History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 160

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1464

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 160

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1876, he went to Europe for rest and study. In 1862 he was, for some months, at the front as volunteer surgeon. He was city physician for several of his first years in Worcester; a member of the School Board, and, for fourteen years, physician to the county jail. He was one of the original trustces of the Memorial Hospital under Mr. Washburn's will, and surgeon at the City Hospital from the beginning. He died after a short illness, April 17, 1880, aged fifty- five years. Though at his death he had barely passed middle life, and in aspect and manner younger than his years, he stood in the very first rank of Massachu- setts physicians. As a surgeon he was remarkably bold and skillful, and his services were often in de- mand for difficult cases. Working long after he should have rested, he died " in harness," and prema- turely, for his patients-to him his workl.

1851 .- SETH ROGERS, M.D., born in Danby, Vt., February 13, 1823 ; graduated in medicine at Castleton in 1849. He had been previously assistant to Dr. Joel Shew, and was, for two years more, with him in a "hydropathic " establishment in New York City. In 1851 he came to Worcester, and established the Worcester Water Cure, which he maintained for some thirteen years. He gave lectures at the Worcester Medical Institution on hydro-therapeutics in 1850 and 1851, and from 1852 to 1854 studied in Paris, leaving Dr. George Hoyt in charge of the hospital here. In 1858 his health failed, and he spent a year in Brazil and France. From 1859 to 1862 he was again in Worcester. In 1862 he joined Colonel T. W. Higgin- son in South Carolina, and was for a year surgeon of the First Regiment South Carolina (Colored) Volun- teers. In 1864 he left Worcester permanently, ex- pecting to live but a short time, but is now in Pomfret, Ct., where, since 1883, he has received at his house patients suffering from chronic disease. In 1867, and later, he was in practice in Florida in the winter. In Worcester he was in general practice, and while using water extensively, was not a " hydropatlıist."

1851 .- ALBIN J. EATON, M. D., was born in Ashburn- ham June 19, 1809 ; graduated at the school in Pitts- field in 1836, and was in practice in various places in Massachusetts (among others, in Oakham) until 1851, when he came to Worcester. In 1855 he entirely withdrew from the profession.

1852 .- F. H. KELLEY, M.D., was born in New Hamp- ton, N. H., September 9, 1827. He began the study of medicine in Dover in 1847 ; attended lectures in Cin- cinnati, Ohio, and at the Harvard Medical School; came to Worcester in 1851, and graduated from the Worcester Medical Institution in 1852. Soon after he formed a partnership with Dr. Calvin Newton, which lasted until the latter's death the next year. Dr. Kelley was in active practice (somewhat interfered with by his official duties) until 1883, and in 1874 became a member of the Massachusetts Medical Society. In December, 1879, he was elected mayor of Worcester, and re-elected in 1880, having previously served the

city four years in the Common Council and six on the Board of Aldermen. He was a member of the first Board of Trustees of the City Hospital ; was elected presiding officer, and served in this capacity until 1883. From 1877 he was one of the commis- sioners of the "Jacques" and other funds of the hospital, and chairman of the committee.

1852 .- JOUN E. HATHAWAY, M.D., son of Samuel Hathaway, was born in Worcester in 1828. In 1846 he left home to take a position in the apothecary store of Theodore Metcalf & Co., in Boston, and not long after received an appointment as house apothecary to the Massachusetts General Hospital. Here he be- came interested in medical pursuits, and, connecting himself with the Tremont Street Medical School, began the study of medicine. As a student he took high rank, and received the Boylston prize. He was for a few months house physician at the hospital, and gradu- ated from Harvard with the medical class of 1852. In the same year he came to Worcester, and, after the usual struggle of the young doctor, had just acquired a good practice when, in 1859, the first symptoms of the disease from which he afterwards died, ap- peared. Receiving no benefit from either the South or Europe, in April, 1861, he removed to Shrewsbury, to try the effect of an out-door life, but gradually sank, and died January 12, 1862, at the age of thirty-four. He was a member of the Massachu- setts Medical Society, of the Worcester Society for Medical Improvement, and from 1855 to 1858 secre- tary of the District Medical Society.

