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History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

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320 <strong>History</strong> <strong>of</strong> Medical Practice <strong>in</strong> Ill<strong>in</strong>oisto Germany to study, part <strong>of</strong> the time work<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> pathology under Virchow.On his return, he entered the state hospital service <strong>in</strong> Ill<strong>in</strong>ois, and from1879 to 1893, served as Super<strong>in</strong>tendent <strong>of</strong> the Kankakee State Hospital.Dur<strong>in</strong>g his adm<strong>in</strong>istration visitors from all over the country were attractedthere to observe the work<strong>in</strong>g out <strong>of</strong> new ideas, particularly the cottagesystem and non-restra<strong>in</strong>t. To the eternal disgrace <strong>of</strong> Ill<strong>in</strong>ois, a political shiftcaused Dr. Dewey to leave the state service <strong>in</strong> 1893. However, he soonfound fertile fields for his constructive ability and built up at Milwaukeean excellent private <strong>in</strong>stitution which he directed for twenty-five years.Dr. Dewey was one <strong>of</strong> a group <strong>of</strong> talented, philanthropic and versatilemen to whose vision and efforts was due the plann<strong>in</strong>g and organization <strong>of</strong><strong>in</strong>stitutional psychiatric work <strong>in</strong> the Middle West. His classroom workwas limited to postgraduate students where his excellent reason<strong>in</strong>g, soundjudgment, s<strong>in</strong>cerity <strong>of</strong> purpose and wide experience set a pace that probablyhas never been excelled.<strong>in</strong>tegrity and good judgment made him aHis knowledge <strong>of</strong> psychiatry and unquestionedhighly respected medicolegalexpert. The list <strong>of</strong> his publications shows broad <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> the scientific,social, legal and adm<strong>in</strong>istrative aspects <strong>of</strong> psychiatry. From 1894 toigoo,he was Pr<strong>of</strong>essor <strong>of</strong> Nervous and Mental Diseases at the Chicago PostgraduateMedical School, and from 1894 to 1898 he was Lecturer onPsychiatry at the Chicago Detention Hospital. Follow<strong>in</strong>g his retirement,Dr. Dewey removed to California, where he died <strong>in</strong> 1933- 6 '8Recently Pollack and Baer, 9<strong>in</strong> a paper on the early <strong>in</strong>stitutional care<strong>of</strong> the psychotic <strong>in</strong> Ill<strong>in</strong>ois, among other noted persons, referred especiallyto Dr. Andrew McFarland <strong>of</strong> New Hampshire. It was he who succeededthe first super<strong>in</strong>tendent, Dr. J.W. Higg<strong>in</strong>s, <strong>of</strong> the Jacksonville State Hospital<strong>in</strong> 1854. The writers stated that the appo<strong>in</strong>tment <strong>of</strong> Dr. McFarland"marked the start<strong>in</strong>g po<strong>in</strong>t <strong>of</strong> the modern era <strong>in</strong> the care <strong>of</strong> the psychotic<strong>in</strong> Ill<strong>in</strong>ois." His advanced ideas were handed down through an unbrokenl<strong>in</strong>e <strong>of</strong> pioneer psychiatrists,"Frederick W<strong>in</strong>es, Dr. Richard Dewey, Dr.George Zeller, Archie L. Bowen, and others fructified further by thesemen." They call special attention to a "Conference on Insanity" whichmet November 10, 1869 and to which letters <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>quiry were addressed to"every known super<strong>in</strong>tendent <strong>of</strong> an asylum <strong>in</strong> the country." At this historicconference, Dr. McFarland "lashed out strongly aga<strong>in</strong>st restra<strong>in</strong>t" andcarried the day. The Conference passed a resolution that "so far as practicable,a comb<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>sane asylums <strong>of</strong> the cottage system with that atpresent <strong>in</strong> vogue is desirable," and also that "there are weighty reasons forthe belief that such a comb<strong>in</strong>ation is practicable, and that it would <strong>in</strong>creaseboth the economy and efficiency <strong>of</strong> asylums for the <strong>in</strong>sane." Only after8Trans. Amer. Neurol. Assoc. 60:224, '934-9 /. Hist, <strong>of</strong> Med. 1953, Vol. 8, p. 56.

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