USA > New York > Erie County > Our County and Its People: A Descriptive Work on Erie County, New York (Volume 1) > Part 88
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This hospital was established by Dr. Thomas Lothrop in May, 1886, to receive and care for women, married or single, during childbirth, or while suffering from diseases peculiar to their sex. It was first located at the corner of Seventh and Maryland streets, but in May, 1891, it was removed to its present situation, 191 Georgia street corner of Seventh, where it occupies a large and well appointed building that has been remodeled to meet the requirements of such an institution. It receives a limited number of worthy indigent women suffering from curable diseases, free of expense, provided they are unable to pay for their board and treatment. There is also a free dispensary maintained in connection with the hospital. The private rooms are suitably fur- nished and supplied with all the comforts consistent with modern sur- gical cleanliness.
The pupils of Niagara University Medical College receive their ob- stetric training in this hospital. Dr. Thomas Lothrop is physician-in- chief, and Dr. C. C. Frederick is surgeon-in-chief. The consulting staff attached to the service is composed as follows: William S. Tre- maine, Herman Mynter, R. L. Banta, H. C. Buswell, William Warren Potter, Herbert Mickle, Eugene A. Smith and Walter D. Greene.
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ST. MARY'S ASYLUM FOR WIDOWS, ORPHANS AND INFANTS.
This institution is located at 126 Edward street, Buffalo, and is un . der the charge of ten Sisters of Charity. It was opened June 15, 1854, with accommodations in two cottages for fifteen inmates. Dr. James P. White was the first attending physician with Sister Rosalie and two other sisters in charge. It has at present accommodations for 185 per- sons. After Dr. White's term of service expired, Dr. James S. Smith took his place, and he was followed by Dr. E. A. Smith. Dr. Thomas Lothrop and Dr. C. C. Frederick are now in charge of the lying-in ward, and Dr. Earl P. Lothrop is clinical assistant. The present attending physician is Dr. Eugene A. Smith, who is assisted by Henry Osthues and B. H. Brady.
ST. FRANCIS ASYLUM.
This institution was established December 18, 1861, and is located at 337 Pine street. The founder, Mother M. Francis Bachman, with the Sisters of the Francisan Order came from Philadelphia where they had established a similar asylum. It has for its object the care of the aged poor of both sexes regardless of nationality or religious denomi- nation. The average number of inmates from 1863 to 1867 was nine- teen; during the past ten years the average has been 245. At present there are about three hundred inmates in the institution and the num- ber of sisters in attendance is thirty-two. The total number of Fran- ciscan Sisters is 170 who are engaged in the various institutions of the order located throughout the country. Formerly Drs. Edward Storck and Conrad Diehl were attending physicans; now Drs. Thomas Lo- throp, J. D. Flagg, William C. Krauss, and A. E. Persons constitute the attending staff.
BUFFALO CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.
This hospital was established in September, 1892, through the gen- erosity of Mrs. Gibson T. Williams and Miss Martha T. Williams, who purchased the property at No. 219 Bryant street, and after refit- ting it, offered it rent free to the board of managers, which is composed of a group of philanthropic women. The hospital has accommodations for about fifty-two patients. The following is the present list of officers:
Mrs. Lester Wheeler, president; Mrs. George H. Lewis, first vice-president; Mrs.
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William Hamlin, second vice-president; Mrs. Henry Watson, Mrs. Bainbridge Fol- well, purveyors; Miss Martha T. Williams, treasurer; Mrs. Bernard Bartow, secre- tary. Executive committee: Mrs. E. B. Alward, Mrs. George Truscott, Mrs. S. S. Spaulding, Mrs. Henry Bull, Mrs. Nathaniel Rochester, Mrs. John L. Williams, Mrs. Dexter P. Rumsey, Mrs. Charles Pardee, Mrs. Edwin Bell, Mrs. George Parkhurst, Mrs. Edmund P. Fish, Mrs. Joseph Hunsicker, Mrs. Charles B. Wheeler. Advisory committee: George A. Lewis, Sherman S. Rogers, Henry W. Sprague, G. L. Will- iams. C. Sidney Shepard, Bernard Bartow, John Parmenter. Medical staff: Bernard Bartow, orthopedic surgeon; John Parmenter, attending surgeon; H. Y. Grant, ophthalmic and aural surgeon; Charles S. Jones, Dewitt H. Sherman, attending physicians; W. Scott Renner, laryngologist; Loren H. Staples, assistant surgeon; H. G. Matzinger, pathologist.