1854 .- J. MARCUS RICE, M.D., was born in Milford, N.Y., July 31, 1827 ; he graduated in medicine at Cas- tleton, Vt., in 1853, and, after a year spent in the hospitals of London and Paris, opened an office in Worcester. He was for several years city physician, and in 1859 was appointed coroner by Governor Banks, which position he held until the coroner sys- tem was abandoned, since which time he has been "medical examiner" for this district. In 1861 he examined recruits for the Twenty-first Regiment, and went with it as far as Annapolis, but declined a com- mission and returned, to become surgeon of the Twenty-fitth, with which he went to the front Sep- tember 16th. He served throughout the war, and spent the summer of 1865 as health officer to the port of Norfolk. At the battle of Roanoke Island he was wounded in the chest. While on out- post duty near Newbern, N. C., in 1863, he was captured and spent six weeks in Libby Prison. He was succes- sively regimental, brigade and division surgeon, acting medical inspector of the Eighteenth Army Corps, and medical inspector of the Army of the James. At the expiration of his term of enlistment his application to be mustered ont was returned, en- dorsed as follows : "The services of this officer are so valuable that his application is returned in the hope that he will retain his present appointment, with the assurance that he shall be mustered out at any future

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time, should he so desire." Dr. Rice is a member of the American Medical Society of Paris ; of the Mas- sachusetts Medico-Legal Society, and of the Royal Geographical Society of London. He served fifteen years as surgeon to the City Hospital, and is now a member of the consulting board. During 1879-80, and again in 1880-81, he represented Ward Eight in the Legislature.

1855 .- FRANK H. RICE, M.D., born in Rowe, Mass., in 1831, graduated at the Medical School at Wood- stock, Vt., in 1854. From 1857-64 he was assistant physician at the Lunatic Hospital, and from 1864- 71 in general practice in the city. In the latter year he removed to Passaic, N. J., where he still re- mains.

1856 .- JOSEPH N. BATES, M.D., was born in Barre, March 16, 1811, and began the study of medicine with his father, Dr. Anson Bates, of that town, in 1829. He attended lectures at Bowdoin, Me., in Phil- adelphia, and at the Dartmouth Medical School, where he graduated in 1831. For twenty-five years he practised medicine in Barre, and was well and favorably known throughout the whole of that sec- tion of country. In 1856 he came to Worcester, and in 1861 went to the front as surgeon of the Fifteenth Regiment, but was forced by ill health to resign in July, 1862. He remained in Worcester in active practice until his death, February 22, 1883, at the age of seven- ty-two. He was a permanent member of the Ameri- can Medical Association, a member of the Massachu- setts Medical Society, and, in 1857-58 a trustee of the State Lunatic Hospital. A son of Dr. Bates is now in practice in Baltimore.

the American Antiquarian Society, and medical di- rector and vice-president of the State Mutual Life Assurance Company.

1858 .- ANSON HOBART, M.D., A.B. (Williams, 1836), was born in Columbia, N. H., in 1814. He fitted for college at the Meriden Academy. After graduating, he taught school for some years in Free- hold, N. J., and then studied medicine with Dr. Lloyd, of that place. He graduated at Castleton, Vt., in 1843, spent some months in study in New York, and began practice in Southborough, where lie remained fourteen years. In 1858 he came to Wor- cester, where he has since remained.

