The New York herald., 1870-01-21
THE NEW HEALTH OFFICER.

DR.. John Murray Carnochah the eminent surgeon
who has been nominated by the Governor for the
position Of Health Oflcer OF this port was born in
the city OF Savannah, Ca, In the month OF July,
1877 He IL descended IN direct line from General
Israel Putnam. His father was q native Of Scot.
land, and removed 10 Savannah several years before
the birth OF the subject Of this sketch. While
the son was yet youth he accompanied
him to Edinburg and had him entered at the High
School OF that city, where he studied several years
At that time the great names IN Ednburg were,
Wilson In philosophy, Hope In chemistry, Knox In
anatomy and Lyme aud LlstOn In operative surgery.
The analytic genius OF these eminent men exercised
over tile young and thoughtful mind OF the future
great surgeon OF America q most powerful infiu
ence, which became evident In after years. He
graduated with nigh honOrs at the High School ana
then entered the University, where he completed
his humanities and returned to the United
States He was then, strange as it may scem
only In his seventeenth year, and the choice Of q
profession was before him. He determined upon
being surgeon, and entered the ONCE Of DIR. Val.
entlne Mott then at the zenith Of his well earned
fame as surgical practitioner and lecturer He
soon took his degree Doctor OF Medicine and de-
voted himself ardentlY to the study OF anatomy.
Many OF mis- leisure hours were spent In tile dlssect
ing room. and he occasionally. delivered lectures on
surgical anatomy to private Glasses. Several
sketches OF his wonderful skl at this period OF his
lie are now deposited IN the museum or the New
York Medical College.
DR.. Carnochan visited Europe in ls4l, and re-
mained for SIX years in attendance upon the clini
cal lectures OF the principal hospitals Of Paris,
London ana Edlnburg ana familarized himself
with the practice and modes Of treatment OF such
surgical celebrities as Brodlc, Civiale, Lefranc,
K0ux, Liston and Vepeau. Upon his return home
he axed upon New York city as his residence. In
ha 1raQ tlxA
Pathology and Treatment OF Congenltal Dlsoca-
tlons OF the Head OF the Femur," and this
| o. the great surgeons or the day. Tne
| subject OF the treatise was novel one, and was
when It Irst made itS appearance, anu y YET re re-.
year following he was elected Professor OF the Prn
| cples and Operations OF Surgery in the New York
Medical College and Surgeoh-in-Chef to the State
Emigrants Hospital. Tne latter position he still
| holds. HIS experience In the Emigrants' Hospital
| has been immense, and 1t Is said that during the
eighteen years he has been the chief surgeon OF the
place over 10000 patients have passed under hts
treatment. The fact that the mortality the hosp-
tai less than two per cent less than the whole
| city mortality, including both sick and well and
also less than the mortality IN the Hotel Dleu, IN
Paris, or Itself Sufficient 70 attest the services lie
has there rendered 10 humanity. In 1852 he sue
cessfuy treated case OF elephantlasls arabum by
gature OF the femoral artery; and has treated ee-
phantiass OF the nead face and neck by ligaure OF
both carotids. In the same year he performed the
Instrumentation Of both condyles, and md has
| since several times successfully repeated the
| same delicate operation. In 1854 ne exsected the
entire una, saving the arm, with It's functions
impaired, and subsequently, witn success, removed
the entire radius. on the 18th OF May 1884 at the
battle Of the wilderness, ne performed the amputa
ton OF the hip joint, operation which he had pre-
| vlously performed several times under less dan
gerous circumstances. In 1865 he successfully re-
moved an encystcd sanguineous tumor from the
neck neck Of female patient, and and the year pre-
ne umos %roxua rom se ne s
the region OF the heart, removing also
with portion Of RIB laying bare the peara.
ntt,A had
tion they believing that the patient was suffering
from aneurlsm OF the heart. He has also performed
| successfully the operation OF amputatlOn aI tile
shoulder Joint FOR a large observation-disclosures
| tumOr OF the humerus. lhe tumor weighed eighteen
pounds, and is the largest mentioned In connection
with this kind OF operation lie has with equal sue
exsected the entire bone or the heel for carries
but the most wonderful operation he has ever
| performed, and which no surgeon ever attempted
before him, was the exsecting for neuralgia OF the
entire trunk OF the second Drancn OF the th pair
nerves from The lnfraorblal foramen, tar as tile
/ patent had suffered from his disease FOR seven
| years, and had been operated upon by five different
surgeons who had failed to give him relief. lie was
entirely cured by the operation 0f Dr. CarnOchan.
| In addition 10 many other wonderful operations
nochan has operated for stranguated hernia for
trepninng OF tue skull and for cataract bv the method
OF extraction.
| man Is born a surgeon M ne il born poet or
painter for surgical tact Is git or nature, and II IL
TO this tact that Dr. Carnochan is indebted for the
/ great precision OF his dag 1t has always
been his theory that the success OF an operation
subordinate to the general treatment, and 50 he
never operates without assuring himself that his
patient has been fully prepared for the ordeal by
appropriate regimen and that the sufferers health
| Will undergo no injury by the operation and he 10
never at fault either regards The and nature
| OF the disease or the effects OF the therapeutic
means.
| Dr. Carnochan was for many years the Professor
OF the Principles and Operations OF Surgery the
New TOrk Medical College, and his published lectures
on Partial Ampurations OF the Foot LlthOtomy and
LthOtrity, show his style OF conveying Instruction.
He used to deliver clinical lectures at the Hospital
| and College, but hls private practice became
| finally 30 extensive that he Obliged
! 10 cease lectnrlng altogether. As q lecturer
| he was noted for MS quiet delivery He was fluent
without being prOlx; and perspicuity, remarkable
power OF exposition and deduction and facility III
the classification OF his IDEAS were his chief charac-
| teristics In the professional chair.
| Socially DR.. Carnocnan is one OF the most attrac-
| Although q little over ifIy-two years OF age.
| In conclusion 1t may be added that
! in the new Health Olcer will be found an upright
ness OF character and kindness Of heart that III
insure him the love and esteem OF all those with
whom he may come IN contact In his new career
! qualities which have endeared hun TO hundreds
whose only regret now Is tnat the public demand tor
the fright man In the right placer as Health Olcer
VIII deprive them, 20 certain extent, or "a true
| friend and beneiactor.
JWlsH RseOsm