Civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the County of Kings and the City of Brooklyn, N. Y., Part 62

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : Munsell
Number of Pages: 1360

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In November, 1868. he resigned his position and began the practice of his profession in Brooklyn. For a time. Dr Gih- orson served in the ont-door department of the Long Island College Hospital, and subsequently, for several years, on the surgical statf of St. Mary's Hospital for Women. In 1576, he was appointed Attending Surgeon to the Brooklyn City Ilospital, and hold that position till his death. He was one of the founders, the first president, and many years Serre- tary of the Brooklyn Pathological Society, and the first meeting of that body was held in his office.

In 1872, he was orator of the Kings County Methical So- ciety at its semi-centennial anniversary. For four year- he was delegate from the Kings County Medical Society to the New York State Medical Society, and in 1878 was elected a permanent member of the latter. He contributed many articles to medical literature, on both surgical and medical topics.

On the evening of April 14, 1879, he was stricken with peritonitis, and died from that disease five days later.

It is not alone, however, by the labors of its individ- nal members that the Kings County Society has progressed in the nobler duties of an advancing profession. As a body, it has accomplished much for the furtherance of scientific aims and charitable deeds.

The Society's Medical Library and Publica- tions .- In September 1867, a committee, composed of Drs. C. I. Mitcheil, J. C. Hntehison, J. T. Conkling, S. Fleet Speir and W. W. Reese, reported a resolution favoring the creation of a public reference library of medical literature, by the purchase of standard medi- cal works, on condition that the Long Island Histori- cal Society add a similar amount to the fund and assume the charge of the nucleus thus formed phy. sicians desirons of availing themselves of its benefits

891

THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

o become members of the society. Through the efforts mainly of Drs. Enos, Mitchell and Reese, this plan was dopted. $1,000 was collected and, with a similar mount from the Historical Society, expended in the purchase of medical works. In 1869, Mrs. D. C. Enos, he widow of Dr. De Witt C. Enos, who had died uddenly at the close of 1868, gave her iate husband's ibrary, consisting of 815 bound and 74 unbound volumes, together with a number of pamphlets, to the Medical Department of the library, which by 1870, had ncreased to 1570 volumes. Apart from this collection, he Society had for years held some books as the melens f a free medical library; but the effort to increase he number was not pushed with vigor, till fonr or five ears ago. At that time the work was begun in arnest ; subscription lists were circulated among the nembers for their aid ; the appeal was generously nswered, and a goodly member of books and journals vere bought. In 1878, Dr. Samnel Hart gave his ibrary to the Society, and added materially to the ollection. The exchange list of the Proceedings is Iso of excellent aid ; the most valuable medical jonr- als are constantly on file and open for reference to members of the society, and are in constantly increasing se by a large number of readers.

Another of the Society's methods of advancing medi- al thought is the monthly publication of the papers ead and discussed in that body. This work was agi- ated by some of the most active members as early as 875, and took form by the issne of the first number of he Proceedings in March, 1879. From the start, its cir- ulation has been 1,000 copies, and its exchange list now umbers 122 journals. On March 3d, 1870, a party of medical men met at the office of one of their number, to onsider the advisability of organizing a Pathological Society. With the idea of securing the co-operation of he Kings County Medical Society, the then President f that organization, Dr. R. C. Stiles, was requested to nnounce the intention at the next regular meeting and o invite all interested to join in a meeting to be held the rooms of the Board of Health, then in the County Court-house on March 22, 1870. Eleven physicians het on the 22d, and resolved to organize as the Pathological Section of the Medical Society. The meetings of the Society were held in various places ; at he office of Dr. Charles Giberson, one of its fonnders, t Dr. R. C. Stiles' office, and later at the Eye and Ear Hospital. Its transactions were at first published in he V. Y. Medical Journal ; for a time after its origin hey were published in the Proceedings ; then for a me they had no regular publication ; but at present re again published in the Proceedings. " The section ow has a membership of eighty and a fine pathological inseuin which is stored in the Long Island College Hospital. ¿ The Annals of Anatomy and Surgery is monthly journal, devoted to Surgery and Surgical inatomy, edited and published by Drs. L. S. Pilcher

and G. R. Fowler. It was established under the title of The Annals of the Anatomical and Surgical Society, in January, 1880, for the purpose of recording the seien- tific work of the Anatomical and Surgical Society of Brooklyn, an association then active but now nearly defunct; but in 1881 it was transferred to its present editors.

