USA > New York > Monroe County > Rochester > History of Rochester and Monroe county, New York, from the earliest historic times to the beginning of 1907 > Part 52
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over a wide range of territory, not preventing his attendance upon and participation in the discussions that marked the progress of medical knowledge. Beginning his surgical career before the introduction of anaesthesia, his life work covered the years marked by the wonderful development of medical science and the great progress in surgical tech- nique due to the discovery of anæesthesia, the estab- lishment of antisepsis and the utilization of the . Roentgen ray. In other directions, his broad and active sympathies were of special value, and his professional eminence, benignant personality and devotion to beneficent objects, were recognized by all. His death occurred at Rochester, March 3d. 1902, in the eighty-eighth year of his age, and as Dr. W. S. Ely, whose memorial to him before the Medical society of the state of New York, the present writer has freely used, well remarks: "His life covered a long and eventful period. He saw wonderful changes wrought out in every depart- ment of human activity. To the Inst his mind was clear and his interest in scientific movement nnabated. Truly he died full of years and honor."
.Dr. Harvey F. Montgomery, son of Harvey Montgomery and Mary E. Rochester, and grand- son of Colonel Nathaniel Rochester, was born in Rochester July 21st, 1818. He was graduated from Princeton college in 1839 and studied medi- cine at the University of Pennsylvania, receiving his degree in 1842. He entered upon the practice of medicine in his native city and early gave atten- tion to surgery, for which his temperament and knowledge specially fitted him. Upon the opening of the Rochester City hospital in 1863 he was ap- pointed visiting surgeon and upon the full organ- ization of the hospital staff in 1872 he was chosen its presiding officer, a position he held until his death. During the Civil wur he was medical ex- aminer of recruits and later became pension ex- aminer for the Rochester district. Dr. Mont- gomery's reputation as a surgeon was based upon his accurate knowledge of anatomy, his clear in- sight into surgical methods and his absolute up- rightness of character. His death occurred on November 8th, 1884, in his sixty-seventh year.
Dr. George G. Carroll was born at Geneva, N. Y., October 31st, 1842, and received his early edu- cation at the Geneva public schools. He was grad- uated from Hobart college in 1866, and four years
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later received the degree of M. D. from the medi- cal department of Buffalo university. He immed- iately began the practice of medicine in Rochester, and during his life time acquired an extensive clientele. Early in his career he was city physi- cian and for thirty-five years he served on the sur- gical staff of St. Mary's hospital. For several years he was one of the managers of the State Industrial school, and in 1899, upon the reorganization of the educational system in the city, he was elected one of the members of the board of education, a posi- tion he retained until his death, which occurred September 25th, 1905, in his fifty-seventh year. He was a member of the Monroe County Medical society and of the Rochester Pathological society. His wife was a daughter of Dr. Bradley, mentioned above. Unassuming in his manner, Dr. Carroll was efficient and conscientious in his work, both in the pursuit of his profession and in the discharge of his official duties.
Dr. Louis A. Weigel was born of German par- entage, in July, 1854, on Clinton avenue North in this city. He was graduated in medicine from the University of Maryland in 1875, and began the practice of medicine in his home city. Early in his career, his attention was directed to ortho- pedie work and he devoted his time more and more to its pursuit. In the specialty of orthopedic surgery he became one of the most widely known of American surgeons. He early became connected with the staff of the City and St. Mary's hospitals and later was appointed to the chair of orthopedic surgery, at Niagara university, Buffalo. He had always been proficient in amateur photography and . was one of the organizers of the Rochester Camera club. With the discovery of the X-ray, the techni- eal knowledge of an art taken up for diversion be- came of immense value in the development of radiography. His work in that direction was carly recognized as most brilliant in character and it greatly extended his reputation at home and abroad. His devotion to experimental and practi- cal work with the Roentgen rav was the direct cause of his early death. Careless of himself, anx- ions only for the success of his efforts, he early became affected with the dermatites now so fami- liar to all workers in that science. Even this did not deter him from his unceasing labor, and the disease rapidly progressed. Amputation of both hands only served to prolong a suffering which
was constant and tormenting. Through it all he bore himself with remarkable fortitude. He died May 31st, 1906. In addition to his active service on the staffs of the Rochester hospitals, he was con- sulting orthopedic surgeon to the New York state hospital for crippled children at Yonkers, and consulting orthopedic surgeon to Craig Colony for Epileptics at Sonyea. He had been president of the American Orthopedic society, and a member of various other medical organizations, and at the time of his death was the president of the Ro- chester Academy of Medicine.
