Happy Doctor's Day!

Please join us in wishing our medical staffs a Happy Doctor’s Day.

The Origin of Doctors’ Day

Eudora Brown Almond was reared in the small Georgia village of Fort Lamar, and from early childhood was greatly impressed with the selfless devotion of the medical profession’s humanitarian service to mankind. She always carried in her heart fond memories of the gentle kindness of her family physician whose skill and understanding endeared him to his patients as both a beloved doctor and a revered friend.

Because of her affinity for the medical profession, Eudora Brown was destined to become a doctor’s wife. In 1920, she married Dr. Charles B. Almond and moved to Winder, Ga., where they made their home. Their happy and busy life together, serving their fellow men, was the guiding spirit that influenced her idea for a doctors’ day.

As she walked through the years beside her husband, sharing the dedication of his life to the practice of medicine, the charity and courage, and love and sacrifices in his daily ministry of healing humanity’s ills, Mrs. Almond became convinced that medicine is the greatest profession on earth, and doctors, the greatest heroes. This respect and appreciation of the noble achievements of the profession inspired her to present to her local Auxiliary the idea of having a day on which to honor the practitioners of the Medical Arts. The suggestion met with immediate approval and the Auxiliary adopted the following resolution in 1933:

"Whereas, the Auxiliary to the Barrow County Medical Society wishes to pay lasting tribute to her Doctors, therefore, be it,

"Resolved by the Auxiliary to the Barrow County Medical Society, that March 30, the day that famous Georgian, Dr. Crawford W. Long, first used ether anesthesia in surgery, be adopted as ‘Doctors’ Day,’ the object to be the well-being and honor of the profession, its observance demanding some act of kindness, gift or tribute in remembrance of the Doctors."

The first Doctors’ Day observance ever held was by the Barrow County Auxiliary on March 30, 1933. The Auxiliary mailed cards to the doctors and their wives. Flowers were placed on graves of the deceased doctors including that of Dr. Crawford W. Long. The ceremonies concluded with an elegant four-course dinner at the spacious home of Dr. and Mrs. William Randolph with appropriate toasts, tributes and responses, and the hope that hereafter, Doctors’ Day would continue to be observed on March 30 of each year.

When suggesting that physicians be honored, Mrs. Almond originally had in mind only the Winder and Barrow Country doctors. Little did she realize, when at last the cherished dream she carried within her heart for so many years became a reality, that it would include doctors in all parts of this country and across the seas as well. Our neighbors to the south of us in Cuba also celebrate a day in honor of the men and women fashioned after our Day of Commemoration.

And so, out of the gratitude of a little girl for her kindly family physician, and from the loving heart of a doctor’s wife, so justly proud of her husband whose work was his glory, emerged a most beautiful tribute to the medical profession—Doctors’ Day!


The Red Carnation is the Symbol of Doctors' Day

Red denotes:
Love -- Charity -- Sacrifice -- Bravery -- Courage

The analogy of the carnation is closely woven in medical science, so it is only fitting that this flower, so tailored by nature with its spicy scent, was
chosen as the symbol of Doctors’ Day.