While thus steadily advancing the scientific study of medicine, the Society had found time for other good deeds. On the 24th of April, 1861, it resolved to render gratuitons professional services to the families of vol- unteers in the service during their absence, and this duty was faithfully observed during the four years that followed, and, to the widows and orphans of volunteers, for a still longer period. After the second battle of Bull Run, a number of the most eminent members of the profession volunteered to go to the front and ren- der the professional services so much needed at that time. When Chicago was swept by the fire of 1871, the Kings County Medical Society raised $1,338 for the relief of the medical men of that afflicted city, by the voluntary subscriptions of its members ; again, in 1878, when many of our southern cities were stricken by the yellow fever epidemie, the society raised $547 for the relief of the families of medical men who were among its victims. At its foundation, the society had nine members ; at the last annual meeting, three hundred and sixty active members, and now nearly four hundred.

The Epidemics which have visited Kings County .- Brief mention has already been made of the early epidemics that bronght death to some of the inhabi- tants and terror to all residents in the County; it remains to dwell more fully on the topic. As early as 1680, small-pox was introduced into the province of New York and swept off many colonists. Time and time again it re-appeared, till, in 1739, the disease was so prevalent that the Provincial Assembly adjourned, first to Greenwich village, and later sine die, to avoid spread- ing the contagion. In 1702 a new disease, described as similar to the plague and believed to have been yel- low fever, was brought to New York in a vessel from St. Thomas, and this malady gained sneh a firm hold, that official action by Governor Geo. Clinton, placing vessels from sonthern ports in quarantine became ne- cessary in 1743. In 1755 and 1769 a disease called Angina, was prevalent on Long Island. It was not until 1804, however, that a systematic record was kept of epidemie diseases. In that year, yellow fever was introdneed into Kings county, the first case occurring on August 22d. Seventeen were stricken with the disease, and of these six died. Again yellow fever gained a hold in the county in 1809. The population of Brooklyn, when its force was spent at that time, was 4,500. The disease lasted during the greater part of three months; twenty-eight died from the fever and none of these exceeded thirty years of age.

$92

HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

As early as 1822, the Board of Trustees of Brooklyn village passed an ordinance imposing a fine of $25 upon any one who should bring a sick person into the city limits, without a written permit from the Presi- dent of the Board; or who failed to report to him within six hours of its outbreak any sickness of a transient guest, within Brooklyn, from August Ist to Novem- ber Ist. In spite of this, the summer of 1823 brought another outbreak of yellow fever; and, in the population of some 8,000, nineteen were taken sick, and ten died of the disease. The year following (1824), the Legisla- ture passed an aet establishing a Health Department, and under it, as has already been mentioned, J. G. T. IInnt was appointed Health Officer, at an annual salary of $200. No epidemie attacked the city from 1823 till 1832. In the latter year, Asiatic cholera made its appearance in the early part of July, and lasted for fourteen weeks, reaching its climax during the third week. The number of deaths from the disease was 274 in a population of 17,000. Cholera occured again dur- ing the summer of 1849, beginning early in June. It lasted seventeen weeks, reaching its climax during the tenth week, and swept off 650, out of a population of 90,000. Once again in 1854, this dread epidemie made its periodical appearance in Brooklyn, the first case of- eurring on May 29th, in the 5th Ward, at 255 John street. It lasted three and twenty weeks, reached its height on the ninth week, and swept away 678 people ont of a population of 150,000. During this epidemic a chol- era hospital was opened on Lafayette Avenue, under the charge of Dr. J. C. Hutchison ; 170 patients were ad- mitted to it, and of these 97 died. In all these epi- demies of cholera, the highest death rate was in adults, between thirty and forty years of age. In 1856, yellow fever again appeared in Kings county, brought prob- ably by infected material thrown overboard from the fever-stricken ships lying at anchor in quarantine, from within a few yards of Long Island, across to the Staten Island shore. Its ravages were confined ahnost entirely to the 8th Ward and the Bay Ridge Shore to Fort Hamilton ; seventy-four people were attacked within the limits of Brooklyn, and of these thirty-nine died. It was in combatting this epidemie, that Drs. Dubois and Crane of New Utrecht lost their lives.

