Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1921-09-28
IN MEMORY OF
EPHRAIM MCDOWELL
Louisville Paper Pays Tribute to
Mrs. Irvine's Gift To Honor
His Memory

The Louisville Herald has a
beautiful editorial on the spirit
which prompted the late Mrs.
Elizabeth Irvine. of Richmond. to
will her home in town here. CIR
vinton," as a hospital or home
for aged physicians.
In Memory of Ephraim Mcdowell
louisville Herald)
The most beautiful thing in the
world is the good deed which is
hidden, the friendly succor which
seeks no acknowledgment, the
Samaritan whose binding up of
wounds is done so quietly and
with SO complete and absence of
ostentation that. except by infer
ence, it cannot be known that
Samaritan has passed that way
Of such deeds. Of such succor. of
such life-saving charity, the med
ical profession may be said to en-
JOY the monopoly.
The general public hears
great deal about the big fees paid
TO the big men and there are ma
ny who imagine that the practice
OF medicine-of surgery me- re
partciularly-is a relatively ca Y
road to wealth. We suppose
there are doctors who have amass
ed fortunes. though we are bound
to confess that SO far as Our
personal acquaintance goes. they
are hardly more numerous than
those who have gained great
prices among the clergy. But
what is easily within the knowl-
edge OF all is the great bulk OF
practice which is done. not only
without thought. but without
hope. of reward. and yet is not.
strictly speaking. charity. and. in
addition to that. the practice
which is done unselhshly and
with lavish outlay of strength
and time where. i'll the nature Of
the case. the word charity would
have TO be applied if it were not
in itself word offensive.
DdiZdS IDS SDON III us tHC IoliIt-
try doctor as Goldsmith showed
us the country parson. blessed
characters. both of them. bene-
factors in more ways than those
of their profession, counselors.
guides. friends. But no one has
told the story of the doctor come
to the end Of his strength. though
not of his science. who must need
look forward to an old age Of pri
walton. of neglect. if not of down
right want. How many of them
have we known. how familiar
and how unspeakably sad is their
experience. Do we hear it wills
pered that they were thriftless or
poor collectors. or something Of
that kind. and that, if they have
nothing set aside against a rainy
day. they have no one to blame
but themselves? And our answer
is that rarely is the man of heal
ing a man Of business. and that
anyway there has been this gen
crosby which is beyond all calcuz
lation. this good work done by
stealth and there have been in
stances in which that has been
brought forward as a reproach.
If we say this much it is be-
cause. interest in the project to
provide home "a place of beau
; tiful rest, for the older members
of the profession in need is not
confined to its members. but eX-
tends among the la1ty. among all
| those who have at one time or
another. needed their ministra-
tons. The name of Ephraim Nc
Dowell is blazoned on the honor
roll of the Commonwealth in a
high place and it is eminently fit
ting that the nucleus Of such a
| foundation should be traceable toI
one at once so distinguished and
! SO much of benefactor.
Into the details of the proposal
| it would be an inpertinence for
us to intrude. They concern
those who have them in hand and
! those whose days. later along.
are to be sweetened and lengthen
| ed; but we may properly renew
our assurance that here is good
1 deed which is destined to shine,
not only for the elect, but in that
outer wicked world of lay suffer
ers.
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