Jonas Jones was born in Ontario, October 2d, 1837. He removed to Rochester when twelve years of age and was educated in the public schools of this city, and at Genesee college, Lima, N. Y. Ile studied medicine at Bellevue Medical college, New York, where he was graduated in 1867. He then returned to Rochester and became resident physi- cian and superintendent of the Rochester City hospital, a position which he filled until 1872. He then began private practice on West avenue and rapidly acquired a large and devoted clientage. Ilis death occurred in December, 1892, and was deeply regretted by his numerous friends.
Among others who have been prominent medi- cal and surgical practitioners of their day, honor- able mention should be made of Drs. II. H. Lang- worthy, Thos. B. Collins, Bleecker L. Hovey, A. Mandeville, and J. J. Kempe, who well maintained the best traditions of the profession, the first rained and the last named of whom served long and faithfully as attending surgeons at the City hospital.
THE BOARD OF HEALTH."
For the old board of health the charter of 1900 substituted a commissioner of Public Safety hav- ing charge of the police, fire and health bureaus in the department of Public Safety. The power of the commissioner, so far as the health bureau is con- cerned, is all that of the old board of health. The health bureau is organized to exercise control over nuisances of all kinds, the installation and repairs of all plumbing and drainage in dwellings, the receipt and record of all births, marriages and
"This article was prepared by Dr. George W. Galer, health officer of the city.
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deathe and the supervision of all food supplies, in- mon council to investigate the conduct of eluding milk. It has to issue licenses to milk smallpox epidemie by the health authorities. The health authorities had been refused adequate meaun for protecting the people against the invasion of smallpox, and no proper hospital facilities had been afforded them. After daily sessions of nearly two months the committee of the council strongly censured the health bureau, and recommended that the health officer be dismissed from service. Dur- ing the winter outbreak of smallpox a site for a hospital was proenred in the northwestern part of the city, where a smallpox hospital was in course of erection. The roads to this site were practi- cally impassable, four horses being required to draw an ordinary load of gravel. By the time the hospital was ready and the roads finished there were not more than five of six cases of smallpor in the city. dealers, plumbers, scavengers and garbage collec- tors. It issues permits to children for work in mercantile or factory establishments under the mercantile law, and under the general public health law is supposed to have very general powers. Its force at the present time ummbers forty-five persons, fourteen of whom are physicians. Since the organization of the health bureau there have been several periods in its history that need to be recorded. In 1901 the city was visited by an epi- demic of rabies affecting dogs, cats, horses and cattle. A number of persons were bitten by dog- who were proven to be rabid, and two persons died of hydrophobia. Many people availed themselves of the anti-rabie treatment at the Pasteur Institute in New York city. More than 2.500 dogs and cats were impounded and killed. In 1903 and After the smallpox epidemie had been extiu- guished the hospital stood idle for a year. Then. with the aid of the Rochester Public Health as- sociation, of which the late Dr. E. M. Moore was the first president, and Captain Henry Loinb vice-president, the hospital was converted into an institution for the care of incipient and moderately advanced cases of tuberculosis. Through the aid of the Rochester Public Health association about five thousand dollars was subscribed for the ex- periment. A visiting tuberculosis nurse, Miss Marie Phelan, was employed by the association, und, the city having given the use of the building, the association attempted the experiment of caring for cases of tuberculosis under the direction of the health authorities. At the end of the year the ex- periment was so sueressful that the city authori- ties assmned the expense of caring for these cases. and on this basis the hospital has been since con- ducted, except that the Public Health association assumes the expense for the visiting nurse. 1901 Rochester was visited by the most serious epi- demie of smallpox in its history. The epidemic broke ont in the summer of 1902 in several parts of the city simultaneously. The city was then wholly unprepared for an outbreak of this kind. A few little old buildings on the river road between the Erie and Lehigh Valley railroad crossing were the only means provided for the care of persons affected by smallpox. A temporary hospital con- sisting of tenta and platformns was hurriedly erected and the patients were cared for during the months of May, June, July and August. About one hundred and fifty cases occurred during these months, of whom fifteen died. This warning did not seem to be sufficient for the authorities, and a proposed hospital that was to have been erected for the expected winter epidemic was not pushed forward as was expected. From the middle of August until about the middle of September there were but one or two cases of smallpox reported. As soon as the cold weather began to come on, cases of smallpox became more and more numer- cus. Tents were used in the beginning of the out- break and then temporary buildings were erected. Soon afterward the election booths of the city were put in commission and used for the care of patients affected by the disease. In all in the winter epi- demic there were about five hundred cases and eighty-five deaths. While the epidemic was still in progress a committee of in- vestigation was appointed by the com-
As far back as 1897 the health authorities be- gan to attack the milk problem. Milk brought to the city came from many dirty barns, was teem- ing with filth and bacteria, with a marked effect npon the mortality rate. The health bureau ex- tablished summer milk stations during July and August for the sale of nursing bottles of clean milk at the cost of production. These stations were in charge of trained nurses and were supplied with little pamphlets showing how to take care of ba-
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The Homeopathic Hospital.