From 1824 to 1866, the Department of Health existed as created by the legislative act of the former year. In 1866, the Metropolitan Health Department was cre- ated and Brooklyn was made a district; but this system was too cumbrons to be effective, and it was abolished by the Legislature of 1870. Since that time, the city of Brooklyn has been under the care of its own Health Department in all sanitary matters.

Among the medical men connected with the Health Department since the time of Dr. Hunt, have been Drs. Chas. S. Goodrich, Matthew Wendell. T. L. Mason, J. T. Conkling, R. Cresson Stiles, Henry R. Stiles, James Crane, Andrew Otterson, and J. H. Raymond.

Of the living physicians who have aided medical pro- gress in this county, only brief mention can be made ; and in selecting from the many eminent names the few that can be noticed, we must be guided entirely by the services they have rendered, and the honors they have received.

SAMUEL G. ARMOUR, was born in Washington county, Pa. He graduated from Franklin College, Ohio, in 1839, winning a distinguished competitive honor in that institution, while quite young. He received the title of LL. D., from that in- stitution in 1872. He completed his medical studies at the Missouri Medical College of St. Louis. In 1847, soon after his graduation, he delivered a special course of lectures on Physiology, at the Rush Medical College in Chicago; and. since then has been a professor in the Ohio Medical College of Cincinnati, the Missouri Medical College, the University of Michigan, and now holds the chair of " Principles and Praat - tice of Medicine" at the Long Island College Hospital. which he is Dean of Faculty. In the course of a busy pro- fessional life, Dr. Armonr has found leisure to contribute many valable papers to medical literature, and ranks very high both as a writer, lecturer and practitioner.

DANIEL AYRES, a native of New York, after taking the degree of A. B. at Princeton College, graduated from the Medical Department of the New York University In 1843. After serving a term on the house staff of Bellew Hospital, he removed to Brooklyn in 1845. He was om of the founders of the Brooklyn City Hospital, and was a well- ing surgeon at that institution. from 1846 to 1853. With others he joined in the organization of the Long Island College Hospital, and was, until 1882, Professor of Surgical Pathology and Clinical Surgery there. During the Civil War, Dr. Ayres served as a medical director or corps surgeon. In 1570. he was appointed consulting surgeon to St. Peter's Hospital; and is. at present, one of the incorporators of the Seney Hospital. In 1856, the degree of LL. D. was conferred upon him by Wis. levan University.

ALEXANDER J. C. SKENE was born in Scotland : studied medicine: graduated from the Long Island College Hospi- tal in 1863, and served in the army during the Civil War. and, at its close, returned to Brooklyn and began privat practice. Entering upon the field of tiynecology as his special study. he has added munch to the literature of that subject, both by monographs and more extended works; and, as one of the visiting physicians and Professor of Lignecology in the Long Island College Hospital. he has given both theoret cal and clinical instruction. He was President of the Rings County Medical Society, 1874 76; he is a member of the New York Academy of Medicine.

