USA > Maine > Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume I > Part 104
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lication the first annual report of the Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary, 1887. . "An Efficient Powder Blower," with remarks on the use of powders in the treatment of diseases of the car, paper read before the American Oto- logical Society, and published; prepared re- port of cases to and discussion of cases pre- sented at meeting of New England Ophthal- mological Society ; served as executive and at- tending surgeon to Maine Eye and Ear In- firmary and prepared its second annual report for publication. 1888, "Third Report on Tera- loid Tumors of both Auricles," paper read be- fore American Otological Society, and pub- lished; "Glass and Glasses," paper read before Portland Medical Club ; executive and attend- ing surgeon to Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary and prepared its third annual report for pub- lication ; member of the First Congress of American Physicians and Surgeons, held in Washington, D. C .; report of cases to and discussion of cases presented at New England Ophthalmological Society. 1889, "Thé Treat- ment of Ulcers of the Cornea," paper read before the Maine Medical Association, and published ; "The Inefficiency of Hydrobromate of Homatropine in controlling the accommo- dation of the Eye for the purpose of fitting glasses," paper read before the American Ophthalmological Society, and published ; "Complete closure of both external auditory canals by bone in a patient having good hear- ing power, with a previous history of Chronic Superative Otitis Media," and "Otitis Media Catarrhalis Aucta, accompanied with facial paralysis and impairment of accommodation of the eye of the affected side," paper read be- fore American Otological Society, and pub- lished; "The adjustment of the Eye in the act of vision," paper read before the Portland Medical Club; report and discussion of cases presented at New England Ophthalmological Society ; executive and attending surgeon at Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary and prepared its fourth annual report for publication ; 1890, "The Muscles and the Refraction of the Eyes," paper read before Portland Medical Club ; address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary ; elected honorary member of the Lincoln Club, Port- land. 1891, advocated and secured a "Law for the Prevention of Blindness," by the legis- lature of Maine. similar to that enacted by the legislature of New York state, Maine being the second state to enact such a law ; "Extrac- tion of foreign bodies from the Vitreous of the Eye," paper read before the American Ophthalmological Society, and published.
1892, "Orbital Cellulitis," paper read before Portland Medical Club and American Oto- logical Society; address at the dedication of Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary. 1893, "Re- moval of steel from the Vitreous of the Eye by the electro-magnet," paper read before American Ophthalmological Society ; "Asepis in Ophthalmology," paper read before Port- land Medical Society; "Removal of the entire Auricle and a part of the lobe of the car by the bite of a horse," paper read before Amer- ican Otological Society. 1894, founded the Maine Academy of Medicine and Science, and its official organ, The Journal of Medicine and Science, by means of which the enactment of the law for medical registration was secured by act of the legislature at its session in 1895; editor and manager of the Journal of Medi- cine and Science; "Removal of foreign bodies from the Vitreous," paper read at first mect- ing of Maine Academy of Medicine and Sci- ence and published in its official organ. 1895, "Laws Relating to the Practice of Medicine in the several States and Territories of the United States," compiled from various sources ; "Two Cases of Otitis Media Supperativa, with necrosis of the mastoid, operation followed by Death," paper read before American Otolog- ical Society, "Relation of Modern Civiliza- tion to Affections of the Eye and Nervous System, and the Relation of Ametropia to Dis- eases of the Eye," paper read before Maine Academy of Medicine and Science; "Some of the practical results derived from a study of the Anatomy and Physiology of the Eye," published in Journal of Medicine and Sci- ence; "Report of eight cases of removal of metal from the Vitreous by the electro-magnet, with a review of nine cases previously Re- ported," paper read before American Ophthal- mological Society.
