HENDRICKS COUNTY INDIANA
(Transcribed from the Book History Of Hendricks County Indiana 1914)

THE MEDICAL PROFESSION

    The medical profession in Hendricks county had its beginning before the organization of the county, for of all the professions in which man is engaged that of medicine is the first demanded. True it is that great progress has been made in the science since its introduction into Hendricks county, but nevertheless, the early patient probably had as much confidence in the methods of the pioneer physician as the present day patient has in the most advanced methods. Trust and dread did occasionally go hand in hand in administration of the first doctor's treatment. There was the lancet, to take from the patient all the blood he could spare and still live, hoping thereby to destroy the tenement of the demon disease and force him to seek some other abode. Another indispensable remedy was, "the Spanish fly blister," which was applied on the same theory, indiscriminately upon adult and child. Calomel and blue pills were common remedies for most diseases determined by the doctor's diagnosis, and a sure remedy when the doctor's diagnosis left uncertainty in his mind. To work out of the human system the calomel and blue pills, after they had done their savage work, gamboge, castor oil and senna, one or all of them, were freely administered. The accepted theory of the profession at that early day was if the patient survived the first course, it was soon repeated until the patient, in the opinion of the doctor, was only suffering from the remedies. The surgeon in those early days of frontier life ranked with the skilled carpenter and blacksmith. In fact, the former made the doctor's splints and other appliances of wood, and the latter made his operative cutlery, forceps and other implements of steel.
    If the physician in those early days, with his multiplied trials to contend with and groping in the darkness, could become enthusiastic in his efforts to carry conviction to others, what might be his exulting joy now, since the light of intervening years of scientific progress and investigation has so changed the theory of disease and remedies. Both medicine and surgery have made greater progress in harmony with scientific truth in the last half century than during all previous history. Medicine, however, with its component sciences and surgery, is not alone in this rapid and wonderful progress, which is world wide, but there has been a general awakening in the world of thought during this recent period, discovering and inventing the most wonderful aids to modern life. We can but marvel when we endeavor to tabulate the innumerable lists. This revolution has placed medicine, as a profession, a long way on the road of science. As nature, with its most intricate vital forces, is the superior physician and first in charge of every case of human disability, the present doctor is now on such friendly terms with nature that he lends rational assistance to his superior and thereby gives most welcome aid to the afflicted.
On the 29th day of April, 1854, the medical society of Hendricks county was organized at Danville.
The doctors signing the constitution were Henry G. Todd, D. J. Depew, J. A. Comingor, David Todd, Risdon C. Moore, Henry H. Moore, Thomas P. Seller, Wilson Lockhart, J. Joel Wright, Leroy H. Kennedy, Thomas B. Harvey, Henry Cox, B. Bartholomew and W. F. Harvey. Henry G. Todd was elected the first president; Wilson Lockhart, vice president; J. Joel Wright, secretary; Leroy H. Kennedy, corresponding secretary; Henry Cox, treasurer; Thomas B. Harvey, Bradley Bartholomew, Henry H. Moore, censors
.
The constitution was as follows:
"We, the undersigned practitioners of medicine and surgery in the county of Hendricks and vicinity, for the purpose of promoting harmony and good fellowship, and of elevating the cause of medical and collateral science, associate ourselves under the following constitution:
"Article 1. This association shall be denominated the Hendricks County Medical Society.
"Article 2. The officers of this society shall consist of a president, vice president, recording secretary, corresponding secretary, treasurer and three censors, all of whom shall be elected by ballot, annually, and each officer shall serve until his successor is duly installed into office.,
"Article 3. Any regular and reputable practitioner of medicine may become a member of this society, by signing the constitution, paying into the treasury two dollars, and complying with such other regulations as may be hereafter provided by law.
"Article 4. Any distinguished literary gentleman may become an honorary member of this society, by a vote of two thirds of the members present at any regular meeting; provided that notice to that effect had been given at any previous meeting of the society.
"Article 5. The society shall have power to form a library and a cabinet of specimens, in the various departments of natural science, and pathological specimens and illustrations, both from the donations of individuals and other societies, and by levying taxes and fines, agreeable to the regulations which may be hereafter provided by law.
"Article 6. This society may open a correspondence with similar associations in this state and such others as it may from time to time direct.
"Article 7. This society shall meet at such times and places and engage in such deliberations as may from time to time be agreed upon, and may enact by-laws for its government, not inconsistent with this constitution.
"Article 8. The society may admit honorary members upon compliance of the applicant with the same forms as are prescribed for the admission of bona fide members, except that no initiatory fee shall be required. He shall not be permitted to vote, nor shall he participate in any of the proceedings, except by express permission of the society.
"Article 9. One third of all the members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but on all subjects involving the rights, interests or standing of any member, a majority of all the members shall be present.
"Article 10. This constitution may be amended at any stated meeting of the society, by a vote of two thirds of the members present; provided, the amendment has been proposed, in writing, at a previous meeting."

