The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-05-13
Dr. Gilman Daveis.

sad event Interference to which we are brought
together this mornng-the sudden death OF our
much respected associate and friend, Dr. uii-
man Daveis.
Although his health was somewhat impalre a.
and had been for year or more, he was I'm nav
attend to the duties of his profession, OIL, He
almost say, to the period OF his aea. severe
awoke early Wednesday mornihnic cb " steadily in
creased and soon extended downWalu, ins !s
inc the entire side of the chest ti,,, So
by his physician as ne o MAJ f Of the riobt
.he a.ta ss Recovered with indications of con-
iunS Of the base of the left. His suffering
go ;ntense, and all the resources which his
physicians could command failed to have the
SLIGHTEST effect in controlling or even mitigating
the violence of the attack. The vital powerS
sank rapidly, and he expired in al unconscious
state at o'clock Friday merning, after a brief
but agonizing sickness of forty hours
knew Dr. Daveis intimately many years.
knew HIM IN his boyhood and in the full strength
OF manhood and maturity of all his powers and
can bear willing but inadequate testimony to
his large and varied intellectual endowments,
to his distinguished learning in all the depart
nents OF our profession, particularly in the one
he made speciality, and to which he devoted
himself with untiring zeal and industry to the
very close of life to the high sense of honor which
ever regulated his intercourse and acts with his
professional associates, and to the scrupulous
fidelity and entire devotedness with which he
discharged his duties to all who sought and re-
ceived the benefit of his professional care,
You doubtless anticipate the object OF TINS
meeting, and will agree with me that 1t is a nj
ting although melancholy duty to tender TO tne
stricken family of cur deceased DrotneT tne as
surance of our heartfelt sympathy, ana 10 pre-
pare appropriate resolutions expressing our APP
nreciation of his eminent professional worth. OF
his many manly virtues ana Chrlselan graces
of character, and our deep sense OF the great
loss which the profession and the community
have sustained in his lamented death.
DIR. Wood made the following remarks:
Mr.. Chairman: hardly dare give utterance
even to a few words in relation to the sad be-
reavement that has fallen upon our profession
in the death of DR.. Gilman Daves, for | have
the conviction that even if did more should
still fail to do justice to my own feelings, and
especially to the subject of my remarks.
This bereavement naturally falls upon us all
with more or less varied effect, in proportion to
our knowledge of and intimacy with our depart
ed associate. To me, it comes with peculiar
force for my acquaintance with him, early rip
ening into friendship and love, extends over
nearly the whole of my professional life, during
which no event has occurred to mar for a mo-
ment the harmony of our intercourse with each
other. This friendship of his, though perhaps
sparingly bestowed, was treasure to be valu-
ed, for it was true as STEEL with the ring of the
pure metal, and was eUer reliable in any and
every emergency,
One of the salient points in his character,
and that perhaps by which he is best known to
the profession generally in this city and State,
was his ardent love of the study Of medicine
and surgery as science. Surrounding himself
with all the appliances necessary for their prac-
tce, and with the choicest works in their liter
ture, he busted himself in storing their richest
treasures which his retentive memory enabled
him to bring forth as the occasion required.
Another of the salient points in his charac-
ter and that perhaps to which we are compelled
at last to look as one having an immediate bear
ing among the predisposing causes of his death,
was his devotion to his patient where the con-
dition was critical The last fortnight of his
life was devoted to just such case, and though
in feeble health, he would not spare himself
but at all hours of every day and night he ad-
minstered to the relief Of this suffering patient
though at the expense of a vast amount of the
vital force necessary to protect him from the
invasion of a disease which might be violent
just in proportion to the loss of this vital force
In this exhausted condition he called upon
me, requesting my presence in an operation that
he wished to perform upon the eye, the next
day, Wednesday, at Ii o'clock. On the morn
ing of that day he sent word to me that not be-
ing well he should postpone the operation, and
requested me to call upon him in the course of
the day. This was followed an hour afterwards
by more urgent request that would come at
once to his relief. You, Mr.. Chairman, have
already told the story of his brief but violent
and distressing sickness: will only say in adj
change wrought in his appearance by the dis
ease of only few hours duration Half stand
ing half sitting at the head of his bed, his fea-
lures pinched, his countenance livid, the sur
face of the body cold, he begged for relief from
the great distress that occupied the right chest
Upon examination found the expectoration
bloody, the whole right lung and a portion of the
lower lobe of the left silent, the upper portion
filled by puerile respiration, but without rale
of any description upon either side, the spaces
where the respiratory murmur was absent being
entirely fiat to percussion.