1858 .- SAMUEL F. HAVEN, JR., M.D., A.B. (Har- vard, 1852), son of Samuel F. Haven, so long librarian of the American Antiquarian Society, was born at Ded- ham May 20, 1831. He studied medicine with Dr. Henry Sargent, and at the Harvard Medical School, from which he graduated in 1855. In the school he took a leading position and received the Boylston prize. One year was spent as house physician in the Massachusetts General Hospital, and two in study in Europe, where he particularly devoted himself to diseases of the eye, visiting London, Paris, Vienna and Berlin. On his return, in 1858, he opened an office in Boston, but soon removed to Worcester. In 1861 he went out as assistant surgeon of the Fif- teenth Regiment, and in July, 1862, was appointed surgeon, on the resignation of Dr. Bates. At the battle of Fredericksburg, December 13th of the same year, he was assigned to hospital duty, but, at his own earnest request, was allowed to go forward with his men, and while caring for the wounded, was so severely injured by a shell that he died on the field four hours later. His death in such a manner, at the age of thirty-one, made a profound impression, and his funeral in Worcester, December 24th, resembled that of some man long in public life. Flags were everywhere at half-mast, the Home Guards performed escort duty, and eight of the oldest physicians in the city acted as bearers.

1856 .- THOMAS H. GAGE, M.D., is the son of Dr. Leander Gage, of Waterford, Me., where he was born May 22, 1826. He studied medicine at the Tremont Street Medical School, in Boston, and at the Harvard Medical School, where he gradu- ated in 1852. He was for one year house-surgeon at the Massachusetts General Hospital. From 1853-56 he practiced in Sterling. In 1856-57 he was assist- ant physician at the State Lunatic Hospital in Wor- 1859 .- PETER E. HUBON, M.D., was born in Ireland about 1833. In 1848 he came to this country, by his own exertions acquired an education, studied medicine and graduated from the Albany Medical School in 1858. He was, for a few months, in practice in Springfield, but in 1859 came to Worcester, where he was the first, and for many years the only, Irish physician. In 1861 he was city physician. He served throughout the war in various regiments, being promoted for efficiency to the position of "Surgeon of Division." He resigned in 1865, and, after spend- ing six months in Europe, resumed practice in Wor- cester, where he remained until his death, March 3, 1880. From 1865-71 he was in charge of the Sisters' Hospital on Shrewsbury Street. cester, and has since that time been in general prac- tice here. In 1880 he delivered the annual address before the Massachusetts Medical Society, of which he was in 1881-82 vice-president, and in 1886-88 president. He was for nine years a member of the visiting staff of the City Hospital, for seven years a member of the consulting staff, since 1880 has been one of its trustees and is now the president of the board. Of the Memorial Hospital and Washburn Dis- pensary he was one of the original trustees under the will, and is vice-president of the board. Since 1876 he has been a trustee of the State Lunatic Hospital and of the Asylum for the Chronic Insane, is a trus- tee of the Old Men's Home, of the Worcester County Institution for Savings, a director of the City National 1865 .- ALBERT WOOD, M.D., B.S. (Darmouth, 1856), son of Samuel Wood, born in Northborough, Bank and of the State Safe Deposit Company, a past member of the Worcester Fire Society, member of Mass., February 19, 1833, taught school from 1856-

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59, and then entered the Harvard Medical School, from which he graduated in 1862. He was assistant surgeon of the Twenty-ninth Regiment Massachu- setts Volunteers from July, 1862, to August, 1863; surgeon .of the First Massachusetts Cavalry from August, 1863, to November, 1864; and acting staff surgeon to the close of the war, when he settled in Worcester. He was city physician five years, surgeon at the City Hospital ten years and is now one of the trustees. He is now, and has been for thirteen years, treasurer of the Worcester Lunatic Hospital and, since 1877, of the Worcester Insane Asylum. He has been superintendent of the Washburn Dispensary since 1874, and is a trustee of the Memorial Hospital. He was director of the Public Library six years, and for one year a member of the State Board of Health, Lunacy and Charity. He is a director of the State Mutual Life Assurance Company, surgeon to Post 10, G. A. R., and a member of the Loyal Legion. He is one of the Board of Pension Examiners, connected with various medical societies, and councillor of the State Society.

