New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-02-09
DR. JOHN WAKEFIELD FRANc1S

I'D =
Frustrated him that although his disease welded -
medical treatment and he appeared for time to be re-.
covering it but the las struggle of bis strong con.
stitution against dissolution. He died about o'clock
yesterday morning. at bis home in East Sixteenth street,
passing away without pain, and in the full possession Of
his faculties.
The leading events in the life of DR.. Francis ara
conpaety presented in the following sketch, which We
take from tie New American Cycoreda;
SO DR.. Francis was born in New-York. Nov. II ,7sa.
HIS fatber was German who emgrated no tbs conn.
| tfy soon after the peace of 1888 and bis motser .
raiisdelphia lady Of swis. fnsy. In bis yoath he
was Tor come time In the printing establishment al
George Long. Subsequently, however having heey
carefully prepared by tie Rev. George Strebecl and
me Kev John Conroy, of Trinity College, Dublin he
entered an advanced class at Columbia College and
about the same time lSO7 began study medicine IN.
I der Dr. HOsack. He graduated A. b. in 1899
and NJ ID. by the College Of Physicians aud Surgeons
In ioil being the first person upon whom degree was
c0efie1 by the latter institution. few months af-
ierward Dr. Hosack offered his young pupil partner.
shp, and the correction thus forme extending noA
merely 10 professional, but also 10 literary and other
pursuits lasted until 1920 In 1910, while vet stu
Geut he Issued, In conjunction with DR.. Hosack the
prospectus Of the American Medical and Philosophical
Register which was published quarterly and coniin-
ned for four years In 1913 Dr. Francis was appointed
lecturer on the insti'lte of medicine and matera
medca at the College Of Physicians ard Surgeons and
soOu aferward, the Medical Faculty Of Columbia Col.
lege having been consolidated with that institution he
received the chair Of raeria meoca in the upedbody.
lie would accept no fees for his first of lectures
faripg lest tie increased expenses Of tse esab-
-mert might exclude some who wished to attend tho
full course. With the design Of both completing biz
own suoies and transferring to the medical schools OF
some OF the most valuable features Of those
abroad he visited Europe where be became acuuain.ed
with Culver, Gail, Demon, Dupuytren Gregory Play
fair, Brewster, Bell the DuncaDs jameson Aberneby,
The ATKINS Sir Walter Scott, and Dr. Rees, to whose
cycOpedia be contributed several articles On his re-
turn 10 New-York, the chair Of materis meda having
been adce1 to that Of chemistry he became Professor
Of The Institutes Of Medicine and in 1917 succeeded
Dr. Snngham as Professor of Medical Jurisprudence,
In Sl9 he was made Professor Of Obstetrics In addition
% his other duties and retained this appointment until
1896 when the whole faculty resigned and majority
Of them founded the Rutgers Medical School, which,
after successful career Of only four terms closed
By the Legislature. In this Institution DR.. Francis
filled the chairs of obstetrics and forensic medicine.
Since Zig retirement from this post be Las devoted him
SELF to the practice Of biz profession and the pursuit Of
hteHiture neither OF which indeed he had allowed his
acsdemcal duties TO interrupt In conjunction with
Drs Beck aud Dyckman he edited, in I322 1888, and
1884, the New-York Medical and Physical Journals
lie actively promoted the objects Of the New-Yorle
historical Society, the WOman's Hospital the State
Inebriate Asylum and the of natural history tho
typographical guild and the fine arts in behalf Of
which he has frequently written and spoken In adj
d ion 10 biographical sketches of many of the dstinS
guished men Of the last half century with whom he
has been in intimate relationship among ohers, of Rob-
ert X. Livingston, Philip Freneau, Daniel Websters
j. Fenimore Cooper, Cadwsllader Golden, Samuel L..
Mcbili Edward Miller, John Pntsrd, and the actors
Cooke AZ d Kean), aud articles in different medical
periodicals on obstetrics, yitrolc emetics In Group.
,aHgRiaar1o CanadeHsis, iodine the goitIe Of West-
,rn New York and Canada medical jurisprudences
ye9wfever, death by Lightning carries Of the jaws OF
'hidren elateiium, ovarian disease &C. he has pub
sted IN essay on the Use of Mercury (svo. New
York. lSlD; Cases of Morbid Anatomy ITO, 1859
Febriie Contagion (Svo., 1916; Notice OF Thomas
Eddy the PuilantIropis, ll2m., 1898; Denman's
Practice Of Midwifery, with Notes lSvo, 1926; ADJ
dress before the New-YOrk Horticultural Society,"
1890; Address before the Philolexiln Society'
1881; Letter on Cholera Asphyxia of 1882 (Svo.s
lS32l Observations the Mineral Waters Of Avon
1881; the AnstOmy Of Drunkenness Discourse
before the New-York Lyceum of Natural History
lSfl; Discour-es before the NewYork Academy Of
sledi lie lSi7 1913 and 1897 Addresses before tho
typographical Society of New.York : On DIR. Frank
ID 1850 and 1882 and On the PubHshers, Primers,
md Editors of New-YOrk; Old New. York, or REM
nscenes of the past Sixty Years svo., 1885, % eii
ion enlarged, l2mo., 1859 memoir of Christopher
olles read by hin before the Historical Society in
SJI, was published in the 'Knickerbocker Gallery
1855. His discourse rs the Bellevue Hospital 1885,
mbraces minute view of the progress OF anatomical
lvesiigation in NewYork from It's early under
he Dntoh dynasty down 10 the present time. He was
leyied tie first President of the New-York Academy
Medi inc after Reorganization In 1917 he for
ign associate of the ROYAL MedcoC hrurgca Society
London, ard other institutions abroad and in fel-
owrhp with many scientific bodies in bis native land
1850 he received the degree Of LID. from Trinity
'ocge, Hartford, Conn. His style animated, ex!
rrsiye and often enlivened by humor while his inti-
nate acquaintance with the history and old inhabitants
New-York and his fondDess for local tiquiiies,
aUscd him 10 be looked upon oracle in matters
egting L. his native city,"
In person the doctor was a man Of the old Kncker-4
ecker stamp his broad, pleasant face ever beaming
With smile, and he had ever good word for his
ends His profuse bushy white hair spotless cravat
hat suit Of black broadcloth of clerical
ut, and the heavy goldheaded cane which be almost
invariably ,rried, gave him venerable and striking
ppearInce IL his portly form passed up and down
Broadway, peering into the bookstores, dropping into
he galleries, stopping on tie sidewalk to greet
is numerous acquaintance. His memory was very
eracious and his descriptions Of old New-York most
iyid and lite-ike while his acquaintance with most
the eminent of his time afforded him vast fund
anecdote which he knew how 10 TO the best adj
anage. For great many years bis residence, No. u
IOnd street. the center of elegant taste and re-
ned culture. Here bis Sunday evening reunions drew
round him the best literary and artistic society Of the
ty whom he interested will Lis inexhaustble fund OF
ossip and the inspection of the busts pictures en-
rawlings, books, manuscripts, and other souyeneirs
nth which his dwelling was crammed, each OF when
,as text sufficient for pleasant tale OF some interest,"
No local event in which the subject had taken part.
tut the uptown march Of trade drove him away sss
st, though he held out stOutly till most of his old
lends had preceded him.
The death of DR.. Francis will leave void in the;
terary and artistic circles where bis social presence
las wont to lend charm. AS physician aud philar-'
lropist he was uning and the charitable associations
more especially those for the care of the sek-wilf
lrely feel his LOSE. About FIVE years ago, his SON
lost promising young man. died, and the Doctor sus-
Al. 1.lsahF