USA > New Jersey > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, New Jersey, 1664-1920, Volume I > Part 31
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Dr. C. Morrogh was called the Irish doctor ; he met with some oppo- sition at first, but his skill as a surgeon soon gave him a commanding position and his progress was rapid; his reputation extended far beyond the city and even the State; he was the first to use chloroform in that section of the State, in amputating a leg from each of two colored people at request of Dr. A. F. Taylor, township physician ; soon after he oper- ated on a lad for stone in the bladder, the first time it had been done in the city ; subsequently he performed that operation thirty-two times. An operation that won him great praise was for carious bone of ankle joint, the first time it was performed in this country, with modifications in operating original with him. With all his great skill he was exceed- ingly modest, rarely consenting to prepare papers, though two or three are published in the State Society's transactions. He excelled in diag- nosis; a man of mechanical genius, if he had not a splint at hand he made one and he devised three or four surgical instruments. He also drew the designs for a sailing yacht that took two prizes. He responded to calls for service after several of the great battles of the Civil War. He was a director of the State Bank; director of the New Brunswick Savings Institution twenty-nine years, and its vice-president a few years. His financial ability was shown in St. Peter's R. C. Church, of which he was treasurer; he issued bonds to the amount of $60,000 for it which he placed, and when he went to Europe in 1868 but a few thousand dollars were outstanding ; he was largely instrumental in securing chimes costing $4,000 for the church. He was the leading surgeon of the State and his many excellent qualities of mind and heart won for him great respect. He died March 13, 1882.
CHARLES DUNHAM was born in New Brunswick in 1830; he was a grandson of Dr. Jacob Dunham. He studied medicine and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Medical Department in 1850; began practice at Bordentown but the next year removed to New Brunswick, where he acquired an extensive practice. He served several years as a member of the board of public school trustees and was prominent in Masonic organizations. He died December 9, 1875.
CHARLES H. VOORHEES was born in New Brunswick, August 3, 1824; graduated from the Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, in 1850, and began practice in New Brunswick that year. He was very active in the County and State Medical Societies and often represented the latter in national organizations. He was a member of his city's Board of Health and was county physician for sixteen years. He served as surgeon of New Jersey Volunteers in the Civil War from 1862 to 1865. He died May 13, 1900.
HENRY R. BALDWIN, of New Brunswick, was born in New York City, September 18, 1829. His ancestors were Hollanders on the maternal side ; paternally they were among the original settlers of 1639 in Con- necticut. In early life he came with his parents to New Brunswick; graduated from Rutgers College in 1849, studied medicine and gradu-
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ated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York in 1853; served as resident physician at Bellevue Hospital eighteen months. In December, 1855, he settled in New Brunswick and practiced there until his death on February 3, 1902. His practice was very extensive, so that he was glad to have his son, who graduated in medicine in 1882, associated with him until the son's death in 1897.
He was one of the most faithful members of both County and State Medical Societies; he was treasurer of the State Society from 1866 to 1874, when he was elected third vice-president and in June, 1877, was elected president; he served on the Business Committee as chairman fourteen years and on the Fellows' Prize Essay Committee several years. He was a member of several medical societies; was appointed by Gov- ernor Griggs, in 1897, one of the managers of the State Hospital for the Insane; he was surgeon of the Pennsylvania Railroad for this section ; was president of the staff of Wells Hospital from its organization in 1889 until his death ; also was president of the City Board of Health.
He sought also the public good as a citizen; was for two terms an Alderman; served 12 years on Board of Water Commissioners; and on the Board of Education 17 years ; he was elected a trustee of Rutgers College in 1884 and that college conferred on him in 1893 the honorary degree of LL. D. His friends erected beautiful gates at one of the entrances to the college grounds to his memory.
He was an officer of the Second Reformed Church of New Bruns- wick.
EZRA M. HUNT was born in Metuchen, New Jersey, January 4, 1830; after a preparatory course at Irving Institute, Tarrytown, he entered Princeton College in 1845, graduating in 1849; studied medicine under Dr. Abraham Coles; received the degree of M. D. from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York City, in 1852; he began the prac- tice of medicine in his native town in 1853; was appointed lecturer on Materia Medica in Vermont Medical College; the next year he was elected Professor of Chemistry in the same institution, but in 1855 he resumed practice in Metuchen, continuing until he joined the army in 1862, as assistant surgeon of the 29th New Jersey Infantry ; after two months he was placed in charge of the Calvert Street Hospital, Balti- more, Maryland, and remained there till his term expired, when he returned to Metuchen and again resumed practice.