In 1895 Dr. Holt was one of the original fellows of the American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, editor of the Journal of Medicine and Science, and as in preceding years executive and attending surgeon at Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary. His work for 1896 and succeeding years may be noted briefly as follows: "Review of Diseases of the Ear by A. H. Buck, M. D., New York, in the Twentieth Century Practice of Medi- cine," published in the Journal of Medicine and Science; "Ophthalmology and Otology," published in the same journal; "Otitis Media suppurative with an unusual perforation of the Mastoid," paper read before American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society at the New York Academy of Medi-
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cine. 1897, "Hygiene of Camp Life"; "Oph- thalmology and Otology," published in the Journal of Medicine and Science; "Five re- cent consecutive cases of the Ear in which an extensive operation was performed on the Mastoid," paper published in the International Journal of Surgery, New York; report of meeting of the British Medical Association held in Montreal, Canada, in September ; re- port of cases and their discussion at the New England Ophthalmological Society; elected fellow of the American Medical Association at its meeting in Philadelphia ; received honor- ary degree of master of arts from Colby Uni- versity; elected delegate from Maine Medical Association to annual meeting of the Medical Society of the State of New York. 1898, re- port and discussion of cases presented at the New England Ophthalmological Society ; con- tinued as in former years editor and manager of Journal of Medicine and Science; also executive and attending surgeon Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary, and prepared its thirteenth annual report for publication ; discussed paper on the "Local treatment of sinuses of the ex- tremities," stating that the oil of cassia dis- pels the odor of iodoform ; delegate to meeting of New York State Medical Association, re- sponded to a toast, "Maine," at a largely at- tended banquet at Hotel Manhattan, New York City ; at a meeting of the Medical So- ciety of the State of New York held at Al- bany, by invitation opened the discussion of a paper on "The importance of early treatment of Acute Diseases of the Ear"; became one of the incorporators of the Mercantile Trust Company, and elected a director. 1899. "Mas- toiditis," paper read before American Otolog- ical Society. 1900, "The Douche in the treat- ment of Ophthalmia Neonatorium," paper read before the Section of Ophthalmology of the American Medical Association at Atlantic City, New Jersey, and published in the jour- nal of the association; "Eulogy on Payson Tucker," an address delivered at the unveiling of the marble bust of Payson Tucker, which was presented to the Maine Eye and Ear In- firmary by Mrs. Tucker; associate editor of the Journal of Medicine and Science; "Func- tional Disturbances of the Eye," paper read before New England Ophthalmological So- ciety; "Relations of Ametropia to Affections of the Eye and the Nervous System," paper read before Maine Academy of Medicine and Science. published in the Journal of Medicine and Science; "The Ophthalmometer," pub- lished in the Ophthalmic Record for Novem- ber. 1901, "Abraham Lincoln," address de-
livered at the auditorium, Portland, at the eleventh annual banquet of the Lincoln Club in observance of the ninety-second anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln; discussion of a paper on "A New Study in Exophthalmic Goitre," by Edwin M. Fuller, paper read be- fore Maine Medical Association; became one of the original members of the National As- sociation of United States Pension Examining Surgeons. 1902, associate editor of Journal of Medicine and Science; discussed paper on "Re- moval of bits of steel from the interior of the Eye," by Dr. Myles Standish, Boston; "Na- ture and treatment of Ptergyium," by Dr. G. O. McReynolds, of Dallas, Texas, and "Two cases of retinal detachment treated with sub- conjunctional injections of salt solution by Dr. R. L. Randolph, of Baltimore, Maryland," at section of Ophthalmology of the American Medical Association at Saratoga Springs, New York, in June.