Mr.. Chairman, in accordance with your sug-
gestion and with my own feelings, would move
that committee of three be appointed by the
chair to draft resolutions expressive of the feel
ipgs and sentiments of the physicians of this
city in relation to the death of DIR. Gilman Da-
veis, and of our heartfelt sympathy with the
family of the deceased.
DR.. Wood was succeeded by Dr. Chadwick,
who said:
Mr.. Chairmdn-We have been called upon
within the last decade to chron icle the depart
ure from earth of one after another of those
with whom we have been associated in our pro-
fessional life One by one, and at short inter-
walls, are we summoned to offer our tribute of
respect and see them borne away to their last
resting place, and now the summons has come
again, calling us together to pay tine tribute of
affection and respect to one who has been
among us for more than quarter of century,
having filled to the uttermost the duties, the
labors and the anxieties of the good physician
While this may not be the occasion for any
eulogium upon our departed friend, still de-
sire that these few words may find place in
the action of the profession at this gathering
where we have met to express our appreciation
OF his wor tn, and of our great loss My rela-
tons with DR.. Daveis were perhaps more init
mate, it l may except two gentlemen of the
profession, than possibly any other physician
in the city. -it
r Al
office of Dr.. Daveis, and have been upon the
kindest and most agreeable terms with him
ever since that period. During the last few
years we have not met SO frequently as in earl
Ter times, but always has the Doctor manifest
ed for me the kindest feeling and interest, and
! should be doing great injustice to my own
feelings did not say that my recollections of
our acquaintance and intimacy will form one of
the brightest spots in my memory.
The zeal with which DR.. Daveis entered upon
the responsibility of each and every case in
trusted to his care, was very apparent, and it
has often struck me with surprise to note his
utter torgetfulness of self when there was any
obscurity in the patients condition. There
seemed 70 be, as it were, drawing in upon
himself from the patient, almost the patients
condition. He could not forget his case, and
this, believe, was the prime cause of his sud-
den death.
1t will be pleasant to remember him, and
may we bear away with US the recollections of
worth of his social qualities.
Drs. Wood, Dana and T. A. Foster were ap.
pointed committee on resolutions.
The meeting adjourned until Monday noon,
at which time the committee presented the fol
lowing report, which was accepted and the
resolutions were unanimously adopted,
1t having pleased an all-wise Providence to
remove suddenly from our midst our lamented
associate and friend, DR.. Gilman Daveis there
fore
ResoLUed, That in the death of DR.. Daveis we de-
plore the loss OF one who by his ripe experience large
varied and accurate learning, his skill in every de-
partment OF medicine and surgery, bat especially in
that which he had adopted as speciality, had won
distinguished appreciation, not only by the profess
sion Of this city, but widely extended field,
both at home and abroad.
Resotced, That his loyalty to his profession, his
selfreance, his manly independence and especially
his unlring and unceasing devotion to the of
his patients in every critical period of their distress
the whole community, and especially lamented by
all to whom he had administered in the hour of their
peril.
ResolUed, That we cannot better express our ap-
probation of the true character of our departed
friend and brother than by the adoption of his own
language indicative of the spirit that must actu-
ate-every true physician"
"Happy indeed is the man whose mind, whose
moral nature and whose spiritual being all har-
monicusly engaged in the daily business of his life
will hoe ha