principal instruments. A great display
 and multiplicity of surgical parapher- | nalia is no more evidence of the sur
 geon than the display of canvass, paints | and brushes is of an artist. The ar | tist must have a thorough conception | of a model for his picture. He must know what paints to select, where and | In what proportion to apply them. The
 surgeon must have thorough concep-
 ton of the human body in its aggre- | gate and detail. each part by itself and l in relation to all other parts the pur-
 pose for which these are intended. the | nature of the disease which affects | them. their immediate and remote re-
 suit to the part and to the body and
 must have a definate ideal which he
 Is trying to achieve and fin all of which
 the manipulation Is one of delicacy and
 skill.
 The present methods of surgery make l 1t possible to explore and manipulate | almost every organ and structure of | the body. Great windows are cut in | the skull. and the surface, base and in | terior of the brain are explored. A | window Is cut in the chest and wounds
 in the heart are sutured. while the
 viscera of the great cavities, the chest | | under the surgical eyes. In some cases, | surgery saves life by the sacrifice of 1 a part: in others. 1t restores the health l by the removal of useless and painful
 structure: in some it restores deformed
 and diseased parts to their normal re-
 iation and function.
 Any man who understands the princi- 1 pies of surgery and who has the skill and dexterity to practice the art is a great man. He not only has the lives
 of others in his own hands but he of | ten places his own life in danger. He | is therefore a hero.
 Tribute to Dr. Davis.
 l Gentlemen of the Southern Surgical | and Genealogical Association, you
 have met here today as a body. to wit | ness the unveiling of statue of such /, a man. Doctor W. E. B. Davis You
 were his co-werkers, brethren and | peers. By virtue of your own know
 ledge. and experience. you are better
 qualified to judge of his merits as a
 surgeon than any one else. In re-
 cognition of these merits and as an expression of your gratitude to him