He was a prominent member of the Middlesex County Medical Society. In 1864 he was elected president of the State Society of which he was a most influential member and frequently represented it in na- tional and international medical societies. He was one of the most influential members of the American Public Health Association and was its president in 1883. To his untiring efforts as our State Society's leader in the movement was largely due the organization of the State Board of Health in 1877, and he was chosen as the one best fitted to conduct its work and he served most efficiently for many years.
The degree of LL. D. was conferred upon him by Lafayette College and that of Sc. D. by Princeton College. In 1888 he was elected an honorary member of the Epidemiological Society of London, England. A prominent writer, in a sketch of his life said : "The secret of Dr. Hunt's life of activity, faithfulness, earnestness and perseverance, is to be found in his deep personal piety and consistent humble Christian life-his firm unwavering trust in God." He died in Metuchen, July 1, 1894.
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NICHOLAS WILLIAMSON was born in New Brunswick, March 9, 1845. After an excellent preliminary education he studied medicine with Dr. H. R. Baldwin and graduated from the College of Physicians and Sur- geons, New York City, in 1872, and began practice in New Brunswick. He was an able physician and had a large practice, and yet he had time to, act the good citizen in the service of his city and also to serve his God in official position in his church. He was twice elected mayor of New Brunswick and served with conspicuous ability.
Universally respected by all, he died August 15, 1902, and his loss was mourned by all.
FRANK M. DONOHUE, New Brunswick, was born in that city, August 17, 1859, after a liberal education, he studied medicine with Dr. Clifford Morrogh ; graduated from the New York University Medical College in 1881 and was associated with his preceptor in practice until the death of the latter in 1882, when he assumed entire charge of the very exten- sive practice they had had, and as the minute adopted by the County Society said-"by the exhibition of similar skill and efficiency he became the worthy successor of that distinguished surgeon." He took a deep interest in the work of the County Medical Society; was three times its president and though a busy practitioner was regular in attendance and contributed largely to the scientific programs. His annual reception of its members at his beautiful summer residence-Cedar Crest-were occasions of greatest pleasure. He served two terms as chairman of the State Society's Business Committee and was reelected for the third term two months before his sudden death, June 28, 1919. His services in the New Brunswick hospitals were very strenuous and remarkable in results. He was a manager several years and for two years chair- man of the board of managers of the Boys' Home at Jamesburg : was a director and vice-president of the People's Bank, a director of the New Brunswick Trust Company and a member of the funding committee of the managers of the New Brunswick Savings Institution. He served three years as Sinking Fund Commissioner of the City. As a member of the Advisory Medical Examining Board during the World War he served so actively and faithfully that it is a question if it was one of the factors contributing to his last illness. His death has been universally mourned.
HENRY HARRINGTON JANEWAY was born in New Brunswick in 1873; graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1898. He settled in practice in New Brunswick in 1902: removed to New York City in 1907, where he practiced till a few weeks before his death. He was a member of the New Jersey State and also of the New York State Medical Societies ; a Fellow of the American Medical Association ; a member of the National Society for Cancer Research; the National Radium Society ; the National Society for Experimental Medicine; the New York Academy of Medicine and the Harvey Society. He was attending surgeon and chief of the Radium Department of the Memorial Hospital. His specialty was Cancer Therapy, of which disease he died February 1, 1921. He continued his membership in the Middlesex County Medical Society till his death.
BERNARD A. DALY was born in New Brunswick, April 5. 1876; he studied medicine and graduated from the University of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, in 1899. He located first at Harrison, New Jersey, was presi- dent of the local health board during a severe epidemic of smallpox. He
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died at Newark from the effects of an infected wound of arm in operating on a patient, whose life was saved at the expense of his own, November 2, 1903.
Other Deceased Physicians of Middlesex County, many of whom were druggists as well as practicing physicians :
Drs. D. C. English, Sr., J. W. Meeker and David Stephens, New Brunswick; J. C. Albright and J. H. Price, South Amboy ; P. W. Brake- ley, Dunellen. Many had very extensive town and country practice as Drs. Ambrose Treganowan and G. W. Stout, South Amboy ; H. S. Clow, J. C. Holmes and H. C. Symmes, Cranbury ; R. J. Brumagen and H. B. Garner, Spotswood; A. P. Knappen, Jamesburg; S. M. Disbrow, Old Bridge ; C. H. Andrus, Frank Decker, Herman Gross, Metuchen; John C. Thompson and H. B. Poole, South River ; Lewis Drake, D. E. Decker and S. P. Harned, Woodbridge; Wallace Coriell, Elias Runyon, A. S. Titsworth and D. P. Vail, New Market and Dunellen ; H. Martyn Brace and Henry M. Stone, Perth Amboy.