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luis in summer. To these stations mothers came with their babies for milk and advice.
In the summer of 1904 the Rochester Public Ilealth association offered the services of five physicians to carry on the experiments of medical school inspection. These services were accepted by the city. This experiment, too, having proven a success, in the following year five additional physicians were appointed to the health bareau, who, with the seven health physicians, constitut- ing a corps of medical school inspectors, began systematically to visit the schools in an attempt to exclude children suffering from transmissible diseases. They also make systematic weekly in- spections of the warming, ventilating and general conduct of the building. The health bureau is in- trusted with the enforcement of the mercantile law which permits it to issue certificates to work in mercantile establishments and factories to those children having passed the sixth grade in the pub- lic schools, and who are found in physical condi- tion sufficient to enable them to work. It was early noticed that many of the children applyig for certificates had defective eyesight and hearing, carious teeth, large tonsils and adenoid obstruc- tions, Such children were deemed to be physic- ally unable to work and were either compelled to have their physical deformities remedied or else a permit was not issued to work. Those children whose parents were not able to secure medical or dental aid for them were sent to a dispensary or- ganized by the Public Health association, where without charge their teeth might be cleaned, tem- porary fillings inserted, eyes corrected, glasses fur- nished, hearing cared for, and where tonsils and adenoid obstructions might be removed. Here, too, at this dispensary, children from the public schools are sent by the school inspectors when their parents are unable to give to them that aid which the teeth, eyes, ears, noses and throats of children so frequently demand.
HOMEOPATHY."
The history of all things accomplished by human efforts leads our thoughts into the realmn of the departed. To those of the homeopathic school of
medicine who worked and died in the faith we reverently bow in silence. This is not to be a sketch of individuals, in the profession or out of it ; on the contrary its object is, in a simple manner, to place before those interested the steps by which homeopathy has reached its present elevated po- sition in our community. The illustrations ac- companying this chapter should be a greater fac- tor than the text, as they show actualities, and speak those things which no one can controvert.
Dr. Augustus P. Biegler was the first to intru- duee homeopathy in Rochester. He was born in Prussia and graduated from the University of Ber- hn, March 29th, 1832. In 1837 he began, and wad the first, to practise homeopathy in Albany, N. Y. In the autumn of 1840 he became a resident of this city, and late in the same year made the journey to Paris for the purpose of visiting Hahnemann. After a year he again returned to this city, and formed a partnership with Dr. John Taylor. Their office was at number 6 Spring street, being on the northeast corner of Spring and Fitzhugh streets. During the fall of 1844 came the next maker of our history, Dr. Moses M. Mathews, who was a convert to the system throngn the influence of Dr. Biegler. Dr. Biegler remain- ed a resident here until his death, which occurred in 1849, at the age of fifty-nine years. Dr. Taylor removed to the city of New York and Dr. Mathews ocenpied the office on Spring street for fourteen years. He died in the year 1867. These men were not brought up in the school of Hahnemann, the fcunder of homeopathy : they were graduates of the dominant school, and had practised under such teaching prior to embracing the principles of homeopathy. During 1850 Dr. Edwin H. Hurd came to the city and entered as a student the office of Dr. Mathews. After becoming prepared to prac- tise, a partnership was entered into, lasting one vear. At this time in active practice we find Drs. A. P. Biegler, M. M. Mathews, E. H. Hurd, Hilem Bennett. George Lewis, George W. Peer and Thomas C. Schell.
