Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1916-01-20

ing man, who never speaks volun-
tarily of his own achievements on the sickness
stricken field. he is writing of one of the most
famous men of any nation. He does not belong
to Washington. nor yet to the United States, but
to the world.
Here is u doctor and a soldier whose record
stands unique. In order to honor him congress
in a way upset it's traditions and changed a line
OF legislative action which for years ran one
unVarying course, Last spring the congress Of
the United States paid General Gorgas the high
est compliment that it is within its power to pay.
1t gave him the thanks of the congress of the
United States; it promoted him to the grade Of
major general, and it so changed established
custom as to enable him to remain at the head
of the medical crops of the army for some
months after the four years allotted for such
service shall have expired.
In other words, through the action of congress,
General Gorgas, instead of being surgeon general
of the army for the term of only four years, will
hold that office until he retires from active work
at the age of %sixty-four years.
The thanks of congress, promotion to the rank
of major general and the provision which would
enable the incumbent to remain surgeon general
for a longer period than the usually allotted time
came to this doctor, as the resolutions of con-
gress show, because of his great work in routing
disease from the Panama Canal zone and in max
ing a former plague spot one of the most health
full districts in the world.
1t is virtually impossible to get the records of
all the great scientists of the world for purposes
of immediate comparison, but it seemG to be
safe to say that no other man has been so hon
ored by educational institutions and by learned
societies as has William Crawford Gorgas. He
received his modest A. B. from the University
of the South at Sewanee, Tenn, in the year
1875. and his M. D. from Bellevue Hospital Med
ical college in New York city four years later.
From that time to this honors have been piled
upon him, and he has borne them all with a mod.
esty that resembles meekness. 1t is held by
many that doctor Of science is the highest honor
which any institution Of learning can confer
upon a man, Seven great universities, including
Oxford, Harvard, Pennsylvania, Brown and
Princeton have conferred the doctor Of science
degree upon this American army doctor.
To him have come Ii. DIS from Johns Hop
kins. and from many other universities. By the
decree of Yale, Georgetown and Washington uni
i~versities he is a doctor Of laws. He has medals
from societies, from medical associations and
from national academies Of science for dis
itinguished achievement in the interest Of man
kind" He has the Seaman medal from the
american Museum Of Safety, and he has the
Mary Kindsley medal from the Liverpool (5ng-
land) School of Tropical Medicine. He is a mem
Der, either active or honorary, of virtually every
great scientific society in the world. The hon
ors have sought him out. He has gone on with
his work seeking nothing except that which will
benefit his fellow man.
General Gorgas was born in Mobile, Ala oc-