It has a training school for nurses in which the course is two years and there are nine nurses at present on duty.
THE GERMAN HOSPITAL AND DISPENSARY.
The Buffalo German Hospital and Dispensary was organized last year. The dispensary was opened December 14, 1896, at 621 East Genesee street, with the following staff: President, Charles H. W. Auel, M. D .; vice-president, Gustave Pohl, M. D .; secretary, Max Breuer, M. D .; house committee, Drs. L. Schroeter, S. Goldberg, Henry G. Bentz; general practice, Drs. E. E. Koehler, Henry Osthues, Fr. Thoma, Julius Ullman; surgery, Drs. J. G. Meidenbauer, M. Hartwig; consulting surgeon, Dr. Herman Mynter; diseases of women, Drs. Charles H. W. Auel, Max Breuer, S. Goldberg ; psychiatry and diseases of the nerves, Drs. William C. Krauss, H. G. Matzinger, William Meis- burger; diseases of children, Drs. L. Schroeter, G. Pohl, C. H. W. Auel; ophthalmology and otology, Dr. E. Blaauw; consultant, Dr. Lucien Howe; genito urinary and skin diseases, Drs. J. M. Kraus, A. Jokle, G. W. Wende; consultant, Dr. Ernest Wende.
The present number of active members is twenty-two, which may be raised to the limit of twenty-five. There are three consulting physicians and surgeons as above indicated.
The aim of the dispensary is to accept none but patients absolutely too poor to pay a fee. A committee of three directors act as investi- gating committee, scrutinizing the list each week with a view to ascer- tain if any patients not entitled to charity are being treated. It is expected that this committee will communicate with the district phy- sicians of the health department, also every attending physician at the dispensary will make himself familiar with the social condition of each patient, rejecting such as are found able to pay for medical treatment.
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GERMAN DEACONESS'S HOME AND HOSPITAL ..
The latest hospital to be organized in this city is the German Dea- coness's Home and Hospital, situated on Kingsley street, near Hum- holdt Parkway. About three years ago the establishment of this hospital was suggested and a number of private meetings were held to consider its feasibility. After much deliberation it was decided to call a public meeting, which was held February 26, 1895, in St. Paul's German U. E. church, Ellicott street, at which plans were presented to the assem- blage. The interest manifested was such as to justify the organization of a society whose object is to further the interest of the work, and it is known as the Deaconess's Association of Buffalo. The association rented a building on Goodrich street, October 23, 1895, and the first patient was admitted November 14, 1895. In the spring of 1896 the erection of a new and commodious building was taken into considera- tion. Plans were adopted, a site secured, and the construction of the building was commenced. It was dedicated November 21, 1896, and is now in full operation.
The building consists of three distinct divisions: The central or main division is intended as a home for deaconesses and working women; the east wing is used for hospital patients, and the west wing is occu- pied as a home for aged men and women. Each division will ac- commodate forty inmates. The hospital is admirably arranged and consists of a basement, a kindergarten or crêche, a polyclinic room, apothecary's room, and an office. On the first floor are two wards for men and a small children's ward, five private rooms, a day room and a diet kitchen. On the second floor is an operating room connected with a medicine room, and a preparing room. There are also two wards, five private rooms, a day room and a diet kitchen for women patients; on the third floor are eight rooms to be fitted up when occasion demands.
The success of the enterprise is due largely to the persistent efforts of the Rev. Carl Schild who has been chosen president of the Board of Directors. The generosity of J F. Schoellkopf, esq., who gave $5,000, should be mentioned, while the medical department owes much to the activity and thoughtfulness of Dr. E. A. Smith.
The management of the house is under the general supervision of a sister superior, Miss Tobschall, known to the inmates as Sister Ida. Miss Mary Barth, a graduate nurse, has been engaged as superintendent of the hospital department, and Miss Eliza Loy is to have charge of the home for the aged. The medical staff of the hospital is made up as follows: Consulting physicians, Conrad Diehl, Louis Schade,
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Charles Wetzel; attending physicians, Delancey Rochester, William Gärtner; at- tending surgeons, Herman Mynter, Roswell Park, E. A. Smith; gynecologist, M. D. Mann; ophthalmologist, Edmond Blaauw; laryngologist, W. Scott Renner; derma- tologist, Alfred E. Diehl; diseases of children, Irving M. Snow; neurologists, James W. Putnam, William C. Krauss; pathologists, H. U. Williams, Earl P. Lothrop; obstetrician, H. G. Bentz; resident physician, - Graft.