1865 .- GEORGE E. FRANCIS, M.D., A.B (Harvard, 1858), son of James B. Francis, was born in Lowell May 29, 1838. He began the study of medicine in 1859 at the Harvard Medical School and Chelsea Marine Hospital. From June to September, 1861, he was assistant surgeon at Fortress Monroe. In May, 1862, he was appointed house surgeon in the Massa- chusetts General Hospital. From August to October, 1862, he was at the front as volunteer surgeon. Re- ceiving his medical degree from Harvard in 1863, he was, in May, appointed assistaut surgeon in the navy. He served in the West, chiefly on the Mississippi River and at Cairo, and was in the Red River expe- ditions. He resigned his commission in October, 1865, and has since been in practice in Worcester. He is a member of various medical societies and councillor of the State Society. For a short time he was connected with the Washburn Dispensary, has been fifteen years surgeon to the City Hospital and is consulting surgeon to the Memorial Hospital. He is a member of the Antiquariau and Worcester Fire Societies, has served one term as director of the Pub- lic Library and was for some years a member of the School Board.

1866 .- EMERSON WARNER, M.D., A.B. ( Wesleyan, 1856), was born in New Braintree in April, 1831. For five years he was instructor in Wilbraham Academy. Studying medicine as opportunity offered, he entered the Harvard Medical School in 1861, and graduated in 1863. He practised three years in Shrewsbury, and then removed to Worcester. He has been connected with the Washburn Dispensary and is consulting surgeon to the Memorial Hospital. He has been surgeon of the City Hospital seventeen years and is a councillor of the Massachusetts Medical Society. For twenty years he was a member of the School Board, and in 1883-84 and again in 1884-85

represented Ward 7 in the Legislature. During the latter term he was chairman of the committee on public health.

1866 .- JOHN G. PARK, M.D., A.B. (Harvard, 1858), was born in Groton, Mass., in 1838. He studied medicine three years at the Harvard Medical School, and in 1861 was appointed interne in the Massachu- setts General Hospital. In February, 1862, he be- came assistant surgeon in the navy, and served until November, 1865, when he was honorably discharged. He took his medical degree in 1866, and opened an office in Worcester. Five years later he was ap- pointed superintendent of the Worcester City Hospi- tal on Front Street. The next year (1872) he became assistant superintendent of the State Lunatic Hospi- tal, in 1877 superintendent of the Asylum for the Chronic Insane aud in 1879 superintendent of the Worcester Lunatic Hospital. He spent the summer of 1881 in Europe, devoting special attention to English methods for the care and management of lunatics. He is consulting physician to both the Memorial and City Hospitals.

1867 .- H. Y. SIMPSON, M.D., was born in New Hampton, N. H., September 13, 1843. After one year's study at the College of Physicians and Sur- geons of New York, and two in the Harvard Medical School, where he received his degree, he opened an office in Worcester. He was one of the original members of the City Hospital staff, but resigned, and, at the same time, withdrew from the profession in 1872.

1869 .- WESLEY DAVIS, M.D., was born in North- field, Vt., September 15, 1841. His father's death, in 1862, closed abruptly his academy lite and plans for college. In 1863 he joined the army, was de- tailed as hospital steward, and until the end of the war remained at the base of supplies of the Army of the Potomac. He studied medicine with Dr. Brad- ford, of Northfield, Vt., and attended lectures at the University of Vermont, taking his degree at the Berkshire Medical School in 1866. For three years he practised in Westport, N. Y., since then in Wor- cester. He is a councillor of the Massachusetts Medical Society, and since 1881 has been physician to the City Hospital.

