Delaware County, Indiana - Chapter 19: Medical Societies, 1881

Chapter 19: Medical Societies

EARLY MEETING OF THE PHysicIANs - THEY PROPOSE 'TO ORGANIZE - ORGANIZATION EFFECTED - OFFICERS - SPHERE OF THE SOCIETY - LECTURE - RESOLUTIONS - DELEGATES TO STATE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION - PROCEEDINGS OF MEETINGS - PAPERS READ - LECTURE ON THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY - MEMBERS RECEIVED - LIBRARY PROPOSED - MUNCIE ACADEMY OF MEDICINE FoRMED - MEMBERS - SEAL ADOPTED - CHANGED TO DiIsTRICT MEDICAL SOCIETY - AGAIN CHANGED TO DELAWARE CoUNTY MEDICAL SocreTY - REORGANIZATION - CHARTER MEMBERS - HIsTORY OF DistTRICT MEDICAL SOCIETY - RE-ORGANIZATION - DELAWARE DISTRICT MEDICAL SOCIETY - MEDICAL ROLL.

of the physicians of Delaware County met in Walling's Hall, in the town of Muncie, to take necessary preliminary action toward the organization of a permanent medical society in said county. At that meeting, Dr. S. V. Jump occupied the chair, and N. W. Black was chosen convention had disposed of the preliminary business before it, the Committee on Permanent Organization, before appointed, submitted its report, presenting for the consideration of the meeting a constitution and by-laws. Upon receiving this report, the plan of organization proposed, being read by articles and sections and fully discussed, was adopted, and the committee was continued to revise the code and have the same published. Under this organization the following officers were chosen: President, §. V. Jump; Vice President, W. J. Morgan;

At the meeting on the 5th of June, Drs. L. J. Bonnels, John C. Helm, 8S. E. Mitchell and H. C. Winans, were admitted members of the society. A fee bill was adopted at the previous meeting; but, for the

_ purpose of further examination, the former action was reconsidered, _ the details were again discussed, the bill amended and finally adopted.

; _ meteorological instruments, to be used by the society in the interest of ''A railroad meeting was held at the court house, on Monday even- |

$10,000, and from adjoining townships, $5,000, making a total of $75,- | 000, the amount proposed to give the company for the location of said - science. Drs. G. W. H. Kemper and W. J. Andrews were admitted members, and Dr. Wm. Lomax, of Grant County, was made an honorary member. Remarks were made by Dr. Wm. Lomax concerning the propriety of organization of a State Medical Society, to be composed of delegates from the county societies, and requesting that the Delaware County Accordingly, the following resolution was adopted: ; bond holds the parties subscribing thereto, for $200 each, the number | of subscribers solicited being 300; but, should the number of securi- | ties exceed 300, then the amount for which they are held will be proportionately less, as the subscribers exceed that number. It is the intention that the money shall be raised by taxation * * * An

_ essay on conservative surgery, or a chemical lecture, and in illustration exhibited the case of William Everett, with the amputated foot and the living stump, giving the history of the case fully. In accord with

Resolved, That in the opinion of the society, that the simple operation by which it was performed was, under the circumstances, the most judicious that could have been adopted, and the stump itself a credit, not only to the surgeon, but also to the science of surgery.

The society, at the meeting on January 7, 1867, after electing the following officers for the ensuing year - G. W. H. Kemper, President ; D. R. Armitage, Vice President; William Craig, Secretary; Robert Winton, Treasurer; J. C. Helm, S$. V. Jump, W. J. Morgan, Censors - appointed the following delegates to the Indiana State Medical Society, to be held at Indianapolis, on the 21st instant: John C. Helm, Winsor Austin, alternate; G. W. H. Kemper, N. W. Black, alternate; W. J. Morgan, Z. W. Zimmerman, alternate; Robert Winton, J. W. Andrews, alternate.

