DR. E. J. BYRD

A Camden physician who begins his second term in the Arkansas Senate with the convening of the Arkansas general assembly next week, will be the oldest legislator in years in the two bodies. Here is his history:

Dr. Edward Jones Byrd was born in a log house on a little farm on May 20, 1875, in Jackson Township, Calhoun County near Hampton, Arkansas. He attended public schools in the county. One summer between school terms he was deputy sheriff (at the time the late Dick Cone was sheriff and Newton Means was county and circuit clerk). The last of his schooling was at Woodberry Normal. After teaching school five years in the county he entered the University of Tennessee Medical School, Memphis, Tennessee (Memphis Hospital Medical College) in 1902.

He first began his practice before graduation, and at that time was examined by the county medical board and obtained license to practice until 1903. The board members were Dr. W. B. Jones of Summerville (now known as Harrell), Dr. C. B. Dunn of Woodberry, Dr. Sadler of Thornton.

Dr. Byrd obtained state license to practice medicine in 1903, and passed the state board again in 1921, in order that he might have Reciprocity License in the states that granted them.

Dr. Byrd has been a member of the Ouachita County Medical Society, and Arkansas Medical Society since 1904. He is also a member of the American Medical Association. He was elected president of the Fifth District Medical Society in 1939. He is a former president of the Ouachita County Medical Society. He is a member of the staff of both the Camden and Ouachita County Hospitals.

He is a deacon in the First Baptist Church of Camden, and was president of the Men's Bible Class for three years. He is a member of the Camden's Lion's Club, Woodmen of the World, and is a 32nd degree mason.

Mr. Byrd did his first practice on horseback. He wore a slicker coat to protect him from the cold in the winter. Many times the coat was so frozen when he took it off that it could be stood on the porch.

Some of the first surgery done in the home was to make a newborn baby a rectum in order that it might live. In another instance, he removed a part of a crushed skull on the forehead where the brains were coming out. Thinking the patient would soon die, he merely closed the wound without putting in a silver plate. Following this case from 1905 to 1951, the last time he saw the patient, he was living a normal life, and the opening of about 1 3/4 inches had closed. As there was no glucose available, the patient was fed broth per rectum.

He delivered babies in the home. At one time, within three months, he delivered three sets of twins on one street in a little mill town.

After moving to Ouachita County in 1904, his closest professional friends were the late Dr. J. T. Henry, and his son, Dr. Hugh H. Henry, Dr. J. M. Mahan of Bearden, Dr. J. S. Rhinehart, Dr. N. S. Word, Dr. J. W. Meek, Dr. Hudson, Dr. W. L. Newtort of Camden, and his close friends that are now living, Dr. C. S. Early and Dr. T. E. Rhine of Thornton.

After the passing of Dr. Hugh H. Henry he became associated with Dr. R. B. Robins of Camden in 1926, and has maintained an association and office in Robins Clinic until the present time. The professional association of Dr. Robins and Dr. Byrd has been very close and friendly through all these years.

Dr. Byrd has always taken an active interest in politics. In 1951, his close political friends insisted that he enter the race for state senator. He entered the race and carried his district, composed of both Ouachita and Columbia Counties by a large majority. Only a few days after the general election he fell and fractured his right leg near the hip and also his right arm. Two months later he rolled into the Senate in a wheel chair.

He was reelected without opposition last summer.

Dr. Byrd says that being state senator is an expensive honor, but that the friends he has made means more to him than the office could ever pay.

Dr. Byrd is the father of six children, all living.

Dr. Byrd has for a number of years been connected with the lumber business having been medical director of the Garland Anthony interests. At one time he practiced medicine for five sawmills ranging from six to 50 miles. He is also interested in lumber properties with Mr. Anthony, well known Bearden man.

Dr. Byrd has banking interests also, being a director of the First National Bank of Fordyce. He also owns and operates a farm but his great hobby has always been politics.