1886 .- WORCESTER MEDICAL ASSOCIATION .- Octo- ber 27, 1886, a general meeting of the Worcester mem- bers of the Massachusetts Medical Society was called "to cousider the formation of an association to sup- plement the work of the district society." Such an association was formed. Bi-monthly and monthly meetings are held, at each of which a paper on some medical subject is presented and discussed. Dr. Merrick Bemis has been president for the past two years and Dr. A. C. Getchell secretary. All Worces- ter members of the Massachusetts Medical Society are eligible for membership, together with those living within a radius of fifteen miles.

Among the numerous other physicians here for

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short periods only were John Homans, afterwards of Boston, for a few months in 1815; Erasmus D. Miller (in 1838-39), afterwards successful in Dorchester, Mass .; Henry Bigelow (son of Captain Lewis Bige- low), A.B. (Harvard, 1836), M.D. (Harvard, 1839), afterwards a leading man in Newton ; Amory Hunt- ing, here for four or five years about 1840, and then in Kansas; H. F. Johnson, with a large business, from 1840 to 1849; Henry G. Davis (in 1839-41), later of New York, where he became known as an orthopedist; John R. Lee, assistant physician at the Lunatic Hospital from 1842 to 1854; E. A. Smith, nephew of Dr. Chandler, assistant at the hospital from 1852 to 1857, and later assistant to Dr. Kirk- bride in Philadelphia, now living in New York City ; Frederick Heywood, born in Worcester, June 30, 1823, A.B. (Dartmouth, 1845), M.D. (University of Pennsylvania, 1848), who soon went to Central America, where he died in 1855; H. C. Prentiss, A.B. (Harvard, 1854), at the hospital from 1858 to 1863, now of Boston; C. W. Whitcomb, for many years in practice in Barre; Joseph Draper, M.D. (Jefferson, 1858), since 1873 superintendent of the Ver- mont State Lunatic Hospital, who was assistant at the hospital here from 1865 to 1870; H. O. Palmer, M.D., for the last sixteen years in practice in Hubbardston, who was in general practice here from 1867 to 1870, and assistant at the asylum in 1870-71; Dr. L. S. Dixon, now of Boston, was in practice here from 1871 to 1887 ; Dr. G. J. Bull, now of Paris, France, from 1874 to 1881, and Dr. W. H. Workman, now of Nantucket, from 1873 to 1887.

HOSPITALS .- The first, and for more than one hundred years the only, hospitals were those for the treatment of the small-pox. Patients with this dis- ease were, in the epidemic of 1752, and later, taken to Dr. Robert Crawford's house on the Green Hill farm. In 1776, when four per cent. of the inhabit- ants died (which in 1888 would mean three thousand deaths from the disease), Dr. Joseph Lynde had charge of the hospital. In 1794 so severe was the epidemic that several hospitals were opened in va- rious parts of the town, and placed under the super- vision of Dr. Elijah Dix. One of these stood near Nelson Place, in the northern part of the city, where a head-stone in a field still marks a solitary grave. Dr. Jenner's discovery of the protection afforded by vaccination in 1798 and the gradual abandonment of inoculation, made the small-pox hospital of less and less importance, and the present pest-house of the city of eighty thousand persons is little, if any, larger than was that of the hamlet of fifteen hundred. In 1888 five thousand dollars were appropriated for the purchase of land and the building of a hospital for contagious diseases. This appropriation has not yet been used.

STATE HOSPITALS. - 1832. - Worcester Lunatic Hospital (formerly State Lunatic Hospital) .- The opening of this hospital was a notable event, as it

was the third insane asylum in New England, ante- dated only by the Hartford Retreat and the McLean Asylum, in Charlestown, and was the first lunatic hospital established by a State government in this country, primarily for the reception of patients "who had committeed deeds, which, committed by persons in sane mind, are heinous crimes, of pauper lunatics, & of those who at large would be dangerous to the community." A large proportion of the one hundred and sixty-three patients admitted during the first year after it was opened had been confined in jails and almshouses, many of them in chains, and for long periods of time-some of them for more than twenty years.