The Monroe County Homeopathie Medical 80- ciety was organized on the second day of January, 1866. Its chartered members numbered seven- teen and its officers were: President, Dr. George Lewis: vice-president. M. M. Mathews; secretary and treasurer, D. A. Baldwin. By 1884 its mem- bership had increased to thirty-seven, with the fol-
.This sketch of both the Homeopathic and the Hahnemannian schools was prepared by Dr. P. W. Neefus.
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lowing officers : President, Dr. C. R. Sumuer; vice-president, S. W. Hartwell; secretary, Volney A. Hoard; treasurer, T. C. White. The present membership, February Ist, 190;, numbers fifty- two and there are eighty-eight homeopathic phy- sicians in Monroe county, seventy-four being lo- cated in Rochester.
After many years of hope deferred, the Ro- chester Homeopathic hospital was incorporated May 25th, 1887. Sixteen months later, Septemn- ber 18th, 1889, the opening reception was held in its building. situated on the south side of Mon- roe avenue, between Union and Alexander streets. The property included what had been known as the Monroe Avenue Sanitarium and two frame dwellings cast of the sanitarium. In these quar- ters were accommodations for forty-seven pa- tients. The Hospital Leaflet issued its first num- ber April 10th, 1889, marking the birthday of Hahnemann. The Western New York and the Monroe County Homeopathie societies jointly cele- brated this anniversary by a banquet at Powers Hotel. In the Leaflet for September. 1889, the following appear -: "We intend to take a promi- nent part in the charitable work of the city." How far this has become a success. the illustration of the present property shows hevond a peradventure of a doubt. A training-school for nurses was estab- lished December 1st, 1889, and opened with three pupils. At the present time, February 1st. 1907. there is a class of fifty-six members. April 7th, 1890, a free dispensary. at 30 Pearl street, was placed at the disposal of the city poor. Later it was removed to a store on Monroe avenue, and still later to the hospital property on Alexander street.
This hospital was the first in Rochester to seud out a nurse to work in the homes of the sick poor. Such a blessing to those in need was made pos- sible January Ist. 1891, by provision for her an- nual support, the gift of Mrs. Hiram W. Siblev, in memory of her mother. Mrs. Fletcher Harper. This nurse is still known as the "Margaret Harner nurse." This appears in the Hospital Leaflet for August 10th. 1891: "During the month of July the Margaret Harper nurse made eighty-four visits, some of which were nine hours long. while some were only forty minutes."
The original quarters soon became inadequate and the demande upon homeopathy were met No-
vember 21st, 1894, by removal to new buildings. They are situated at 224 Alexander street, upon what was known as the Freeman Clarke home- stead.
The property consists of about eight acres. The buildings thereon include the spacious hospital mul maternity buildings, nurses' home, superin- tendent's home and ambulance house. Accommo- dations are ample for one hundred and forty-nine patients and sixty nurses.
THE HAHNEMANN SCHOOL.
The Hahnemann society was organized during 1886, for the special study of the homeopathie materia medica and therapeutics. The society be- gan with a membership of seven. Its work has al- ways been of a high order along the special lines of homeopathic practice and the society now num- hers seventeen members. Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month. The Hahne- mann hospital, located on Oakland street, was in- corporated in the year 1889 and opened for the reception of patients in May, 1891, with thirteen Leds. At the same time a training-school for nurses was established and commenced with four pupils. This institution has enjoyed a healthy growth, showing clearly an appreciation of its la- hors by the public. During 1901 additions were built, increasing its capacity to forty beds. So suc- orsful was it that other additions were made, 40 that January 1st, 1907, marks the completion of large wing, doubling its capacity which gives room for eighty patients and thirty-five nurses. They lave a fine ambulance service and publish monthly " leaffet called The Advocate. There is a nurres' home on the property and it is expected that in the near future a maternity building will be erected. as $15.000.00 has already been raised for that purpose.
