Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

MEMORIAL DA Y SET ASIDE FOR JAMES M. SIMS NOVEMBER 13 IS THE DAY Story of WIfe and Work Given Bronze Statue in City of New York J. Marion Sims was one of the great est physicans in the history of the United States and his name is a credit to South Carolina. Many sons and daughters of the state feel that we are not giving enough credit to this man of whom South Carolina should be so proud. Therefore, many persons ire trying to arouse interest in Sims, and November 13 has been set aside as Sims Memorial day. At the request of the Woman's Medical Auxiliary of South Carolina, through Dr. L. T. Bak er and Professor Babcock, The Game cock is printing below a short story of the life and work of J. Marion Sims. James Marion Sims was born in Lancaster, South Carolina, on Jani ary 25, 1813, was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts from the College of South Carolina in 1832. He then entered the Charleston Medical College, but was graduated from the Jefferson Medical College of Philadel phia in 1835. Like greatest of all Physi cfans, Sims was of seemingly rather obscure origin, though the blood of col onists and patriots of the highest ideals and noblest courage flowed in his veins. Dr. Sims began the practice of medi cine in Lancaster, S. C. He met with 1'ttle success and moved in 1835 to Mount Meigs, Alabama, where he re mained for two years. During this time he returned to Lancaster and married Miss Jones, the niece of his preceptor with whom lie had been in love since he was eleven and she eight. This proved to be an ideally happy match. The Simses were driven from Mount . e'gs by vicious attacks of delitating and pernicious malaria from which the doctor was a great sufferer. He went from place to place in search of health and finally settled in Montgomery, Ala bania, in 1840. Though he had no source of income other than his pract ice, this in time became large and lu crat've, though to the end of his life he always had a long list of charity patients. Sims was the first man in the South to operate upon and successfully treat club foot. He was also the first man that ever performed an operation for stabisnius or cross-eyes. The discovery that brought Dr. Sims into great prominence was the cure of vesico-vaginal fistula. He labored for four long trying years to find a way to relieve these poor sufferers before he finally succeeded. He toiled on in spite of discourage nients and failures until lie finally suc ceeded in curing by surgery this loath some and dread condition that had nev er been healed before. Marion Sims was one of the great est physicans and surgeons of all time. When he began the practice of med' cine surgery was crude and in its in fancy.. While living and toiling in Mont gomery, Alabama, Dr. Baldwin was his friend. He said of him," That he was handsome and majest'c, zealous, ener getic and plucky. He was often criti cized because of the petty jealousies engendered by his great popularity and success. But when these ill natured re marks were brought to his ears it nev er made the slightest difference in his feelings or deportment toward his de tractors. Truly he lived upon a lofty plane and we would all do well to emu late his example.". Failing health and a desire to make his discoveries known to the world caused Dr. Sinms to remove to New York in 1853. Here he struggled with bitter poverty and ill health and suf CHEER UP* FREE BROS. DR' Cleaners 1117 Gervais Street Columbia, S< fered from the jealousy of some of the members of his profession, though a few stood loyally by him. Some of the prominent women of New York rallied to his assistance and nobly aided him. They greatly helped by their influence and money to enable him to realize his cherished dream of founding a woman's hospital in New York where the rich and poor alike could be treated. It is proof of the great genius and magnetism of Dr. S'ms that he, a perfect stranger, ham pered by poverty, timidity and illness succeeded in obtaining from the New York Legislature the sum of $50,000.00 to assist in building the hospital. He also received large donations from people whom he had interested. He in duced the City Fathers to grant the land on which the hospital now stands. Dr. Sims went abroad in 1861. He was as famous and useful in Europe as he had been- in America. "In 1870 while in Paris he aided in organizing the Anglo-American ambulance corps for service with the French army in the field during the Franco-Prussian war. He was surgeon in chief at the battle of Sedan. He rendered great and efficient aid to both the French and Prussians." Dr. Sims was chosen president of the American Medical Association in 1876. This was the highest honor that could be conferred upon him by his profes sional brethren. His son says that in February, 