Its establishment was largely due to the exertions of the Hon. Horace Mann, who, representing the town of Dedham in the Legislature in 1829, re- ported orders for the "appointment of a committee to ascertain the practicability of procuring an asy- lum for the keeping of lunatics and persons furiously mad, and to ascertain from the various towns of the Commonwealth the number, age, sex and color of per- sons reputed to be lunatics." Two hundred and sixty-nine insane persons were found in jails, alnıs- houses and other places, besides sixty in Charlestown (McLean Asylum).

In 1830 it was determined to build, and the town of Worcester having, at an expense of two thousand five hundred dollars, purchased and presented to the State twelve acres of land to build here, thirty thou- sand dollars was appropriated for this purpose. To this sum twenty thousand dollars was afterwards added for furnishing. March 24, 1832, the Governor and Council appointed, as the first board of trustees, Horace Mann, Bezaleel Taft, Jr., William B. Cal- houn, Eben Francis and Alfred D. Foster. Francis C. Gray was appointed in place of Mr. Francis, who declined to serve. Dr. Samuel B. Woodward, of Wethersfield, Conn., was selected as "Superinten- dent & Physician." The centre building of the Summer Street Asylum and two wings, ninety feet long and three stories high, were built on what is de- scribed as " land of a singularly regular and beauti- ful location, commanding a view of the town and the rich surrounding country, sufficiently near to the market, and yet so retired as to be secure from im- proper intrusion or disturbance, and within a short distance of the head-waters of the Blackstone Canal." The first patient was received January 19, 1833, and by the end of the year the hospital was full to over- flowing. Two lateral wings were built in 1835, and other additions were made from time to time, gener- ally by legislative action, but, in one notable in- stance, by private generosity,1 until, in 1877, the num- ber of patients had risen from one hundred and twenty to over four hundred. In the mean time the

1 The Johonnot gift, from which two wings of three wards each were built.

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

new hospital on Belmont Street had been built on land purchased by the State of various private owners at an expense of $110,000 (the buildings costing enongh to bring the total cost of the completed hos- pital to nearly $1,200,000), and to it the patients were in this year transferred.

Two large wards for suicidal cases have been built since that time ; otherwise the hospital remains as then planned. Eight hundred patients can now be accommodated. Fifteen thousand have received treatment since 1833. The number of trustees has been increased to seven, two of whom are ladies,

The superintendents have been : Samnel B. Wood- ward, M.D., 1832-46 ; George Chandler, M.D., 1846- 56 ; Merrick Bemis, M.D., 1856-72 ; Barnard D. East- man, M.D., 1872-79; John G. Park, 1879. There are at present five assistant physicians,-Dr. Alfred I. Noble, Dr. Frederick H. Daniels, Dr. Hartstein W. Page, Dr. Elmer E. Brown and Dr. Laure Hulme.

1877 .- Worcester Insane Asylum (formerly Tempo- rary Asylum for the Chronic Insane at Worcester) .- After the transfer of patients to the new buildings of the Worcester Lunatic Hospital the deserted Summer Street Asylum was converted into an hospital for the chronic insane, and opened for this purpose under the superintendence of Dr. John G. Park, October 23, 1877. The inmates consist only of "snch chronic insane as may be transferred thereto from other hospitals by the Board of State Charities." No private patients are or can be received. It was supposed that the Worcester Lunatic Hospital would eventually fur- nish accommodations for this class of patients and that the old buildings would be abandoned. Such has not proved to be the case, and in the ten years since its establishment nine hundred and twenty-three patients have been received. The hospital can accommodate about four hundred patients, and is kept constantly full. Dr. H. M. Quinby succeeded Dr. Park as superintendent, in 1879. Dr. Ernest V. Scribner, appointed in 1884, is assistant physician ; Dr. Albert Wood, treasurer. The trustees are the same as for the. Worcester Lunatic hospital.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 160

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1464

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1464