River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-08-04
IN MEM0RIAM.

Davis, aged 20 years.
DR.. Davis was born in Richford,
franklin county, Vermont, on the
eleventh day of July, 1911. His
father. named Daniel, was Of Welsh
extraction and his mother named Eu-
nice Gibbs, of English descent. The
Doctor was the youngest of thirteen
children, ten of whom were boys.
He attended st, Albans Academy in
1927, for two terms and commenced
the study of medicine in 1923, with
Alvin Lusk NJ. D., attending partial
course of lectures at Casleton. Cir
cunstances compelled the Doctor to
teach, and after three years spent in
teaching and reading medicine nights,
lie commenced praoticing medicine on
the 9th of August, 1888, in his native
town. In 1912 he moved to Underhill
Chittenden county, where his applica-
ton to business and the rigors of the
climate warned him to seek other sur
roundings and he located at Buffalo,
n. Y. in 1874, where he practiced one
year and received from the State Med
zeal Society the degree of Doctor of
Medicine. which the Central Medical
College confirmed by similar honor
airy degree in 1913, and appointed him
| to the chair of Principles and Prac-
tice of Medicine, q position which he
| filled until 1852 when he removed to
| Waukesha, Wisconsin, where he prac-
ticed until his permanent removal to
River Falls in 1854.
In 1848 the DR.. took a decided stand
against the prevalent treatment OF
patients by depletion, and thus invited
the opposition of regular practitioners.
So similarly in 1850 he managed
cholera patients with stimulating
| treatment in defiance OF current theory
and usage, and brought upon himself
the opposition of portion of his asso-
ciates. He says of himself, however,
that he chad the pleasure of witness
ing an entire revolution in medicine
and pharmacy though there remains a
| widespread feeling III the so-called
regular profession of opposition to adj
vancement. BigotrY and egotism still
| lurk behind the onward march of sci
ence supported by the pulpit and many
secular publications.. Z"
The stand that DR.. Davis thus took
| early in his career is an index OF his
professional, religious and social course
through life and he not only practiced
Eclecticism in medicine, but he became
vigorous advocate of reform in all
sanitary matters related to domestic
surroundings and personal habits, rs
well as in polemics. seeking by argu-
| ment to convert his friends to doctrines
to which he gave no inconsiderabIe
time; first however, in their establish
ment in his own mind. AS he called
| the attention of the families of his
patients with no uncertain sound to
existing unsanitary environments,
50 with trenchant speech he portray
| ed to his friends the supremacy OF
natural law and the relentlessncss Of
natures sequences.
| In his practice his manner was re-
assuring to a patient, if his remedial
| means did not pass over to the extreme
| to which his intense nature urged
him; but his extensive practice for
many years abunaanfly shows the
| favor which his treatment met in the
minds of people at large-a career,
long in time, reaching all classes of
citizens and creditable alike to his
| industry, honor and skill.
As citizen the Doctor was always
foremost in advancement of the inter
est Of his fellows, all causes of a
public character elected his personal
and material aid, and while his indie
pendence of character and his taste
for disputation upon subjects which
were always above trivialities, would
lead one to suspect some severe per-
sonal strokes from the Doctor, yet his
faithfulness to institutions and mer
was the result of investigation and oil
an effort to found them on perma
nent basis, so his alliances with per
sons and with institutions constantly
bore heroic features. His insight in
to human weakness daily confirmed a
the bedside Of the sick, made him i'm
patient of the foibles of we'll men, anC
his Judgment of them and of bodies
| of men would be tinged by such expe
rience, yet Of the motive of men or o
bodies of men he usually formed char
liable opinions.
As neighbor DR.. Davis was Away
conslderate; the proverbial self sacri
flee OF the profession to which he be
longed was deeply planted in his ma
ture and its exercise was spontaneous
Devoid of all ostentation his neighbor
" acts were constant and his brothe
was ever gladdened by personal atten
ton that was most acceptable. il
this circle Dr.. Davis memory viii
ever abide fresh and green and sorrow
: marks his departure. AS time wear
on and his step comes no more to on
doors. and his voice never again n
rests our attention, let our opinions o
the Doctor be profoundly impressed
; by the pervading congratulations t.
which time brings all mems judg
ments, in which is demanded an album
dance of charity for all mems weak
nesses, and in which our love O
known truth shall so blend as to leat
us all, of whatever sect, cline, tim
or place, to better activities, pure
lows and holier aspirations.
The following are notes made by DR.
Davis with evident care, and undoubt
eddy for the purpose of publication
, touching a subject to which he devot
ed much thought all through life:
"a personal Deity to have any mean
ing to it must be a person, an identi
cal form which would of necessity be