CHARLES JEWETT was born in Maine. He was educated at Bowdoin College, receiving his first degree in 156t, and A.M. in 1867. For several years after his graduation, he was gaged in teaching the Physical Sciences at Cooperstown. N. 1. In 1871, he graduated M. D. from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, N. Y., and settled in Brooklyn. He was Professorof Physical Sciences in the Adelphi Academy ; has been a large contributor to medical periodicals; President of Kings County Medical Society. 1980 1883 ; since 1880, Professor of Obstetri and Diseases of Children, in the Long Island College Ho prul and in charge of the Department of Obstetrics in the spee institution ; Physician-in-Chief of Department of Children' Diseases in St. Mary's Hospital, and a member of the York Academy of Medicine,

893

THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

LEWIS S. PILCHER was born in Michigan. He took the de- gree of A.B. from the Michigan University, in 1852. Enter- ing the army, he served through the war; and, at its close, entered the Medical Department of the Michigan University, from which he graduated in 1866. The following year, he became an assistant surgeon in the U. S. Navy, remaining in the service till 1872. when he resigned, and settled in Brook- lyn in private practice. From that time till 1882. he lectured on Anatomy at the Long Island College Hospital. Dr. Pilcher has contributed several monographs to medical litera- ture, his most important articles being on Fractures at the Wrist Joint. Croup and Tracheotomy, and a " Treatise on the Treatment of Wounds." He was appointed, with Dr. Purdy, of New York, to superintend the building of the Seney Hos- pital, and is one of the Board of Managers of that institution.

JARVIS S. WIGHT was born in New York. After taking his degree in Arts at Tuft's College. Mass .. in 1861. he gradu- ated M.D. from the Long Island College Hospital in 1864. Till the close of the war. he served as an assistant surgeon in the army. Returning to Brooklyn, in 1865. he held, for some time, the chair of Materia Medica in the Long Island College Hospital. Later, he became one of the Visiting Surgeons to that institution, and occupied the chair of Surgery and Clinical Surgery. He has contributed many articles to medical journals.

Among the older physicians who have gained prominence in the profession. but of whom space forbids an extended no- tice, stand the names of JOHN BALL, W.M. H. THAYER, C. R. MCCLELLAN. I. H. BARBER, and ALEX. COCHRAN, of Brooklyn; J. L. ANDREWS, of East New York; H. L. BARTLETT and J. L. ZABRISKIE, of Flatbush ; S. J. BRADY. C. H. SCHUPPS, and L. W. PALMER, of the Eastern District. and R. E. VAN GIESON, of Greenpoint. Of these, Dr. Bartlett is Attending Physician to the Penitentiary, and a Consulting Surgeon to the Kings County Hospital: Dr. Brady, a Visiting Surgeon to the Eastern District and St. Catherine's Hospitals, and Dr. Zabriskie, Con- sulting Physician to the Kings County Hospital. AAmong those who have been prominent in the Department of Health, stand the names of B. A. SEGUR, ANDREW OTTERSON, J. T. CONKLING, JAS. CRANE, and J. H. RAYMOND, as Commis- sioners, and JAMES WATT, F. H. STUART, and R. M. WYCKOFF. as Registrars.

Dr. A. N. BELL graduated from the Jefferson Medical Col- lege, in Philadelphia, in 1842. For many years he was in the Medical Department of the United States Navy. After settling in Brooklyn, he was for a long time a Visiting Physi- cian to the Brooklyn City Hospital. He has been one of the State Quarantine Commissioners, and for some years the editor of the Sanitarian.