IV. MEDICAL JOURNALS. THE BUFFALO MEDICAL JOURNAL.
The desirability of establishing a medical journal in Buffalo had been agitated for some time, but definite plans were not made until the spring of 1845. A guaranty was signed by Alden S. Sprague, Austin Flint, Frank Hastings Hamilton and James P. White, protecting the publish- ers against loss, which resulted in the consummating of plans that had been languishing. It is proper to state that the guarantors were never called upon for funds, as the Journal was self supporting from the start.
In June, 1845, the first number of the Buffalo Medical Journal was published under the editorship of Dr. Austin Flint, who was its founder and owner. It was printed by Jewett, Thomas & Co. at the office of the Commercial Advertiser and consisted of twenty standard octavo pages. It contained an introductory editorial by Dr. Flint that occu- pied two and one fourth pages; notice of a European tour, by Frank H. Hamilton, then professor of surgery at Geneva Medical College; cases of acute rheumatism treated by nitrate of potash in large doses, by Alden S. Sprague; case of aortitis with autopsy and remarks, by George N. Burwell; a case of hydrophobia, reported by James P. White; a case of midwifery with twins at different stages of development, by H. N. Loomis, and the last four pages of this number were filled with para- graphs under the general heads, editorial, medical intelligence, biblio- graphical notices and miscellany.
At that 'time Buffalo contained less than 30,000 inhabitants, and though there were about seventy physicians of all sorts and conditions, one-half of whom were regulars, there were yet no medical societies organized in the city. The journal, however, was a success from the start, owing to the energy of the editor and his associates. The first volume contained a total of 284 pages, but the second grew to an aggregate of 758 pages, which was the standard that it maintained for many years.
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Mr. James N. Matthews, afterward editor and proprietor of the Buffalo Morning Express, worked as a compositor on the first numbers of the Journal, and he stated in a conversation on the subject a short time before his death that at first he experienced great difficulty in deciphering Dr. Flint's chirography, who prepared copy for the press something after the manner of Horace Greeley.
The history of the Buffalo Medical Journal involves the history of the medical profession of Buffalo and vicinity for the past fifty years. In its pages are recorded the principal medical events that have occurred here during the half century of its existence, some of which are some- what startling in character, while many are given in detail. It contains the reports of clinical cases and medical and surgical items that served to make the men of those early days famous.
Dr. Frank H. Hamilton published in the pages of the journal his surgical clinics and fracture tables, together with other papers that served to form the basis of his future classic treatise on fractures and dislocations, that is recognized in every country and has been translated into several tongues.
Dr. James P. White lent his powerful influence in support of the Journal from the first, and published in its columns essays and clinical reports from which spread a fame that made him known in two hemi- spheres. Every new method of procedure or new-fashioned instru- ment that came to his kdowledge was made known to his colleagues through the Journal.
Dr. Flint conducted the Journal as sole editor from 1845 until 1853, when, having been invited to teach the practice of medicine at Louis- ville, Ky., he transferred it to other hands. Meanwhile a young man from Mendon, N. Y., had been contributing a series of articles to its columns under the name of "Smelfungus," that had attracted great attention on account of their rare wit, wisdom and originality. This young man was invited to become demonstrator of anatomy at the Buffalo Medical College, which circumstance made it convenient for him to transfer his residence to Buffalo. Recognizing his talent and fitness for the work, Dr. Flint made haste to invite "Smelfungus" to become associated with him in the editorial conduct of the Journal. Dr. Sanford B. Hunt, "Smelfungus " no longer, without experience in journalism, indeed with very little experience of any kind, became practically editor-in-chief with the issue of July, 1853. The wisdom of his selection was never challenged, and two years later Dr. Flint con-
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veyed his entire interest in the Journal to Dr. Hunt, so in June, 1855, the latter became sole editor and proprietor.