Besides the above, we have records of :
Drs. Josiah B. Andrews, L. Fred Baker, F. S. Barbarin, John J. Bissett, L. S. Blackwell, Geo. E. Blackham, George W. Britton, Fred W. Buckelew, Charles V. Buttler, John H. Carman, James Clark, F. F. Corson, J. H. Crawford, Edward B. Dana, David Davis, Ireneas P. Davis, John J. De Mott, Thomas T. Devan (Rev.), Lewis A. Hall, Edward E. Haines, Theodore Hardenberg, John Helm, George J. Howell, W. W. Hubbard, Eugene A. Hults, D. Brainerd Hunt, Ellsworth E. Hunt, A. C. Hutton, Thomas L. Janeway, Cornelius Johnson, Nich. Kaemerer, W. P. Keasbey, E. B. P. Kelly, A. S. Knight, William Knight, H. D. B. Lefferts, J. W. Leighton, Henry Levy, Samuel Long, William Mabon, J. I. Marcley, Caroline H. Marsh, William Martin, W. V. Mc- Kenzie, William M. Moore, Lawrence O. Morgan, J. L. Mulford, Aza- riah D. Newell, F. B. Norton, Henry T. Pierce, John Pierson, Moses Pierson, Edward A. Reiley, Frederick Richmond, John B. Richmond, H. D. Robinson, George H. Sears, A. Sophian, Clifford M. Stelle, Nelson Stelle, Roland H. Stubbs, Benj. E. Tomlinson, J. L. Van Deventer, Rush Van Dyke, D. Clark Van Deursen, John H. Van Deursen, J. S. Van Marter, Garret I. Voorhees, - Van Meulen, James B. Wain- right, J. Leon White, W. S. Willis, William V. Wilson, C. E. Wood- ward, Edwin B. Young.
A few of the above named doctors, after practicing in the county several years, moved to other States where they practiced and died.
The following, among other matter, indicates the activities of mem- bers of the Middlesex County Medical Society.
Military Hospital in New Brunswick-The "Pennsylvania Packet," June 17, 1779, had the following: We hear from New Brunswick in New Jersey that out of upwards of 1,500 sick who were admitted in the Mili- tary Hospital in that place since November last, only 22 have died. This extraordinary success in the management of the sick (compared with former years) has been justly ascribed, next to the diligence and care of the surgeons, to the plentiful and punctual supplies of stores and neces-
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saries of all kinds for the sick, by the present Purveyors of the Hospital. -N. J. Archives, Vol 3, Second Series.
Perth Amboy City Hospital-This Hospital was organized in 1889. It is governed by a Board of Directors of which Mr. S. Riddlestorffer is president; Adrian Lyon is treasurer ; I. R. Holt, secretary, and Miss M. P. Blauvelt, R. N., is superintendent. There were 1,425 patients admitted in 1920; free patients, 210; pay patients, 1,215. There were discharged : Cured, 968; improved, 309; unimproved, 53; deaths, 95; remaining January 1, 1921, 47. The cost per patient per day was $2.38. There were 125 babies born in 1920.
There is a Nurses' Training School from which 10 graduated last year. There are 28 pupil nurses. The members of the Surgical Staff are: Drs. J. G. Wilson, Dean, G. W. Tyrrell, F. C. Henry, M. S. Mein- zer. Medical Staff: Drs. J. L. Lund, W. E. Ramsay, C. I. Silk and G. W. Fithian. Specialists: Drs. J. L. MacDowell, Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat ; C. I. Silk, Radiographer, and J. V. Shull, Anaesthetizer. There is also a Consulting Staff : Drs. Ill, Lambert, Thompson, Booth, Brewer, Reisman and Dwyer.
The New Brunswick Hospital-During the winter of 1883 the city physicians provided a course of lectures on the subject: "First Aid to the Injured" and as a result the Hospital Aid Association was formed. The necessity of a Hospital was felt and in February, 1884, a number of ladies met and organized an Association, "Whose object and aim was the securing of a hospital for the City of New Brunswick," and in March, 1885, the New Brunswick City Hospital was organized. A cot- tage was hired in Commercial avenue and in 1887 a larger house was secured and a matron placed in charge. In 1888 the Directors raised $3,000 to purchase a lot for a new hospital and Mrs. Grace T. Wells erected thereon a fine building in memory of her husband, to be called-
The John Wells Memorial Hospital-The Board of Directors consisted of John N. Carpenter, president ; James Neilson, vice-president; Nahum Kent, treasurer, and Miss Alice Campbell, secretary.