1877, he revisited for the last time the place of his birth in Lancaster, S. C. He goes on to say that in 1865 Gen. W. Tecumseh Sherman passer over that section of country. The name Tecum seh was a forecast of his military car eer-the name of a blood-thirsty In dian savage. The flames of defenseless cities and villages, the smoking ashes of homesteads and school houses were the monuments of his march through South Carolina. Dr. Sims forwarded from France 5000 francs to rel'eve the suf fering of his people. He subsequently added a sum which provided a stately mansion and sixty acres of land to care for the helpless indigent. On November 13, 1883, Dr. Marion Sims died. He had lived the life of a simple and consistent Christian. In New York City in Bry ant's Park stands a noble bronze stat ue of this great South Carolinian-this benefactor of mankind, especially wom en-kind. In almost every little village in South Carolina there are monuments to the men who went to war, and so far as I know not even a tablet to the memory of this great healer of man kind whose achievements cast such lus tre upon his native state. "It is pride in the traditions of the past and in the struggles and accom plishments of the great men gone by that the rock upon which the self-con scious spirit, self-respect, the nation al pride of republics and kingdoms rest. It is the soul, the life element of pat riotism.'' Even barbarians have pride in the great ones of their race and do them honor. The medical profession undertook to ra'se the money to erect a fitting me morial to Dr. Sims in his native state They failed. Is it not eminently fitting that the women, who today owe sc much of their relief from suffering tc him who toiled so long and patientl) that they might have health and happ5 ness, should be the ones to take ui this work and carry it on to comple tion? If they determined that a me morial to Sims shall be erected in the dear old Palmetto State, I have sc much faith in the ability and zeal oi my sex that I believe that it' will no1 be long before we will prove to the world that the women of South Caro l'na appreciate and honor her noble sons. We would greatly honor our selves in honoring Marion Sims "whos4 niame shall be forever bright when sut and stars are set in night." *-CLEAN UP ( CLEANING CO. a*nd Dyers Phones 8105-83106 mUth Carolina Governor McLeod to Speak at "Y" Meet South Carolina's Chief Executive to Address Y Men for First Time Governor Thomas G. McLeod will address those present at the Y meet. ing Sunday night, taking as his sub ject-that of next Tuesday night's Bible Discussion, the choosing of a life work. During his four years as chief ex ecutive, Governor McLeod has not heretofore spoken at a Y meeting. The students at Carolina are, therefore, be ing offered a unique opportunity and it is expected that a large number will take advantage of the chance to hear the state's foremost orator. The meeting will be held, as usual, in chapel and will begin at seven o'clock sharp. The speech of the gov ernor will be preceded by special music and the usual extra features. SYLVAN BROS. JEWELERS AND DIAMOND MERCHANTS Most Complete Stock of Sterlina Silver Prize Cups in the Ca tolinas! Class Rings, and Pins, of the bet ter kind, made up to suit your own ideas. Come in and let's get ac quainted. 1500 Main St. Columbia, S. C. an Old G of t) Class '04 PRINCE ALBERT nearly twenty years . and outstand up to the first and j the goods! T he se duced no finer toba Just buy yourse) tamp a load flush jimmy-pipe. Con that first wonderfi tobacco can come pipe-quality. Cool as a dorn extra cut. Fragrax can't bite your tc -another importa Prince Albert toc bring you so muec IRINE --no ot he2 TheSlickestCoato No wn cllleip witp. It..t heoaroi ha correcteandthme'.noth . mAt Alor l o Cach Bwsatherandd-yday1M Mad of fazo ylow wams prof oled Dc.HsalyS ouiaon cola, andesw tic at wrist.sv l Ridewary, innsby oro,hest The "Standard i uden ta N made only by the Standard Oiled all Co., N.Y. Fl slip one ona at At All Good Catch Bus at Canteen-15 Mir TRAVEL BY Daily ?S Columbia, Camden, Kershaw, L yulle, Hartsville, Darlington, F Ridgeway, Winsboro, Chest Johnston, Aiken, Augusta, N Greenville, St. Matthews, Orai yulle, Barnwell, Allendale, Faii HAYES BUS 1800 Main Street rad' ofa withpthe ouzintofth orold ngBecauwthe Pach And easre hl of texerienc tha ro-he wicthn mefthis frshe hitory radiator. Sweet as an it as a peach-orchard. P. A. >ngue or parch your throat int detail. Get yourself some lay. No other tobacco can Ia downright smoke-pleasure. E ALBERT tobacco is like it! mtheCampus! Dealers utes Before Each Schedule IOTOR BUS 'rvice ancaster, Charlotte, Bishop lorence, Sumter, Kingstree, er, Rock Hill, Batesburg, ewherry, Clinton, Laurens, igeburg, Charleston, Black -fax. LINES, INC. Phone 8788 I~ 40 'II Nr.L i ,',w .eE