In 1902 Dr. Holt prepared a comprehensive historical and statistical account of the Port- land Medical Club, covering the entire period of its existence, from 1876 to this year. In 1903 he still occupied the chair of associate editor, and also still held the position of executive and attending surgeon to the Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary, with which he had been connected from the time of its founda- tion. Early in November, 1903, while return- ing from Cape Elizabeth to Portland with his wife, his horse and carriage were, on account of the absence of proper lights, driven on a pile of earth in the highway, which had been placed there by workmen in the service of a telephone company, and both occupants of the carriage were thrown violently to the ground by the overturning of the vehicle, at a point in Knightville near the schoolhouse. In this accident Dr. Holt was badly injured about the head, shoulders and thigh, and was quite un- fitted for any kind of work for several months, being compelled to go about with crutches, and also being afflicted with double vision by reason of the injuries to his head; but while comparatively inactive in body his mind was constantly at work, and during that time he devised a mathematical formula for the nor- mal earning ability of the body. A paper in- cluding this formula was read in the section of ophthalmology of the American Medical Association at its fifty-seventh annual session in June, 1906, and is published under the title of "Physical Economies." Briefly stated, it comprises "a mathematical formula for the normal earning ability of the body by which, with the requisite data a person may be either
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rated, or his economic value may be ascer- tained, and thereby damages to his body from injury or disease, with an indemnity to be al- lowed therefor, may be determined in a man- ner equitable to all concerned." This work of Dr. Holt's has attracted wide attention in pro- fessional and scientific circles. It has been received with great interest in the assemblages of several of the most celebrated medical bodies in the country, and has received conspicuous attention in Europe. In the same year, 1904, he was elected vice-president of the National Association of United States Pension Exam- iners. His papers for the year include dis- cussions of many important subjects by lead- ing professional men, specialists and scien- tists, a detail of all of whom are hardly neces- sary to this narrative. On June 13 of this year President Fellows, of the University of Maine, wrote as follows: "It is my pleasure to inform you that the trustees at their recent meeting, held at the university, voted 'to con- fer upon you for distinguished services in the field of medicine, profound scholarship, and the most noteworthy services to the public in relief of suffering, the degree of Doctor of Laws." In 1905 he became one of the mem- bers of the Maine Eye and Ear Association, the organization of which was urged by him as early as 1901. He wrote a sketch of Dr. Henry P. Merrill, of Portland, who died May II, 1905, which was published in the transac- tions of the Maine Medical Association. In 1906 he delivered an address on "Physical Economics" at the Maine Eye and Ear In- firmary, discussed a paper relating to "Affec- tions of the Eye" at the June meeting of the Maine Medical Association, discussed a paper on "Uniocular Inflammation of the Optic Nerve and Retina," by Dr. A. A. Hubbell, of Buf- falo, New York, also a paper on the "Use of Secondary Cataract Knife," by Melville Black, of Denver, Colorado ; and also on "Physical Economics" by himself at the section of oph- thalmology of the American Medical Asso- ciation. In 1907 his contributions to medical literature for the year included a discussion of "Body and Mind, with incidental reference to the Laws of Heredity"; the "Rational Treat- ment of Nervous Diseases"; "Psychotherapy"; and "Diagnosis and Early Treatment of Mas- toiditis." He also discussed a paper entitled "Premiums Paid to Experience," by Dr. F. T. Rogers, of Providence, Rhode Island, and read his own views before the section of ophthal- mology of the American Medical Association at Atlantic City, New Jersey, in June of that
year. Before the section of Laryngology and Otology, on the same occasion, he opened the discussion of Dr. James F. Mckernon's paper 011 "Otitic Phlebitis: its symptomology, diag- nosis and treatment." At the thirty-second annual meeting of the Portland Medical Club in this year he delivered an oration on "Physi- cal Economics and the Measure of Damages by Mathematics." At the meeting of the New England Ophthalmological Society held in Boston in February, 1908, he delivered an ad- dress on subject just mentioned, discussed paper on "Bright's Disease and its ocular man- ifestations," and read before the National As- sociation of United States Pension Examin- ing Surgeons at Chicago in June, his own paper on the "Economic Value of Man and the Measure of Damages." At the meeting of the section of Laryngology of the Amer- ican Medical Association, held in Chicago, in June, Dr. Holt opened the discussion of Dr. Dunbar Roy's paper on "Nasal Analgesia as a prognostic symptom in Dry Catarrhal Deaf- ness," and in the section of ophthalmology lie discussed the paper of Dr. H. Moulton, of Fort Smith, Arkansas, on the "Treatment of Strictures of Nasal Duct with Lead Styles." In the same year also he was elected delegate of the Maine Medical Association to the house of delegates of the American Medical Asso- ciation.
We learn from these records that Dr. Holt in his childhood came in contact with the un- fortunate poor, when his father had charge of the almshouse and house of correction in Mas- sachusetts, that he became a teacher, and later principal in the Reform School for Boys for the city of Boston. He thus at two different periods of his life dwelt among the poor and early became cognizant of the misfortunes of life. This no doubt caused him to have a deep feeling for those in humble circum- stances, who meet with accidents and sick- ness that deprive them of the means of sup- port and make them dependent upon others. It was a potent influence in impelling him to found the Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary.