The Medical Staff consisted of Drs. H. R. Baldwin, N. Williamson, C. H. Voorhees, D. C. English, F. M. Donohue and S. V. D. Clark, with Dr. A. V. N. Baldwin, Curator.
In 1916 the name of the hospital was changed and is now-
The Middlesex General Hospital-It has had a remarkably successful his- tory under both recent names. A few years ago a large additional building was erected. Two years ago a Victor Radiograph Machine was intro- duced at a cost of nearly $2,000, contributed by the Medical Staff. Recently Drs. Smith and Gutmann purchased sixty milligrams of radium which will be used there.
The report for the year ending February 28, 1921, shows: In hospital March 1, 1920, number of patients, 51; admitted to wards during the year 377, and to private rooms 474, a total of 902 treated; births, 131. Discharged: Cured, 699; improved, 104; unimproved, 20; died, 44. Patients remaining in hospital February 28, 35.
The present Medical and Surgical Staff is: Drs. L. P. Runyon, presi- dent ; B. Gutmann, vice-president ; F. L. Brown, secretary ; D. C. English, consulting physician, with Drs. A. L. Smith, J. P. Schureman, F. E. Riva, F. M. Hoffman, N. N. Forney, F. W. Scott, H. W. Nafey, D. L. Morrison, B. M. Howley, J. F. Anderson, G. F. Leonard, and as dental surgeons : E. S. Griggs, H. Iredell and F. L. Hindle.
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Last year the hospital met with a great loss in the death of the president of the Board of Directors, who had served many years, Mr. C. J. Carpender. Mr. William H. Leupp is now president of the Board, and Miss E. B. Strong is secretary.
St. Peter's General Hospital-This hospital established thirteen years ago has made an excellent record and its success has been due to a considerable extent to the efforts of Monsignor O'Grady and Dr. Frank M. Donohue, whose deaths two years ago have been keenly felt by the hospital authorities and the public. The Thirteenth Annual Report of the work done during the year 1920 has been issued. It shows one of the busiest and most successful of its existence. 3,620 patients were admitted-1,740 males and 1,880 females. In addition there were 2,195 outside patients. There were discharged: Cured, 3,340; improved, 41 ; unimproved, 21; deaths, 53; besides 57 that were in a dying condition when admitted; 98 remained in the hospital December 31, 1920.
The average cost per day per patient was $1.96. There were 1,363 free patients, 2,061 pay and 196 half pay patients. There were 1,294 operations-major and minor. There were 249 births, 6 Cesarean sec- tions. There is an excellent Training School for Nurses ; 7 graduated in 1920; there are now 7 in the senior class and 9 in the junior. The interior management of the institution is in charge of the far famed Grey Nurses of Montreal. About 21,000 patients have been admitted and treated in this hospital since it was organized.
Gradwohl Laboratories-In order to carry out the American Medical Association requirements, it was found that neither of the hospitals in New Brunswick had an adequate laboratory. The Staff of the Middlesex Hospital suggested that Dr. R. L. McKiernan be made Urologist and that he should obtain the Gradwohl Laboratories of which he should be the Director, which he did. The chief aim and leading work he will do is in assisting the physicians in making diagnoses by means of all the up-to-date methods used in a modern laboratory, and giving every aid by means of bacteriological, biological, chemical, histological and serological analyses, particular stress to be laid on serological work, performing the Wassermann and Hecht tests on every blood specimen, so that no possible mistake will be made. As urologist Dr. McKiernan has rendered good service in the Middlesex Hospital and he will do like service in St. Peter's General Hospital, as well as assist the city physi- cian generally.
Anti-Tuberculosis Clinics in New Brunswick and Perth Amboy were opened in June, 1917, through the efforts of the State Tuberculosis League, cooperating with the County Advisory Committee. In Perth Amboy there are two clinics a week held at the City Hospital with Dr. Charles I. Silk in charge. In New Brunswick the clinic is held once a week at the State Clinic Rooms, adjoining the Middlesex General Hos- pital, with Drs. F. L. Brown and Benj. Gutmann in charge.
The Perth Amboy Clinic report for the year 1920 is as follows : New patients, 308; Clinic attendance-new, 200; old, 140; total, 340; deaths, 63; sent to Sanatoria: Bonnie Burn, III; Glen Gardner, 3; total, 114; sputum examinations were: positive, 13; negative, 87; total, 100; also Von Pirquet tests : 48 positive, 8 negative, 5 doubtful, total 61 ; 15 visits were made to schools. Two Registered Nurses are employed. The Clinic is held at 217 Smith street.