PROGRESS  OF  SOCIETY

    The society continued from year to year until the opening of the Civil War, when, most of the members having enlisted, so few were left to hold meetings that they were discontinued until the year 1866, when the times for its regular meetings, specified in its by-laws, were observed, and have been ever since.
    At the annual meeting of the State Medical Society, in 1872, as a basis on which to organize this society under the statute relating to voluntary associations, passed resolutions providing for the incorporation of county medical societies. It was not, however, until the annual meeting of 1875 that the requisite number, twelve counties, reported to the secretary of the state society. The state society, now having adopted the delegate system of representation from incorporated auxiliary county societies, the Hendricks County Medical Society, at one of its regular meetings, in the year 1875, changed its constitution, as was thought, to comply with the state society. The delegates  from the Hendricks county society were admitted at the annual state meeting in 1876. However, the constitution of the Hendricks society was defective in regard to its seal. When this fact became known, most of the physicians of the county who were not members of this society organized a new society, and, as a result, at the annual state meeting in 1877 there were two sets of delegates, each claiming to represent the Hendricks County Medical Society. The committee appointed to straighten out the matter took cognizance of the fact that the old society in Hendricks had acted on good faith and the mistakes in the constitution were not voluntary; therefore they allowed the old society to continue, after that trouble had been remedied and the constitution rewritten.
    Before 1890 the physicians who had been enrolled upon the books of the society were T. J. Adams, B. Bartholomew, J. T. Barker, J. H. Brill, J. A. Comingor, Henry Cox, Amos Carter, D. J. Depew, A. Davidson, T. F. Dry den, M. F. Depew, C. R. Dixon, J. A. Eastman, T. Evans, Thomas E. Ellis, F. C. Ferguson, C. E. Farabee, J. N. Green, Thomas C. Graham, Thomas B. Harvey, W. F. Harvey, W. J. Hoadley, A. Heavenridge, G. H. F. House, G. K. Hurt, L. H. Kennedy, Wilson Lockhart, W. T. Lawson, H. H. Moore, R. C. Moore, B. Mendenhall, J. W. Mansbridge, J. H. Orear, J. A. Osborne, J. H. Oscar, M. G. Parker, J. S. Ragan, Thomas R. Seller, F. W. Smith, H. C. Summers, J. T. Strong, H. G. Todd, David Todd, R. C. Talbott, J. J. Wright, J. F. White, C. A. White.

PRESENT- DAY PHYSICIANS

In the list of present-day physicians, as compiled by the state society, the following are serving their profession in Hendricks county:
George G. Allred, Joel T. Barker, Thomas R. Barker, Thomas J. Beasley, W. J. Hoadley, F. H. Huron, Wilson T. Lawson, W. M. O'Brien, Mary A. Soper, Charles A. Underwood, Charles A. White, of Danville; A. P. W. Bridges, Amos Carter, Ernest Cooper, John S. Ragan, James C. Stafford, Clarkson B. Thomas, of Plainfield; M. W. Brooks, A. K. Gilbert, R. E. Jones, D. Monroe Reynolds, of Clayton; James P. Cope, of Bridge­port; A. W. Davidson, John L. Marsh, A. E. Rhein, Thomas G. Smith, of Brownsburg; John S. French, William H. Harrison, E. F. King, Oscar T. Scamahorn, William H. Terrell, of Pittsboro; Alexander Hamilton, of Cartersburg; John D. Hendricks, of Lizton; Leora F. Hicks, Benjamin F. Little, Thomas J. O'Brien, of Stilesville; Charles F. Hope, Stephen Hunt, U. S. Wright, of Coatesville; Maria A. Jessup, of Friendswood; Charles A. Mc-Clure, of Belleville; B. M. O'Brien, of New Winchester; E. R. Royer, Oscar H. Wiseheart, of North Salem; H. C. Summers, W. H. White, of Amo; Frederick N. Wright, of Hazelwood.

FIRST PHYSICIANS

The first doctor in the town of Danville was Doctor Garrett. No data is available as to his practice here. Doctor Collins was an early comer to Eel River township. James H. Heady was one of the first in North Salem. R. C. Moore and L. H. Kennedy were the first practitioners in Belleville. In Stilesville there was Jonathan N. Green; in Clayton, Doctor Lyon and C. T. Lawrence; in New Winchester, William Robbins and T. T. Brazier. T. P. Burk was an early doctor in Lizton. In Pittsboro and Middle town­ship the first physicians were Doctors Witty, Hoadley and Cloud. They were practitioners of the allopathic school.
Return To The Main Index