The Lee private hospital. on Lake avenne, is not to be forgotten in recording the growth and his- torv of homeopathy. This hospital was opened Janrary 9th. 1998. hy John Mallory Tee. M. D .. with seven beds. Snecess has ever hovered over this undertaking, so that it has now fifty-one beds. besides a training-school numbering twenty-seven nurses, with a commodions brick building for their accommodation. In the same line is the Graham Highland Park sanitarium and maternity hospital,
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The Mahne mann
Hospital.
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. on Sonth avenue, an institution under homeo- pathie management. It was opened April 1st, 1900, by the late M. E. Graham, M. D., with a capacity of thirty-two beds. During 1905 the building for a maternity hospital was erected, al- lowing for thirteen beds. The institution can now care for forty-five patients and a training-school of fifteen nurses.
From the training schools of these varions in- stitutions two hundred and sixty-three nurses have been graduated and the demand is still greater than the supply.
The value of property under homeopathie man- agement amounts to over half a million dollars, making it an incontrovertible fact that this school of medicine has its many loyal friends, and a le- gion of loyal supporters, to whom great honor is due (and here offered) for making it possible for this branch of the medical profession to demon- strate its ability to administer, so successfully. medical and surgical assistance to the sick.
DENTISTRY IN ROCHESTER AND VICINITY .*
In giving a partial history of dentistry in Ro- chester and Monroe county, I should like to staie a little of what dentistry in general has accom- plished. It is one of the oldest professions, refer- ence being made to it by Herodotus in the fifth century before Christ. Specimens of dental opera- tions of these early ages are to be seen in the mu- seum of the Louvre, Paris, also in the Cornetto mu- seum, Italy, and numbers of others taken from sarcophagi. The subject is not an especially fas- cinating one, and yet humanity owes to it a very large debt, for the health and comfort it has af- forded it, notwithstanding some occasional pain. The dental profession is proud of its record, anil considers itself second to none in the amount of suffering it has alleviated. One of the greatest hoons conferred upon mankind was the discovery and use of anæsthetics by a dentist in 1844. Dr. Wells of Hartford, Conn., and also by Drs. Mor- ton and Long in 1846. How much of relief these bave accomplished it is needless to state. Many of the prominent inventions that have influenced the world have been made by dentists. The first gold crown used to cap a broken-down root of a
tooth, before useless, was the invention of a Ko- chester dentist, Dr. Beers, afterward of California. The first repeating rifle was the invention of Dr. Maynard, a dentist. The first rapid-fire gun, or battery, as it was called, was invented by one of our Rochester dentists, J. Reqna, in 1863 (a pho- tograph of the inventor, and batteries, with full description, may be found in the kochester Herald of December 11th, 1901). The first attempt to in- angorate a dental protective association, with the design of protecting the individual dentist from unjust attack on the part of patentees, was made by Rochester dentists, and, although it did not permanently materialize here, it started the move- ment which was afterward taken up by Chicago dentists and perfected, and has become a national etfair. So far as I have been enabled to learn, the first free dental dispensary in the world was started by onr Rochester Dental society in the vear 1901. It had rooms in the City hospital, and was in operation two years. when, for reasons un- necessary to mention here. it disbanded. In 1904 a new organization was effected, by the same so- ciety with a view of giving to the worthy poor the professional services of our best dentists free of all charge, and owing to the liberality of our townsman, Captain Lomb, whom we all delight to honor, sufficient funds have been provided to sup. ply the dispensary office with every needed modern device for operating in the month.
The first Rochester City Dental society was formed in 1868. when the following officers were elected : President. Dr. H. C. Wanzer ; vice-presi- Jent. J. Naramore : treasurer. A. A. Morgan ; sec- retary. H. S. Miller. This society continued for a short time, when it disbanded, and in 1878 a new one was formed, with the following officers : Prea. ident. H. S. Miller: vice-president, B. F. La Salle: secretary, J. Edward Line. In 1903 the twenty-fifth anniversary was celebrated with ? complimentary banquet to its founders, who were Drs. J. Requa. L. D. Waltera, F. D. Brown (of Mt. Morris). J. S. Walter, F. French, H. S. Mil- ler. W. E. Royce, J. E. Line, Maurice Leyden, J. E. Sanford and B. F. La Salle. This society is still in existence, and is a recognized force in the profession. The Rochester directory of 1827 has no record of dentists, So far as I have been able to learn, the first dentist of record was one Dr. Bigelow, an itinerant, who operated in a room in
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