During Dr. Hunt's administration, from 1853 to 1858, the Journal enjoyed the most brilliant period in its history. Putting his whole tal . ent and energy unto the work, the editor soon made his journal famous, not only for the sparkling originality of its editorial department, but also for its journalistic esprit de corps. Dr. Hunt was a ready writer, an original thinker, and had especial aptitude for editorial work. His ideas ran faster than his pen, hence it was difficult for him to keep his thoughts in check while his pen caught up to his expressions. During the year 1855 the Journal had its first experience as a defendant in a libel suit. The circumstances leading up to this event may be thus briefly stated: Dr. John D. Hill had been expelled from the medical society of the county of Erie for a violation of its rules, and the Journal had seen fit to make fearless and independent comment thereon. Fan- cying himself injured thereby Dr. Hill brought suit for libel against the editors, Drs. Flint and Hunt. The Journal was mulcted in $500 dam- ages by a jury that the editor, from his comments at the time, evident- ly thought below the average intelligence. It is proper to state in this relation that Dr. Hill was subsequently restored to membership by a mandate of the court, and was elected president of the society in 1887, as is recorded elsewhere.
In addition to his duties as editor Dr. Hunt was professor of anatomy in Buffalo Medical College and city editor of the Commercial Adver- tiser. Finally, he became editor-in-chief of the Commercial, surrendered his professorship in 1858, and also transmitted his interest in the Jour- nal to other hands. A little later he was elected superintendent of public schools, and when the war came he joined the army as surgeon of U. S. Vols. He was placed in charge of Convalescent Camp, near Alexandria, Va., in 1863, a duty which enabled him to exercise his talent as an organizer. After the war he edited a volume known as the " History of the United States Sanitary Commission," and upon completion of this task he became editor of the Newark (N. J.) Daily Advertiser. Later he purchased the Sunday edition of that newspaper which is now conducted by his son, Mr. William T. Hunt. In January, 1884, Dr. Hunt was seized with a fatal illness of which he died at Irving- ton, N. J., April 6, 1884. His ashes repose in Forest Lawn cemetery at Buffalo.
From 1858 to 1860 Dr. Austin Flint, jr., was editor, but the pro-
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prietorship had been transferred to Mr. A. I. Mathews, a then well- known druggist. Now came a period of disaster. The prosperity that throughout had attended the Journal seemed near its end. Mr. Mathews prostituted its advertising columns to the printing of quack advertise- ments. Thereupon the profession withdrew its support. Dr. Flint resisted the action of the druggist with all his might, but he was unable to stem the tide and the Journal ceased publication for a time.
Plans soon began to be discussed among leading physicians looking to its resuscitation, but as Mr. Mathews owned a proprietorship in the name of the Journal it became inexpedient for a time to revive it. Finally, however, these difficulties were overcome, and in August, 1861, the Journal was re-established under the able editorship of Dr. Julius F. Miner, the well-known surgeon. A slight modification in name was necessary, so it was called the " Buffalo Medical and Surgical Journal and Reporter." At this time the country was plunged in civil war and as a consequence there was deep commercial depression and distress, a period unfavorable for the commencement of such an enter- prise. Hence it required no little courage and energy on the part of its editor to begin the reprinting of the Journal at the time named; but the physicians of Buffalo had learned to appreciate the value of a good medical journal, all the more, perhaps, since they had been deprived of one. So, nothing daunted, the indefatigable editor issued the first edition of the new journal, which was in reality but a revival of the old magazine.
The first number of the new series contained thirty-two pages, and the first volume an aggregate of 380 pages. With the beginning of the second volume the words "and Reporter " were dropped from its title and it was published under the name of the "Buffalo Medical and Surgical Journal," until August, 1895; then, with a view to simplicity, it dropped the words "and Surgical," and is now known by its original name "The Buffalo Medical Journal."
For eighteen years Dr. Miner continued to publish the Journal, though he was assisted a portion of the time by Dr. Edward N. Brush as asso- ciate editor, now superintendent of the Sheppard Asylum for the In- sane at Towson, Md. During the period of the war the pages of the Journal became a historical record of the officers who entered the mil- itary service from Buffalo and vicinity. In the issue for June, 1869, may be found an account of the first application of the principles of enucleation, in the removal of ovarian and other abdominal tumors as performed by its originator, the editor. Dr. Julius F. Miner.
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In 1879 Dr. Miner's failing health led him to resign his editorial work into other hands. The Journal was sold to a syndicate of physi- cians composed of Thomas Lothrop, A. R. Davidson, Herman Mynter, Lucien Howe and P. W. Van Peyma. This administration began with volume 19, new series, August, 1879. The first volume pub- lished under the new management contained 556 pages which indi- cated a steady growth in its size. With volume 22 beginning August, 1882, the names of Drs. Howe and Mynter were dropped from the editorial staff, and two years later Dr. Van Peyma retired, leaving the Journal in the hands of Drs. Lothrop and Davidson. The latter con- tinued as managing editor until his death May 25, 1888. In July, 1888, Dr. Davidson's interest in the magazine as well as his functions as managing editor passed into the hands of Dr. William Warren Pot- ter who has continued in their exercise since that time. In 1895 a Jubilee number was published, giving a historical sketch of medical journalism and medical institutions from the establishment of the Journal in 1845. At this time the Journal was enlarged to eighty pages and otherwise made to conform to the advancements of the age.