Among the younger members of the profession who have gained prominence in s ecial work, stand the names of Drs. FRANK W. ROCKWELL and GEO. R. FOWLER, in Surgery. The former is Visiting Surgeon to St. John's, and Chief of Department of Genito-Urinary Surgery at St. Mary's Hospi- tal; the latter Chief of Department of Fractures and Dis- locations at St. Mary's Hospita', and the most earnest advo- eate of antiseptic Surgery among our surgeons. In the

field of Nervous Diseases, Drs. L. C. GRAY and JOHN C. SHAW are eminent. Dr. Gray for a long time lectured on this subjeet at the Long Island College Hospital, and is now Pro- fessor of Nervous Diseases at the New York Polyclinic, and Chief of the Department of Mental and Nervous Diseases and Electro-Therapy, at St. Mary's Hospital. Dr. Shaw is Superintendent of the Kings County Insane Asylum.

DRS. SAMUEL SHERWELL and T. R. FRENCH have devoted their attention to Diseases of the Throat and Nose. The former is Visiting Physician to the Brooklyn City and Eye and Ear Hospitals; the latter Consulting Laryngotomist to St. Mary's Hospital.

DRS. J. S. PROUT and A. MATHEWSON were both largely instrumental in founding the Eye and Ear Hospital, and both are Attending Surgeons to that institution. Dr. Prout was President of the County Medical Society in 1879. Dr. Mathewson is Chief of the Department of Diseases of the Eye and Ear at St. Mary's Hospital. Among those who have taught medical classes, or are still engaged in that work, are Drs. B. F. WESTBROOK, J. A. MCCORKLE, and J. D. RUSHMORE. Dr. Westbrook, for many years, taught Anatomy at the Long Island College Hospital, and is now Chief of Department of Diseases of the Thorax in St. Mary's Hospital. Dr. McCorkle was for many years chemist to the "oard of Health, and is now Professor of Materia Medica a' and a Visiting Physician to, the Long Island College Hospital; while Dr. Rushmore holds the Chair of Surgery in the Long Island College Hospital, and is At- tending Surgeon to the Brooklyn City, St. Peter's, and thie Eye and Ear Hospitals. All of these mea have contributed many articles on their specialties to medical literature.

GEORGE G. HOPKINS graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, 1868. He is Visiting Surgeon to St. John's, and has been recently elected one of the Council, and a Con- sulting Surgeon to the Long Island College Hospital, and is now President of the Kings County Medical Society.

The following authorities have been consulted : STILES' History of Brooklyn; Early Settlers of Kings County, by T. G. BERGEN; Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New York, and Documentary History of the State of New York, by E. B. O'CALLAGHAN; THOMPSON'S History of Long Island; Minutes of Common Council of Brooklyn; Revolutionary Incidents of Suffolk and Kings Coun- ties, by HENRY ONDERDONK, Jr .; Proceedings of the Kings County Medical Society; The Biographical Dictionary of Physicians; papers by Drs. TONER, HUTCHISON, SCHENCK, and others. Dr. LEWIS S PILCHER has also rendered us much valuable assist- ance. Above all, we are under obligations to Dr. R. M. WYCKOFF, who cheerfully gave the use of his valuable notes on the Medical History of the County to assist in this work.

894

HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

MEDICAL BIOGRAPHIES.

JOSEPH CHRISMAN HUTCHISON, LL.D.

A leader, not only in the professional circles of his adopted city, but foremost among those surgeons whose attainments have reflected credit upon the American name, is Joseph Chrisman Hutchison. His father, Dr. Nathaniel Intehison, of Scotch-Irish extraction: his mother. Mary Chrisman, a na- tive of Virginia, were residents of Old Franklin, Howard county, Mo .. where he was born, February 22, 1827. He studied at the University of Missouri, and commenced his medical studies at the medical department of the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania, erjoying, meanwhile, the valuable private instruction of Drs. Gerhard and Peace. Graduating M.D., in 1848, he passed four years in practice in his native state, and, in 1853, came to Brooklyn, where he has since ro- mained, and where he has acquired that reputation which now crowns his long and active career. Of the honors which his profession can confer, Dr. Hutchison has had an ample share. He is a member of the Kings County Medical Society, of which he was President in 1864; of the New York State Medical Society, of which he was President in 1867 and 1868 ; of the New York Pathological Society, Presi- dent in 1871 ; Fellow of the New York Academy of Medi- cine, and its Vice-President in 1869, 1870 and 1871; an hon- orary member of the Connecticut and New Jersey State Medical Societies ; corresponding member of the Boston Gynecological Society ; a delegate from the American Medi- cal Association to the International Medical Congress of 1867, at Paris; and to that of the British Medical Association, at Edinburgh. in 1875 ; a delegate from the N. Y. State Medical Society to the International Medical Congress of 1876, at Philadelphia; and to that at London, in 1881. He is also an honorary member of the New Jersey State Medical Society ; and, in 1880, received the degree of LL.D. from his Alma Mater, the University of Missouri.

