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HomeMy WebLinkAboutUntitled (4)The first record of the fore - runner of the Brazos - Robertson Counties Society was published in 1896. This was found in the Texas Medical Journal and was a meeting of the Brazos Valley Medical Association held in Hearne on May 12th and 13th, 1896 and was called to order by Dr. H.W. Cummings of Hearne. In the account of the meeting physicians were listed from Milam, Robertson and Brazos Counties. Thirty charter members were at this meeting. The next record of the association was listed in Transactions of the State Medical Association of Texas in 1902 which named the societies in affilia- tion. The secretary was Dr. H.B. Briggs of Easterly, Robertson County and the membership was 125. The last recorded meeting of the Brazos Valley Association was in 1904 which was held in Caldwell with Dr. Briggs as Secretary. In the Journal of May 1903 the Robertson County was named as being in the Eleventh or Eastern District and also in the Twelfth or Central District. In 1904, the Brazos County Society was listed with Dr. J.M. Nicks, Stone City as President and Dr. P.M. Raysor of Bryan as Secretary. This listed the Robertson County separately with Dr. W.S. Parker, Calvert president and Dr. W.B. Briggs, Easterly as secretary. In some material sent to Dr. Frank Anderson from the Texas State Medical Library in Austin there is a photostatic copy of the application for charter by the Brazos County Society dated April 8, 1904, listing Dr. Nicks as President, and Dr. Raysor as Secretary. This application was approved by Dr. Sam Burrougns, Councilor, District 11 and on the back of the appli- cation there was a note authorizing the charter signed by H.B. Decherd, Secretary of the Board of Councillors on April 23, 1904. In the Texas State Journal of Medicine in April 1903 there was a note that the Brazos County Society was recently chartered which ante -dated the above. This note listed Dr. George F. Lee, Wellborn, as Pres- ident, Dr. R.J. Hunnicutt as Secretary- Treasurer, Dr. Otto Ehlinger, Dr. R.H. Harrision, A.L. Mondrich, G.W. Emory, John B. Gerino, and W.H. Oliver as mem- bers. The society was listed in District number 10 or the Southeast District. The next record was in June 1920 listing the two Counties separately. In volume 16, July 1920 under Society News there was an item of the two societies meeting in joint sessions and voting to combine. The officers elected were Dr. H.W. Cummings, Hearne, Pres- ident, Dr. W.B. Cline, Bryan, Vice President, Dr. L.O. Wilkerson, Secretary- Treasurer, Dr. J.W. Black, Delegate and Drs. C.A. Searcy, Bryan, W.S. Parker, Calvert, and J.W. Black, Bryan as Board of Censors. In January, 1921 this consolidation was approved as had been anticipated. The Board of Councilors, Texas State Medical Association granted permission for the House of Delegates to change the society from the 9th to the 12th District. In going over the early history of the society it is interesting to note the vast change in the meth- ods of practice. The early members lived and prac- ticed in rural areas, and communities. These commu- nities have largely disappeared. For example, Wheelock, Nesbit, Wellborn, Easterly and Milano have very little more than a filling station or small store or two. Some have retained their Post Offices. This change of course, is due to improved transportation, and communication. The saddle bag days were replaced by the horse and buggy, later the Model T Ford, and improved roads. Instead of going to the patient's home, they began coming to the office of the physician which was usually paid for by drug stores. Later hos- pitals were opened. The first hospital in Bryan, other than Dr. Fountain's sanitarium as previously mentioned, was the original Bryan Hospital owned and operated in 1914 by Dr. W.H. Oliver. There was no organized staff, however, the doctors doing major surgery at that time were permitted to use the hospital. Besides Dr. Oliver, Drs. Bill Simms, J.W. Black, and Dr. Hunnicutt had patients from time to time. A Dr. May McAdams, a pathologist, had a laboratory in the hos- pital. In 1930 Drs. L.O. Wilkerson and Claude A. Searcy started a building to be used as a hospital and of- fices, but before its completion Dr. Searcy died, and Dr. T.T. Walton, Sr. took his place. Dr. Sid Perry who limited his practice to Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat work, occupied an office in their building.