As a part of the proceedings had at the session of May 4, 1868, a lecture was delivered by Prof. Parvin, on the subject '' The duties of Physicians to Medicine," which commanded general interest among the members of the society. A resolution of thanks was accordingly voted, with the request that the lecture be published in the Western Journal of Medicine." At a meeting of the society, held on the 4th of May, 1869, Dr. J. C. Helm read a paper on the Medical History of Delaware County, which contained much valuable information. The paper was accepted, and Dr. H. was continued on the historical committee, and members of the society were requested to furnish him with a written statement, giving an abstract of the individual experience of members, each one for himself, in the practice of medicine in Delaware County. The result of this movement does not appear in the records at our command. The officers elected for the current year of 1869 were H. C. Winans, President; Dr. Bowles, Vice President; W. J. Andrews, Secretary; G. W. H. Kemper, Treasurer; Drs. Jump, Helm and Black, Censors. Drs. Winans, Kemper, Kirby, Black and Andrews were also appointed delegates to attend the State Medical Society.

On the 6th of December, 187 i), among the other proceedings had at that meeting, Dr. Kemper was appointed to prepare and read at the last regular meeting of the year, an article on the History of the Delaware | County Physicians. At the meeting on the lst of May, 1876, the following design was adopted for a seal to be used by the society : A disc with '"' Muncie Academy of Medicine, Organized 1875," with plow beam | in center.

Thereupon, the Secretary was ordered to correspond with the societies in Randolph and Blackford Counties, and Dr. Dillon to correspond with the society in Madison County, in reference to the contemplated movement. On the 2d of May following, a meeting was held, at which the Secretary read a letter from the society in Randolph County, to the effect that eight delegates had been appointed to attend a meeting at Muncie, in June, for the purpose of organizing a District Medica} Society. Dr. Dillon reported that the Madison County Society would also be represented. Those other societies having appointed delegates to attend that meeting, this society, desiring to be represented also, chose the following delegates: Drs. Kemper, Bowles and W. N. Horne, to co-operate with those selected to represent other societies in the district. Drs. Kemper and Dillon were also appointed delegates to represent this.society in the American Medical Association.

At the meeting in January (7), 1878, the name of the society was again changed, and became the " Delaware County Medical Society." This change, it appears, was reported upon at the meeting in May, 1877, but action upon the proposition was deferred. The object of the change was reported to be to secure recognition-in full with the State Medical and other societies, one of the delegates appointed by the former society having been refused recognition on account of the name of the society. A committee was appointed at the meeting on the 8th of April following, to re-organize the society, and to prepare the necessary constitution and by laws. The meeting on the 14th of October, after appointing a committee to settle up all the business of the society, adjourned sine die.

Pursuant to adjournment, the Delaware County Medical Society met at the office of Dr. Boyden, in Muncie, on Monday, October 14, 187, at 1 o'clock P. M., and was called to order by the President, Dr. John Horne. Whereupon, the Secretary, Dr. Leech, read the minutes of the previous meeting, which, after being slightly modified, were .approved.

In order to form a more perfect society, the Delaware County Medical Society being dissolved, on motion, Dr. John Horne was called to the chair, and Dr. J. B. Summers appointed Secretary, to act during the proceedings preliminary to re-organization.

The constitution and by-laws prepared by Drs. Bowles, Kemper and Dillon, were then presented, and, being read, were adopted unanimously. The following officers were afterward elected, pursuant to the new organization, for the ensuing year:

At the meeting on the 12th of April, 1880, Drs. Jump, Bowles; Dillon and Bradbury were appointed delegates to attend the American Medical Society, the last two gentlemen being alternates. Drs. Jump, Skiff, Bradbury and Dillon were appointed, also, delegates to the State Medical Society.