The three editors during its first series are dead, so too, are Drs. A. R. Davidson, managing editor, and F. R. Campbell and Frank Hamil- ton Potter, associate editors. Thus since the establishment of the Journal more than fifty years ago six deaths have occurred in its editorial ranks. During the lifetime of the journal nearly all the improve- ments in medicine and surgery that are valuable have been developed and it has served as a stimulus to continued effort on the part of the medical profession of Buffalo. It prides itself on having kept pace with improvements, and so continued to display an energy worthy of professional esteem and support.
MEDICAL PRESS OF WESTERN NEW YORK.
A medical magazine with the foregoing title was established in Buf- falo in August, 1885; at least a number of physicians met during that month and organized a stock company for the purpose of publishing and maintaining a new medical journal. The stockholders were nearly all physicians of Buffalo and the amount subscribed was understood to be about $2,000.
The first number of the magazine appeared in November, 1885, and was a small octavo of fifty-two pages. It was edited by Dr. Ros- well Park, with the assistance of Dr. Matthew D. Mann, of Buffalo, Dr.
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Ely Van de Walker, of Syracuse, and Dr. W. J. Heinman, of Roches- ter. In its salutatory it somewhat boastfully appealed to the conven- tional "kind reader" of the rural districts as follows:
Let it be the role of the large and excellent metropolitan weeklies to serve as ad- vertising for the publishing houses which control them. The Medical Press Asso- ciation of Western New York has nothing to advertise, neither man, nor clique, nor books; noting the fact that it has undertaken the publication of a first-class medical journal of the profession and for the profession, and it deems that in this fact it finds its sufficient raison d'être.
The Press continued its publication until June, 1889, when its sub- scription list and good will and effects passed into the hands of Dr. William Warren Potter, who merged it with the Buffalo Medical Journal.
V. MEDICAL OFFICERS IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION.
Buffalo and Erie county contributed liberally to the medical staff of the army and navy during the Civil war.
Dr. Charles H. Wilcox was commissioned surgeon of the 21st Regiment May 15. 1861. He was the first physician to offer his services from Erie county, and was one of the ablest medical officers that went into the field from this region. He served until November 7, 1862, when he died of a disease contracted in the field.
Dr. Joseph A. Peters, son of Hon. T. C. Peters, of Darien, Genesee county, was commissioned assistant surgeon of the 21st Regiment May 15, 1861. He was pro- moted surgeon of the 6th Regiment, N. Y. Cavalry, November 7, 1862. He retired from service before the regiment's time expired, and returned to Buffalo, where he engaged in practice. He afterward removed to the West and died at St. Louis.
Lucien Damainville, a student of Prof. Frank Hastings Hamilton, was appointed assistant surgeon in the 31st N. Y. Regiment at its organization. He afterward be- came surgeon of the regiment. He died at New York city December 15, 1891.
Aaron J. Steele was commissioned assistant surgeon of the 26th N. Y Regiment. and soon after the expiration of his term of service located at St. Louis, where he now resides and is engaged in teaching and practising orthopedic surgery.
Charles K. Winne, son of Dr. Charles Winne, was commissioned assistant sur- geon in the U. S. army in 1861, and is now surgeon in the army performing active duty.
Samuel D. Flagg was appointed assistant surgeon U. S. navy in 1861.
Newton L. Bates was commissioned assistant surgeon U. S. navy in 1861. was promoted to surgeon and appointed surgeon-general August, 1897. He died at Washington, D. C., October 18, 1897.
Ira C. Whitehead was appointed a surgeon in the Revenue Cutter service in 1861 and assigned to duty on board the Vixen.
William Warren Potter was commissioned surgeon of the 49th N. Y. Regiment. September 16, 1861; surgeon of the 57th N. Y. Regiment, December 16, 1862; sur- geon-in-chief of the First Division hospital, 2d Army Corps; served with the Army of the Potomac in the field until the close of the war, when he was brevetted lieuten-
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