The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-08-01

fact that his class numbered 265 members.
Shortly after his resignation the institution
ceased to be. "He was the school," said fell
low-surgeon, speaking of his connection with
it. HE made it, and it made him. If he did
not found it he was the first that brought it in
to prominence, and, on the other hand, it did
great deal for his fame. He very soon came to
be we'll known and highly thought of through
his lectures, and when he lsft the place il was
practically dead"
1t is certain that young Agnew quickly came
to be regarded as a promising man. His en-
barrassments one by one disappeared, and he
had in short career entered on the road to his
present eminence. His anatomical knowledge
and his succinct, lively, and above all, lucid
style Of lecturing were the qualities that stood
him in good stead at this early period. Re-
garding the former the gentleman already
quoted remarked; "One Of the reasons why
Agnew always operates so successfully is that
he always knows within hairs breadth where
he is cutting. He has q wonderfully minute
anatomical knowledge, and he always appears
to have the exact bearings OF the different or
gans and tissues as vividly before his eyes as il
the outer ones were made of glass" DIR. Ag-
new at the outset selected.operative surgery as
his speciality, and in connection with the
School of Anatomy he founded classes in that
branch. Within it he has chosen no special
line, but for operations OF all descriptions Is
considered master hand. In 1854 he was ap-
pointed one OF the surgeons of the Philadelphia
Hospital, and there permanent memorial OF
his services remains in the Pathological Muse
um, which he founded, and of which he was
the first Curator. In 1868 he was appointed
Demonstration of Anatomy and Assistant Lee
turer in Clinical Surgery ia the medical de-
partment of the university, and about the
same time was chosen one of the surgeons of
Wills Ophthalmlc Hospital. In 1865 he was
chosen surgeon of the Pennsylvania Hospital,
where he is the colleague Of Drs. Hunt, Nor
ton and Lewis. In the same year he was made
surgeon Of the Orthopedic Hospital In 1870
OH To- ftoo obasr 0f
gerry in the university, and in 1871 that of the
principles and practice OF surgery. He Is also
Professor OF Clinical Surgery in the University
Hospital.
1t would be hard to give an idea of the varie-
ty and number Of the cases that daily come un-
derDr. Agnew's observation and cure as an Off
Ger of these institutions. Wounds of all kinds,
such as are seldom seen in private practice
are especially numerous, and his acute obser-
vation and retentive memory have made his
experience particularly useful to DIR. Agnew.
But that portion Of it which most tended to
tit him for his present high responsibility was
his service as consulting surgeon in the great
Mower Army Hospital, which was maintained
at Chestnut Hill during the war. 1t was the
largest hospital in the country, and was under
the care of DR.. Joseph Hopkinson and AZ
physicians as q resident staff, while Drs. Ag-
drew and Morton alternated as consulting sur
geons. In this capacity all the most danger
GUS cases came under their notice and all the
most trying operations fell to their hands A
very large proportion of gun-shot wounds was
always of course among the PATIENTS and at
one time the number OF these reached 5000.
81 shall describe him ss a very conservative
surgeon, but ready for any. emergency" was
the opinion which an eminent professional
man expressed. ''I think he is, above all
things, thoroughly practical" were the words
in which another summed up his estimate
This practical quality seems of run through all
his work-as an operator, as a teacher, and as
a writer. 1t is the leading characteristics OF
the valuable treatise on operative surgery
which he has been preparing for several years,
and of which two volumes have been pub
lished. 1t may be remarked here that the
Doctors other contributions to medical litera-
ture include work on practical anatomy,
series of papers on the relations of anatomy
to medicine and surgery, and others subjects.
To his other qualities he adds great modesty
and high sense of professional duty. In prf-
vate life he is ashighly regarded as PROFESSIONAL
ly. He is a member OF the Presbyterian
Church. Many years ago he was married to
Miss Irwin, member OF the Chestnut County
family of that name.