The Delaware District Medical Society

This society was organized in the city of Muncie, Ind., on Sines day, June 19, 1877. The subject of organizing a District Medical Society had been mentioned at several different times - talked of in the county societies. In April, 1877, Dr. G. W. H. Kemper received a letter from Dr. J. J. Evans, of Winchester, Secretary of the Randolph County Medical Society, on the subject. At the next meeting of the Delaware County Medical Society, Dr. Kemper brought the subject up for discussion, and the society voted to invite the medical societies of adjoining counties to send delegates to Muncie, on the first Tuesday in June, 1877, to take part in organizing a district society. Drs. J. Dillon and

G. D. Leech were made a committee to correspond with the physicians of adjoining counties, and secure an attendance of delegates from the various county societies. By the time of the May meeting of the Delaware County Medical Society, the committee -had received notice from the several county societies, through their secretaries, that they had appointed delegates to attend the meeting in June, to organize a district society. But, through correspondence, and by discussion of the subject in the county society, it was thought better to postpone the meeting until after the meeting of the American Medical Society. Consequently, the time of holding the meeting was changed from the first Tuesday in June to the third Tuesday, 1877, and due notice was given the delegates of the change.

Early on Tuesday morning, June 19, 1877, there had assembled in the center room of the Methodist Episcopal iden a fair representation of the various county societies, and by 12 o'clock there were in attendance thirty-eight physicians and three medical students. Rey. Mr. Witmer, having been invited to act as chaplain, was present, and proceeded to act in that capacity.

Committees on constitution and organiZation and officers pro tem. were appointed. By 1 o'clock P. M., the reports of committees were received and read, and permanent officers elected. The committee, in reporting the constitution, had left blank the name and title of the society. Several names were proposed and discussed - among others, "The Union Medical Association.of Northeastern Indiana," "The Indiana District Medical Society." Dr. Kemper moved that it be named the " Delaware District Medical Society.' The Doctor did not wish it to be understood that he was partial to Delaware County. Dr. Lomax, of Marion, said no one could object' to the name, as, when hearing it, he would not think of Delaware ope but understand it to refer to the aborigines - ''Injuns." By 2 o'clock, the organization was perfected, and they adjourned to the Kirby House in a body for dinner. At the banquet the following toasts and responses were made:

At the close of the banquet, a short service was held, after which they adjourned to meet at Winchester, Ind. The Committee on Organization was composed of the following gentlemen: John E. Markle, J. A. Ransom, 8. F. Brunt, H. D. Reasoner, R. P. Davis, G. D. Leech.

The following is the Committee on Permanent Organization, one from each county: Dr. W. G. Smith, Randolph County; Dr. Davis, Jay County; Dr. William Ransom, Blackford County; Dr. Young, Madison County; Dr. W. J. Boyden, Delaware County. No representation from Grant County.

The second meeting of the society convened in the grand jury room of the court house at Winchester, Randolph County, on the 18th of December, 1877. At this meeting, Dr. Peter Drayer, of Blackford County, and N. T. Chenoweth, G. W. Shepherd, D. Ferguson, William Commons, A. H. Farquhar, L. N. Davis, and A. H. Good, were received as members, and Drs. Hibbard, Weist and McIntyre, of Richmond, were elected honorary members.

The next session was held at the court house, in Hartford City, June 17, 1878, when the following officers were chosen: J. E. Markle, Randolph County, President; W. C. Ransom, Blackford County, Vice Pres ident; G. D. Leech, of Delaware County, Secretary; G. W. H. Kemper, of Delaware County, Treasurer; R. P. Davis, Jay County, T. J. Bowles, Delaware County, and Dr. H. D. Reasoner, Grant County, Censors.

The fourth session was held at Marion, Grant County, December 17, 1878, a half-yearly meeting. The fifth session was held at the Presbyterian Church in Anderson, June 24, 1879, at which the following officers were elected: W.A. Hunt, Madison County, President; J.S. Shively, Grant County, Vice President; G. D. Leech, Delaware County, Secretary; G. W. H. Kemper, Delaware County, Treasurer; Peter Drayer, Blackford County, William Commons, Randolph County, R. P. Davis, Jay County, Censors.

At this meeting, a resolution was passed declaring in favor of a State Board of Health, which should investigate relative to the lives and health of the people of the State - of local boards in the several townships of the counties of the State, for hygienic purposes.