He taught school a portion of the time for six years, beginning at the age of eighteen, and he was in a store for general merchandise for a portion of the time for six years, acting as clerk, salesman and bookkeeper, under such men as Albion Thorne, A. M., a graduate of Tufts College ; John P. Swazey, who has been elected to congress from the second district of Maine; Otis Hayford, who has served on the state board of assessors ever since it was
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organized, and Dura Bradford. As student, clerk, salesman, bookkeper and teacher he al- ways strove to do his best for all concerned.
He thus became well fitted to enter college, but too late for a four years' course followed by a course in the study of medicine such as he contemplated. His opportunities were all in favor of his studying law instead of medi- cine, but as he had been a sufferer from ear- ache and its consequent deafness in childhood, and had found by experience that doctors knew little or nothing about diseases of the ear, he determined to study medicine and make him- self familiar with the best methods known for their treatment. This he knew would take much more time than that required for the general practice of medicine, hence it was his principal reason for not taking a four years' college course. It will be seen then that Dr. Holt's own misfortune in the period of child- hood and youth lead him to study medicine and practice a specialty to alleviate the suf- ferings, or prevent similar misfortunes in others. Thus from this circumstance in his life is the state indebted to him for the Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary.
In his first year's service as demonstrator of anatomy he established the rule that no medi- cal student should be credited with having dissected any part of the body unless that student had actually done so and had demon- strated the anatomical structures to him or one of his assistants, one of whom was ex- Governor J. F. Hill, of Augusta. During the two years of his service as demonstrator of anatomy he prosected for Professor Dwight, who then was professor of anatomy at the Medical School of Maine, and now occupies the same position in the Harvard Medical School. Some of these dissections were note- worthy, especially one which showed the brain, spinal cord and nerves complete, and which was exhibited to the president and whole faculty of the college and preserved in the museum. Another specimen, a novelty at that time, was a solid cross section of the head from which Prof. Dwight had drawings made and upon which he wrote his book on the "Anatomy of the Head." At the close of his services as demonstrator of anatomy, he attended the clinics at the Massachusetts Charitable Eye and Ear Infirmary and studied the ear under Clarence J. Blake, now pro- fessor of otology in Harvard University. It was with Dr. Blake that Dr. Holt first met Professor Alexander Graham Bell, before he had invented the telephone, and when he was much interested in experiments of Dr. Blake
in recording speech from the movements of the membrana tympani incident to the sound of the voice.
Dr. Holt began his services as the first reg- ularly appointed house surgeon of the Maine General Hospital by making accurate records of all cases that were treated in the hospital and delivered therefrom quarterly reports for publication in the Boston Medical and Sur- gical Journal, a practice which has not since been followed by any one occupying that po- sition. He also wrote a history of the hos- pital, which was published in the Portland Transcript, which evinced an unusual interest in the welfare of the hospital. Dr. Holt was elected attending physician and surgeon to the Portland Dispensary as soon as he left the hospital and he served in that capacity for two years. In this year (1876) he, with other physicians, founded the Portland Medical Club, now the oldest and largest medical club in the state. He was appointed to make a re- port on otology to the Maine Medical Asso- ciation for the annual meeting of 1877. This report attracted wide attention because among other things he proposed a new method of in- flating the middle ear, which method was copied into several American and foreign journals, thus giving Dr. Holt an international reputation at once. For the next four years he attended clinics in Boston and New York some portion of each year and produced papers on otology and ophthalmology that were widely discussed.
In 1881 Dr. Holt went to Europe, as has previously been noted, and upon returning took up practice limited to diseases of the eye and ear, doing nose and throat practice in connection with it, however. For the next five years until 1886, when he founded the Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary, he devoted himself assiduously to his specialty, and built up a large and lucrative practice. During this time he had become one of the founders of the New England Ophthalmological Society, and been elected a member of the American Oto- logical and Ophthalmological societies, before all of which he had read papers which at- tracted attention for their force and origin- ality.
