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History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

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General Surgery 207co-editor <strong>of</strong> the Ill<strong>in</strong>ois and Indiana Medical Journal. In 1852 he wasappo<strong>in</strong>ted Surgeon to the United States Mar<strong>in</strong>e Hospital <strong>in</strong> Chicago.David Pr<strong>in</strong>ce 8 (1816-1889) was <strong>of</strong> English descent, born <strong>in</strong> Brooklyn,Connecticut, on June 2, 1816. He was be<strong>in</strong>g educated <strong>in</strong> CanandaiguaAcademy about the time his family moved to Payson, Ill<strong>in</strong>ois. Pr<strong>in</strong>ce attended<strong>medical</strong> school <strong>in</strong> Fairfield, New York, and then transferred to theMedical College <strong>of</strong> Ohio at C<strong>in</strong>c<strong>in</strong>nati where he was assistant to Dr. Musseyfor a while. F<strong>in</strong>ally, hav<strong>in</strong>g become a surgeon, he settled <strong>in</strong> Payson andQu<strong>in</strong>cy, Ill<strong>in</strong>ois. He operated successfully upon an ovarian tumor. Hebecame Pr<strong>of</strong>essor <strong>of</strong> Anatomy and Surgery <strong>in</strong> the Medical Department <strong>of</strong>Ill<strong>in</strong>ois College at Jacksonville. Subsequently he moved to St. Louis wherehe occupied the Chair <strong>of</strong> Surgery at St. Louis Medical College. In 1852 hereturned to Jacksonville, Ill<strong>in</strong>ois. Dur<strong>in</strong>g the Civil War, he was BrigadeSurgeon <strong>of</strong> Graves Brigade, Army <strong>of</strong> the Potomac, and went along voluntarilywith captured Union men to Libby Prison. After the war, <strong>in</strong> 1867, heestablished <strong>in</strong> Jacksonville a private hospital known first as "The Infirmary"and later as "The Sanitarium." In 1866, he published a book onorthopedics; he organized the Morgan County Medical <strong>Society</strong> and took anactive part <strong>in</strong> the activities <strong>of</strong> the Ill<strong>in</strong>ois State Medical <strong>Society</strong>. He waselected delegate to the American Medical Association 1 1 times, and wasVice-President <strong>in</strong> 1863. His special <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> surgery seemed to lie <strong>in</strong>orthopedics, although his activities covered a wide field. With G. V. Blackhe devised a set <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>struments for operation on cleft palate. In later yearshe accepted the pr<strong>in</strong>ciple <strong>of</strong> and <strong>practice</strong>d antiseptic surgery and actedas preceptor to many students. His private dissect<strong>in</strong>g room was <strong>in</strong> thesecond story <strong>of</strong> his barn. He died <strong>of</strong> pneumonia <strong>in</strong> Jacksonville on December19, 1889.On review, the brilliance <strong>of</strong> this surgeon stands out most emphaticallyamongst his colleagues. He dealt <strong>in</strong> both general and orthopedic surgery,and had time to do much experimental work under very crude conditions.John B. Murphy. Another <strong>of</strong> the rapidly advanc<strong>in</strong>g younger men <strong>of</strong>these years <strong>in</strong> Ill<strong>in</strong>ois was Dr. John B. Murphy. By 1889, he became astaunch advocate <strong>of</strong> early operation for appendicitis—one <strong>of</strong> the lead<strong>in</strong>gsurgical disputes <strong>of</strong> the time—and <strong>in</strong> November <strong>of</strong> that year he gave a paperbefore the Chicago Medical <strong>Society</strong> on the subject. Unfortunately hishealth was impaired <strong>in</strong> the next year and, because tuberculosis was feared,he went to Colorado Spr<strong>in</strong>gs for a long sojourn. At the age <strong>of</strong> 35, he wasolfered the position <strong>of</strong> Pr<strong>of</strong>essor <strong>of</strong> Surgery at the College <strong>of</strong> Physicians andSurgeons <strong>in</strong> Chicago. About thistime he became enthused widi the possibility<strong>of</strong> a button connection between hollow viscera for easy and quick8 In Volume I <strong>of</strong> this series, page 412, Dr. Pr<strong>in</strong>ce is presented as a pioneer anatomist.Many <strong>of</strong> the facts given here were related <strong>in</strong> that biography.—Editor

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