The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-05-23

than the product of sympathy, or of eloquent
appeals on the part of the preacher to the
passion and feelings. lie met death like q
christian, After successive days and nights
oflabor and exposure, he was seized with
erysipelas, the prevailing epidemic.
Throughout the disease he expressed his APP
prehension that it would terminate fatally.
He was perfectly rational and calm until life
closed on the End of March, 1874.
Two of the most celebrated physicians OF
Marry County, in its early history, were Drs.
McJimsy and Mcdowell, but after careful in
quiries, in various quarters, | am unable to
ascertain the facts in their Biographies, which
would doubtless be interesting to the prOtes.
sion. There are medical men here to-day,
however, who eheeriully testify that both OF
these gentlemen were worthy and successful
practitioners.
DR.. James C. O'Rieley, was born in Dublin,
ireland, say 1862. He left Ireland for this
country during the Irish rebellion of 1898.
He received both his literary and medical
educations in Ireland, was a surgeon in the
British navy for a year or two, and came TO
this country about 1906. Those who had the
pleasure ofhis acquaintance say he was fine
looking gentleman Irish ont and out, most
hospitable, kind hearted, genial, and social.
He was especially successful in surgery, and
every body knew that he feared nothing.
During his long prac ice lac treated many re-
markable cases, and there are people living in
Maury to-day, who believe that Dr. O'Rieley
could cure everything. He enjoyed large
practice that was constantly increasing, and
made him very wealthy. Only yesterday, an
old gentleman, who knew DR.. O'Rieley long
ans well, told me that the doctor frequently
cured cases by surgery that all OF tne doctors
were afraid to touch. When he first came to
Maury be lived on Bear creek, two or three
miles east of Columbia, but afterwards moved
to Columbia 1t is said that he must have
1caI IN, tNHrnr Fitva
When he left Columbia he went West, and
located in the Frierson settlement, in Maury
county. There he practsed some six years,
and died in 1912, aged about eighty. Up to
the day of his death his body was remarkably
well preserved n Notwithstanding his age. He
was great and genuine Irish wit, and some
of his laughable stories are current here
to-day, although he has been dead more than
thirty years. He was father.in-lGw to Chief
Justice A. o. p. Nicholson. At first he was
Roman Catholic in faith, but in this County he
attended the Episcopal church, and became a
comm unicant.
Physicians and others have spoken TO me
about DR.. Samuel Porter, who formerly prac-
tised medicine in WiliamspoIt, Maury county.
The information that have been able to get
about him isl very meager, although ersOns
who were acquainted with him agree in the
opinion that he was eminent in his profession
Drs. Sanders and SAMSON are both very
highly spoken of as successful physicians. in
the early history of Maury county Some
persons who were acquainted with them say
that they were well read, scientific men, each
commanded large practice, devoted himself
earnestly to it, and secured the respect and
love of all who knew them, and especially Of
all who were benefited by their great medical
abilities.
DIR. Charles Smith was born in Bennington,
Vermont, about the year 1900. He probably
pppn oil cd in Irb;
He practised medicine in Nashville in 1874,
and came to Columbia about lS47. He was
a high toned, elegant, social gentleman, and
was eminently a successful medical man.
Soon after his arrival in Columbia, he entered
upon largs and rapidly increasing practice.
His success was remarkable; he possessed rare
mechanical genius, and during most if not all
of his life he was an indomitable student, de
voted to science and altogether progressive.
In about the year 1851 he moved to Louisiana
and then to Mississippi, The date of his death
| have been unable to ascertain
No medical history of Maury county would
be complete without a notice of DR.. John
Baptist Alexander Ihevenot, who was born
and educated in Paris, France; born Feb. 26tb,
1913, and died at Mount Pleasant, Tenn,
Sept. 5th, 1884. DR.. Thevenot studied the
collegiate course and graduated in that and in
medicine at Paris. When he was eighteen
years old he was a surgeon i'll Napoleon Bona
parties army. he was talented linGulst, for
besides being familiar with Latin and Greek,
he read, wrote and spoke French, German,
Italian and English. 1t is asserted, by those
who had every opportunity OF knowing the
facts, that he was splendid botanist, chemist,
and practitioner. DR., Thevenot wrote several
poems, and some books on medicine, especial
~ large work on Materia Mediea which he
finished but never published. From pic
ture, said TO be perfect likeness of him, that
I.N-- I 40 hail o
h. ndsome and remarkably intelligent. He
come to America in about 1921, practIsed med
icine two years in Athens, Ala, then two
years in Giles county, Tenn, then be moved
to Mount Pleasant, Maury county, where
those who knew him say that he was exceed
ingly pleasant in all the relations of life.
Here he practised medicine eight years until
he fell victim to cholera in 1884, when he was
cut down in the prime of life, being scarcely
forty-one years old, and almost at the begin
ming of an ambitious career.
Drs. George White and Wynn, Of Spring
Hill, are known to our oldest medical men and
citizens as having been worthy and eminent
and trust that some one may be
found who is sufficiently acquainted with
their biographies to give tie facts to the use
full and valuable Medical History OfTennessee.
DR.. Whites brother has furnished an inter
esting account of him.
1t is stated, on good authority, that DR..
Thomas G. Whitesde was born about l77l, in
North Corolina, and died at Columbia, Tenn,
in 1916. This distinguished man was proba-
bly, educated at Chapel Hill, NJ c., and wa
admitted to the medical doeterate b" a. lie Med
He vs. ~, t1gHt y! vania University.
tainnA "4lented PHYSICIAN anu Sus
- high character both as man and as
a champion in the healing art. He was con
sistent member of the Presbyterian church,
watched its progress with the keenest anxiety
and was always ready TO devote his time and
energies to its advancement. lie was finely
educated, courteous and affable in his demean-
or, and distinguished himself in large prac-
tice ofphysic. If the scientific man is to be
judged by his success then Dr. Whlteslde
commends himself to our admiration. At the
same time he had a fine personal appearance,
an intelligent countenance, and withal was
truly popular with every one who knew him.
He pTactlsed medicine in Columbia, Tenn,
fifteen or twenty years, all the time showing
himself to be public spirited in the highest
degree. When he died in 1916 he was only
about forty five years of age, aud it was mat
ter of general regret that such an able man
should perish in the midst of so much useful
ness.
When we remember that Maury county is
naturally as healthy a place as can be found
anywhere, it will not be matter of wonder
that its epldemics may be discussed in a few
here in 1884; malignant scarlet fever in 1887
and in 1s47. In 1847 some patients died in
twenty -four hours. DIR. A. II. Brown, of Co
lumbia, suggested the use of cold water, which
in many cases was successful. In the spring
of 1874, Maury was afflicted with epidemic
erysipeas, which was very fatal disease in
some of its forms. Occasionally our limestone
country is visited with typhoid fever and
measles: the dyptheria of 1852 and 1851 was
unusually aggravated,
Now before bringing this article TO a close
feel very sure that my task has been imper-
fectly performed, as some of the facts desired
are so remote as to make it almost impossible
to secure them now, but what have humbly
attempted to do may be Of service as far as il
goes. If this work ha d been done many years
ago, no doubt valuable facts would have been
preserved from oblivion. 1t is quite probable
that, surrounded as ] am, with professional
cares, Lhave omitted some important names.
If such is the case let us hope that they may
yet be discovered and placed on record among
that galaxy of bright names, illustrious men,
who devoted their lives, their talents, their all
to the relief of human suffering.