The New Brunswick Clinic report for six months-June to December, 1920, was as follows: Calls from office, 1,013; new patients, 28; deaths,
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13; clinic attendance, 73; sent to Sanatoria: Bonnie Burn, 5; White Haven, I ; total, 6. The efficient nurse who was in charge the year before left January 1, 1920, and another could not be obtained until June, the Clinic was thereby closed. From June, 1917, to June, 1920-except the 6 months referred to, had 879 cases, of which 431 were positive, 415 nega- tive and 33 suspicious.
Venereal Clinics-These are conducted under the auspices of the United States Public Health Service, the State Board of Health, cooperating with the local Health Board.
The New Brunswick Clinic was opened January 6, 1920, with Dr. R. L. McKiernan as Director, at the Middlesex General Hospital, and notwithstanding some disfavor, it has steadily advanced, though the need of a more active cooperation on the part of the city government with the Health Officers, has been felt. During the year 1920 the record has been as follows: Total number of cases of syphilis, 197; of gonor- rhoea, 233; mixed cases, 12; total, 442; number of visits to the Clinic, 1,965. The results have been : Gonorrhoea cases absolutely cured, 53; syphilis cases rendered non-infectious, 190; Wassermann tests, 112; smears for gonococci examined, 281.
The Perth Amboy Clinic, with Dr. W. H. McCormick as Director, is doing like work, and although the Clinic has had considerable difficulty in perfecting organization, it gives promise of accomplishing a great work. The figures of work done have not yet been published.
Baby Welfare Clinics-The Perth Amboy Clinic is held weekly, Wednes- day, 10 to 12 A. M., at the Public Library. Dr. Wm. London in charge. The report is: Number of babies examined, 150; number of visits to the Clinic, 781.
The New Brunswick Clinic is held weekly in the Washington Public School building. It is in charge of Dr. E. Irving Cronk. There were I, 14I babies cared for during the year 1920 with no deaths. Weights and measurements were taken and helpful advice given to mothers.
DAVID C. ENGLISH, M. D.
TOTTENVILLE FERRY
FERRY BOAT AT PERTH AMBOY
CHAPTER XXIV. MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
Perth Amboy and Vicinity-The manufacture of clay products has always been one of the most important industries of the county, and the most prominent figure in that branch of business was the late Alfred Hall, of Perth Amboy, who was born May 22, 1803, in Meriden, Con- necticut. At an early age he went to Cleveland, Ohio, and for fifteen years was successfully engaged in the manufacture of brick. During that period, in 1842, he invented and patented a brick-moulding machine, which was adopted generally by the trade and is still universally used throughout the country. In 1845 he located in Perth Amboy and erected a factory for the manufacture of fire-brick. In 1856 a portion of the buildings were destroyed by fire, and were at once replaced by extensive brick buildings containing many improvements. Rockingham and yel- low ware and terra cotta were also made later on. In addition to the Perth Amboy works, A. Hall & Sons had a similar plant of about the same capacity, for the manufacture of fire-brick at Buffalo, New York, and one at Towanda, Pennsylvania, for red brick, which produced about 2,250,000 brick annually, one million of which were of the char- acter of Philadelphia front brick. When in full force the three plants produced about 5,000,000 fire-brick and 2,250,000 red brick annually. Edward J., Mr. Hall's eldest son, was in charge of the Buffalo and Towanda works.
Mr. Hall retired from the presidency of the Perth Amboy Terra Cotta Company in 1880, and organized a company to erect new works, which were completed about 1882, and were the most extensive of any in the United States. In a letter to the State Geologist in 1881 he wrote:
"I am doing all I can to develop and bring into use the great varieties of clay, which should be a great source of wealth to the State of New Jersey. We have in our employ men of all nationalities, who are familiar with the working of clay in all parts of the world, and their opinion is unanimous that the red and other colored clays of New Jersey are superior for making terra cotta to any in the world. There are also many clays that are now considered worthless that show qualities that I think will be of great value when applied to the uses for which they are adapted. Perth Amboy is the natural centre for the manufacture of architectural terra cotta, both on account of the abundance of the raw material and the great facilities for shipping, the docks here having been unimpeded by ice all through the last severe frost. The present works cannot supply the increasing demand, the sales of the six months ending December 31st, amounting to $72,916. January Ist there were orders exceeding $55,000, and several large works for which terra cotta is specified and for which estimates have been given, aggregate nearly $200,000 more. Perth Amboy ought to become as noted for terra cotta as Trenton is for pottery."
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