The vear 1886 marks an important period in Dr. Holt's life, for it was the year in which he founded the Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary. It was at the end of his first decade of active practice of medicine in which he had been eminently successful and had become a very busy man. For him to embark upon such an undertaking required great courage and a sac-
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rifice of time and money, but as he had de- termined upon such a course he entered into it with all the energy and optimism at his command. He says in his address at the dedication of the new building: "Well do I remember in December, 1885, just before Christmas, of starting out with a paper to obtain names to a petition for incorporation. It was the first step to the consummation of a purpose formed long before that time of establishing an institution of this character. The petition was willingly signed by all to whom it was presented and encouraging words were given to the enterprise, but it was as evident as had been anticipated that a vast amount of work lay before me, the magnitude of which, had I fully rcalized as I do now, might have caused me to delay my purpose longer."
He knew from history and had learned from experience that those who aspire to improve the conditions of mankind have their paths beset by persecution from adversaries and by misconstruction of friends, therefore he was prepared to meet criticism and opposition which was sure to come. At a meeting held at Reception Hall, City Building, held Febru- ary 15, 1886, the petitioners were incorporated under the name of the Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary, according to the statute laws of Maine, which limits the amount of property to be held at $100,000. Nobody thought at that time that the corporation would be troubled on this account, but it proved later to be a serious thing when one of its presi- dents, Mr. Ira Putnam Farrington, left it the munificent sum of twice that amount.
For the first six years the infirmary was located at IIO Federal street, opposite Lin- coln Park. From the first, economy was pro- duced by allowing any spare room to be used by physicians in general practice for cases which would not conflict with those of the in- firmary. Thus an income was realized from this source which materially helped to meet current expenses, and the property was bought, remodeled, an addition built, the whole fur- nished and paid for during this timc. With all the changes and additions to the original house on Federal street, it did not prove satis- factory, and at the end of four years Dr. Holt proposed to the trustees that the lot of land where the buildings now stand should be pur- chased. This seemed as chimerical to them at that time as it would have been for the street commissioners of Portland to propose to build a bridge across the harbor. There was, however, one member of the board who,
though not present at this meeting, was as optimistic as Dr. Holt, namely, Payson Tucker, and to him Dr. Holt has given due credit in his dedicatory address of the infirmary and in his culogy at the unveiling of the marble bust of Payson Tucker presented to the infirmary by Mrs. Tucker.
There was such a stringency in the money market at this time, the year preceding the great panic of 1892, that Mr. Tucker gave a note, instead of a check, for his subscription towards the fund to purchase the land, with a remark that it would be casier to give twice the amount under all ordinary circumstances. Under these most discouraging circumstances money was obtained, a deed of the land sc- cured and paid for on January 10, 1891. With the land paid for, a capital was provided with which to work, and in building with stores in the basement an income would be derived suf- ficient to pay the interest on the money hired in the construction of the building. This feature of the plan enlisted the support of benevolent people, especially in a fair held in May, 1892, and the building was completed and dedicated in December, 1892, Dr. Holt delivering the principal address, from the last part of which we quote the following :
"It can be as truly said of the Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary on this occasion as at the dedication of the Massachusetts Charitable Eye and Ear Infirmary in 1850, when Dr. Reynolds said of that institution : 'In its pres- ent elevated position, with its increased capac- ity for doing good, it is poorer than at any previous time. More capable of fulfilling the noble work of charity than perhaps any other institution, it is still itself supported by char- ity. No other charity is capable of effecting the same amount of good with so small amount of means.' These institutions administer alike to the worthy and unworthy who are subjects of charity, 'For charity shall cover a multitude of sins.' However erring humanity may be, whenever and wherever one of its members is found in sickness or distress, he claims and should receive our sympathy and support.
"These institutions call attention to the im- portance and the proper methods of treating these affections and thus prevent long suf- fering and disastrous results. Their circle of beneficence, then, is not confined to the poor alone who are immediately benefitted, but ex- tends to all classes of society. The people throughout the state can well take pride and satisfaction in having a building so well de- signed and so well equipped for the beneficent work it is intended to accomplish.
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