November, 1940 [THE BULLETIN] Page Five
To The JxLemory of Dr. LeRoy Long
DR. L. S. WILLOUR
(At the Annual Banquet of the Oklahoma County Medical Association for the
President of the American Medical Association held Monday, October 29, during the
Clinical Society meeting, the following eulogy to the memory of Dr. LeRoy Long was.
given by Dr. L. S. Willour, Secretary of the Oklahoma State Medical Association.—
Editor.)
A great physician, a noble character, a loyal friend has fallen, and I feel
intensely my inadequacy to present a proper eulogy.
Were I a preacher looking for a text upon which to base a sermon on the
subject of the ideal physician, I would feel that I have in the life and works of
Dr. LeRoy Long, the fullness of a text personified.
Beginning as a country doctor in Indian Territory forty-five years ago,
with all the hardships and discomforts of the pioneering physician, this man
grew to true leadership in his profession, not only in this state, but in the
nation..
Organized medicine, in what is now Oklahoma, began on the east side of
the State, and Dr. Long was intimately connected with its development, having
served in various offices, both in the district and territorial societies. He was
one of the committee from Indian Territory who developed the arrangements for
amalgamation with the Oklahoma Territorial Society.
After the formation of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, he became
a member of the Council, later dignifying the office of the Presidency.
His wise council has often been sought and accepted by organized medicine
in this state, and he invariably has stood for the things that were right, irrespective of any extraneous influence. His judicious mind and his high ethical
standards were always the basis for sound conclusions.
His professional ability has been recognized by not only the profession of
this state where he labored and taught, but he shared his wealth of knowledge
with the profession of distant states where he appeared on many scientific
programs.
No doubt the master accomplishment of his career was the development ot
our medical school. Dr. Long became Dean in 1919, and year by year the school
advanced until its rank was comparable with the older and leading medical
schools of the nation. This did not just happen, but was the result of effective
organization and administration. Here, too, he had the opportunity to give
of his professional knowledge to his students. He was a wonderful teacher, as
can be attested by many of us who sat at his feet to catch the words of wisdom
that fell from his lips.
His guidance was not only along scientific lines, as he taught all with whom
he came in contact by precept and example, a high standard of ethics, and a
righteous mode of living.
His membership with medical organizations, both active and honorary, were
many, and to these he gave much in service. In his passing there will be a void
that cannot readily be filled, however with this loss in mind, we who survive,
must all work the more diligently to carry the torch that has fallen from his
hands.
God grant that we may develop men to carry on his work!
And now, Mr. Toastmaster, may I ask that we stand for a moment of reverent silence in honor to the memory of—DR. LEROY LONG.
