The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1913-03-18
A GREAT SON OF THIS STATE

Inc Anderson Medical SOcle-
ty last week appropriated $50
to be spent upon the monument
to DR.. J. Marion Sims to be
reared in Columbia. We have
heard the question asked who
is DR.. Marion Sims" Succinct-
ly, it may be stated that his is
the greatest name in this coun-
try as surgeon who has
brought relief to suffering wo-
man.
This is the centennial year of
the birth of this man who at
tanned world renown. He is a
native of Lancaster, the county
which gave birth to Andrew
Jackson, and was born the year
of Jackson's great triumph over
Packenham in the battle of New
Orleans.
DR.. Sims was more or less of
a failure as young physician
in Lancaster county and this
should offer encouragement to
young physicians of today.
Later he went to Montgomery,
Ala, where he startled the
world with the daring of his
surgery and the success of his
operations. He first attracted
attention with his operations
for strabismus, or squirting of
the eyes. He was also success
full in substituting silver for
silk sutures in cases of verico-
vaginal fistula. His results
were received with incredulity
by the profession.
At the age of 40 he removed
to New York and urged the
building of hospital for treat
ing woman's diseases. A jour
ney to Europe brought him
recognition denied him in this
country and he established a
lucrative practice in London
and Paris. He organized an
ambulance corps which did
great service after the battle of
Sedan.
He was given medals of honor
and decorations by the kings of
several European countries. He
was the first American member
of several learned societies in
Europe and America and was
president of the American Med
ical Society in 1876. He was
the author of a number of vol
umes, one being an authority
on female surgery.
After Sedan he was enabled
to start his woman's hospital in
New York and we are told that
so many persons flocked to see
his operations that restrictions
were imposed which he consid-
cred officious and drastic and he
.eturned to France. That ac-
counts, in part, for a recent
declaration by The New York
Sun that DR.. Sims seems to be
honored abroad more than in
his native land.
The German governments
monthly medical periodical re-
Gently printed a photograph of
DR.. Sims and a description of
his life work. This great jour
nal says:
America is entitled to honor
in the history of operative
gynecology. The names of Nc
Dowell, Mott, Battey, Emmet,
Bobeman, Edebohls and Kelly
will be known for all time, but
none shines with such lustre as
the name of Marion Sims"
The achievements of its citi-
zens are the greatest assets and
the greatest heritages of a
country. The courage and
genius of Marion Sims, especial
ly in view of his sad entry into
the profession are such as were
exhibited by only such men as
Stonewall Jackson, and such like
stalwart and heroic figures in
our country's history. His
greatness deserves commemor-
alton. If we believe rightly,
there is statue of him
in front of the city Ii
bruary in New York city,
~tor possibly in Madison Square.
There soon will be one at the
state capitol of South Carolina.
Those whose happy privilege
it was to know this grand man
personally were not surprised
that he rapidly became the val
ued adviser of the nobility. In
him were diScerned all those