Evening star., 1926-03-21

Jacobs Of Atlanta, Chancellor Charles
NJ. Smelling Of the University of
Georgia, DR.. Hugh NJ. Young of Johns
Hopkins University and Hospital,
Baltimore. representing the medical
profession: DIR. Frank X. Boland, presi
dent Of the Crawford Long Memorial
Association; Judge Richard b. Russell.
president Of the board Of trustees OF
the University OF Georgia, and others.
Concerning DR.. Longs operation
removing a tumor from the hack Of
the neck Of his patient, Mr.. Venable-
who submitted to ether with many
misgivings-the two daughters of the
famous discoverer Miss Emma NJ.
Long and Mrs. Frances Long Taylor
OF Athens, Ga, make the following
statement:
"Dr. Long first used sulphuric ether
In surgery March 80, 1912. Upon
successful compile ton OF this opera
tion he wisely secured affidavits from
the patient, James S. Venable, also
the patients relatives and from four
witnesses present. This precaut:on
was pursued by DIR. Long on all sub.
sequent similar occasions Az late SIS
the Summer Of 1876. These affidavits
were all published in an issue III the
Southern Medical Journal in lS49.
I'm 1853 the affidavits were exam.
ined by the Georgia State Medical
Society in Savannah and DR.. Long
was advised to submit them for exam
ination to the American Medical AS.
soc;ation. In 1854 Or. Long. in let
ter to DR.. Paul Eve of Nashville,
Tenn. said: I believe / have proof in
such condition as would satisfy the
minds of the delegates to the National
Medical Association. which is to meet
at st. Louis
"Dr. Long and DIR. Eve. being ap
prised later that no controversial
business would be entered into at that
meeting, did not present the proof.
In March, 1854, DR.. Charles T. Jack
son, one of the claimants In the ether
controversy and a man of irreproach-
able character, visited Athens. the
home town Of DIR. Long. and person
ally examined the affidavits. and at
Jefferson interviewed the witnesses
After which. such were his convic-
tions OF DR.. Longs rights to priority
in the use of ether in surgery he
publicly gave him sole credit for 1t
in the Boston Surgical Journal.
"At the time of the ether contro.
versy in Congress, Senator Dawson of
Georgia, April 15, 1854, when the ap-
preparation bill was before the Sem
ate, read a letter from DIR. Jackson
which acknowledged that a DIR. Long
from Georgia had undoubtedly used
ether before any Of the claimants
for the appropriation
"The bill was allowed to die. rs Or
Long desired only recognition Cf his
claim. In view of the above stated
facts, one can readily percaive that
no later evidence was necessary 10
establish DR.. Longs claim. DIR. Ja-
cobs bases the merit of 1t upon these
all.important and all.sufflcienl proofs
collected and preserved by Or. Long
himself.
"A careful perusal OF DR. Jacobs
pamphlets will attest this. DIR. Long
diligently safeguarded these proofs
during his lifetime. and since his
death his daughters have done so
Several times these proofs have
crossed the continent In order that in
terested physicians and medical So
cieties might examine them. In 1910
DIR. Foy of Dublin wrote requesting
permission for Sir Frederick Hewett,
the anesthetist Of King George, TO
exhibit them at q great medical con-
vention to be held in London. This
was an honor which could not be de.
clined, and as they were too valuable
to be risked by mail. DIR. Longs
daughters carried the yellowed. cr,ln-
bling documents to London. where in
two large cases in the British Medical
Museum they attracted immediate and
deep attention and won for DIR. Long
recognition from Great Britain"
\ X *
A FTER the World War was over
and the American troops came
sailing home In the Spring Of 1919
most Of them landing in New York-a
group of Is or 20 overseas fighters
gathered about table in restau-
rant of the metropolis. 1t was a