Blair County's Doctors Have One of the Oldest Organizations in This Section.
NOT ONE OF ITS CHARTER MEMBERS LIVING
Following is the eleventh in a series of articles on the history of local societies:
To have been in existence for sixty-three years is the wonderful record of the Blair County Medical society. It is one of the very oldest of Blair county associations and is by far the oldest of any that has been treated in the Tribune's history series so far.
This society was organized on December 26, 1848, in Hollidaysburg, in the days when the Old Portage road was thriving and when the old men of the present day were mere children. Not one of the men who met and formed the society is still in the land of the living. Not one of the men that was present was an Altoonan. In fact, there was no Altoona then. The society was formed in the dear old balmy days when Hollidaysburg was the chief point of interest in the county of Blair and when the great future that lay before a town to be founded nearby in 1850 was not dreamed of.
The gentlemen that formed the Blair county Medical society were: Dr. John D. Ross, of Williamsburg; Dr. F. C. Bloom, of Martinsburg; Dr. John Getty, of Martinsburg; Dr. H. T. Coffee, of Hollidaysburg; Dr. R. W. Christy, of Hollidaysburg; Dr. William R. Finley, of Frankstown; Dr. A. Roderigue, of Hollidaysburg, and Dr. James Coffee, of Hollidaysburg. These gentlemen met in the office of Dr. Christy in Hollidaysburg, and elected Dr. James Coffee president and Dr. H. T. Coffee, secretary. The doctors organized for the purpose of giving one another the benefit of their experience and knowledge. At their regular meeting, a paper was always read by one of the members and the physicians were able in this manner to keep abreast of what was latest and best in their profession. This practice has been carried down to the present day and papers are read at the society's meetings in the University club house every month. The meetings are always well attended and the papers are followed with interest.
The medical society has not only kept the physicians acquainted with what is new in their profession, but It has given them all the other advantages that organization brings. It has enabled them to keep better acquainted with one another, and has also offered them social advantages not to be obtained without a society.
The public also has been the gainer by this association. It has always, been on the alert to give the advantage of its skill and experience to the public, as is now proved by the great interest being taken in the certified milk crusade on the part of the society, which has gone on record as being in favor of the certified lacteal fluid and has appointed a committee to formulate rules to be followed by the dairymen who desire to serve this milk.
The society is, by no means an association for Altoona alone. In fact, it has a Bellwood physician as its president. The membership consists for the most part of Altoonans, but in the ranks are men from every section of the county.
The Blair County Medical society is a branch of the State Medical association, which is exactly as old as the local society, having been organized in 1848. Membership in the local organization makes one a member of the state branch. The State Medical society has always been a power for great good in the commonwealth.
Two Blair county doctors have been honored with the presidency of the state organization - Dr. John D. Ross, of Williamsburg, in 1864, and Dr. Crawford Irwin, of Hollidaysburg, in 1876. Dr. Ross was about 93 years old when he died and was an active factor in the growth of the county society.
The whole county has been directly benefited by the organization of its doctors. They have gained many good ideas as the result of their organization, and have put these principles into practice in treating their patients. It is doubtful if any other association in the county has been able to distribute the fruits of Its organization so broadcast as have the physicians.
The Blair County Medical society was organized in Hollidaysburg and met there for twelve years, but since 1860 nearly all of its meetings have been held in the Mountain City. The abandonment of the old plane and incline railroad that used to run over the Alleghenies, which made Hollidaysburg a place of great importance, coupled with the building of the new road that was destined to make a big railroad town out of Altoona, caused the growing village of Altoona to get the majority of physicians, slowly but surely, and it was necessary to hold the meetings here rather than in Hollidaysburg.
The society has grown greatly and now numbers seventy-five. Its present officers are: President, Dr. B. B. Levengood; first vice president, Dr. J. D. Findley; second vice president, Dr. W. L. Lowrie; secretary, Dr. Charles F. McBurney; corresponding secretary, Dr. F. H. Bloomhardt; treasurer, Dr. William S. Ross; censors, Dr. Charles Long. Dr. J. E. Smith and Dr. W. A. Nason.
The Blair County Medical society until not many years ago had a thriving rival in Altoona, in the Academy of Medicine. The Academy was a progressive organization, which carried on the same work as the Blair County Medical society. For a long time it was one of the city's most active organizations, but the hand of time slowly but surely gripped its throat and the Academy has now passed into memories.
While its greatest rival has passed, there is little danger that the Blair County Medical society will discontinue. The Academy was purely a local organization, while the Blair County Medical society is connected with the state society of physicians.
Altoona Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Thursday, October 26, 1811, page 5