The field in which Dr. Hutchison has especially gained his lanrels is that of operative surgery, and his record is full of notable cases. During the cholera epidemic of 1854. he was Physician-in-charge of the Brooklyn Cholera Hospital ; he has been, since 1857, Surgeon to the Brooklyn City Hospital. and, for a number of years. Surgeon-in-Chief of the Brook- lyn Orthopedic Infirmary, of which he was the founder. He is also Consulting Surgeon to the Kings County, St. John's, and St. Peter's Hospitals. In 1854, 55 and '56, he was Loc- turer on Diseases of Women in the medical department of the l'niversity of the City of New York ; from 1860 to 1867, Professor of Operative and Clinical Surgery in the Long Island College Hospital. resigning the chair in the latter year. In 1873. 74 and '45, he was Health Commissioner of the city of Brooklyn, and the confidence with which he is regarded by the members of his profession, canses his opinion and experience to be sought. also, in all matters pertaining to the sanitary and medical interests of the city.

He has been a diligent writer, as well as worker ; and, among some of his more important publications, may be mentioned those on " Dislocation of the Femur into the Ischiatic Notch " (dissection): a " Treatise on Physiology and Hygiene," for school nse ; "Acupressure," a Prize Essay of the New York State Medical Society : " Lectures on Ortho- poulie Surgery," delivered at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, N. Y .. published 1880 ; reports on " The Removal of the Upper Maxillary and Malar Bones, withont External

Incision ;" Excision of the Eutire Ulna;" "Ligation of the External lliac Artery, for Femoral Aneurism ;" on " Rapid Lithotrity ;" on the "Treatment of Femoral Aneurism by Laying Open the Sac" (method of Antyllus), etc., etc.

Dr. llutchison married, in 1849, Susan II., daughter of Rev. A. and Martha (Cowles) Benedict, of Farmington, Conn. They have had four children, of whom the oldest was N. Ger- hard Hutchison, M.D., whose biography will be found on page 890. Ilis death at the very outset of his career, was a great sorrow and loss, both to his parents and his profession; mitigated only by the splendid example which it furnished, of heroic sacrifice to professional duty.

SAMUEL FLEET SPEIR. M. D.

SAMUEL FLEET SPEIR. M. D., a prominent physician of Brooklyn, was born in that city, April 9. 1838. His parents were Robert and Hannah (Fleet) Speir. His father. Robert Speir, was a native of New York, and for many years was successfully engaged in that city in mercantile pursuits: and. having acquired a competence, retired from active busines in 1856. His mother, née Hannah S. Fleet, was a daughter of Samuel Fleet, who came to Brooklyn from Suffolk county Long Island, in 1819, and erected what for many years was known as the " Fleet Mansion," located on the corner of Ful- ton and Gold streets. This homestead has been replaced by a block of substantial stores, which were erected by the " Fleet Estate," and is now in the business centre of the city. which has grown from a population of five thousand in 1519. to over a half a million in 1883 (see engraving, page 895).

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Civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the County of Kings and the City of Brooklyn, N. Y., Part 62

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909. Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York : Munsell Number of Pages: 1360

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : Munsell
Number of Pages: 1360