The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-09-15
william Warren Greene.

| tenth instant That Drlef telegram sent emil
| to every heart of those who heard of it, and Of
course the news flashed through the city like
| wildfre. DR.. Greene was expected home on
the Goth, and it was known by his friends thai
failing to secure passage by the .Gallia OF the
| Cunard line, which left Liverpool on the Sd 0,
September for New York, he contented him
| self with passage on the Parthia OF the same
| line, which left Liverpool the same day as the
| Gallia, but is known as slower boat. Or
Greene made the outward passage on the Gal.
| liza and therefore would have preferred to re-
turn in her as he had made many pleasant
acquaintances among her officers.
On the 9th of last July the Doctor left Port
! land for London to attend the International
Medical Congress. When he departed he was
In high spirits, but sngularly enough, express
| ed himself to the writer as having present.
| iment that he might not return. 1t was the
day previous, the Sth, that, standing on the
steps of his residence and saying good bye, he
remarked this would be his first ocean voyage
He said he had curious dream the night be-
fore to the effect that he was on his way to
Europe and that his vessel had collided with
another and sank, and he remarked he had an
idea that when he came to his death it would
be by collision on the ocean, although he did
not anticipate any such fate in the present in
stance 1t is also odd enough that in letter
written to DIR. L 7. Dana of this ely, and dat
ed the 22d of August he said 81 never had
such perfect and uninterrupted health, e0efy
hour, as since in London aud yet, in the
same letter, speaks of all the late accidents to
ocean steamers and says the return voyage APP
pears serious matter. These presentiments
were doomed to be realized, for he died within
four days of port, and, a later dispatch states
from uremia.
DIR. Greene's birthday is matter OF doubt
In the History of leading physicians and sur
geons of the United STATES by Dr. Atkinson,
March 1st, 1889, is given as the date. This, OF
course, is an error His old school-mates in
this city call him about 50 years of age, and, 1t
is possible he was only 49, He was born in
North Waterford, where his father owned a
farm. Young Greene attended the Bethel
Academy and afterwards studied for time at
the Bridgton Academy. He did not receive a
college education but graduated at Ann Arbor
in the medical department of the University of
Michigan in 1855. Before entering the medf-
cal school he studied for time with DR..
Hunkins at Waterford, and taught the dis
trict school, From Waterford he removed to
Gray, where he was quite successful in his pro-
fession and where, to this day, he had many
patients whose faith in him was great. From
Gray be removed to Pittsfeld, Mass. He had
already joined the Maine Medical Society
that event occurring in 1S61,-and the Massa-
chusetts Medical Society in 1868. In 1861 he
was elected lecturer of the pathology and prac-
tice of medicine in the Berkshire Medical Col
lege, and professor of surgery in the same in
stitution in 1862. The same year he was elect
ed Dean of the college. These positions he
resigned in 1868. In 1867 he was elected pro-
essor OF surgery in the University of Michi-
gan, but resigned after lecturing one year. In
1866 he was elected professor Of surgery in the
Maine Medical School and was still holding
the position at the time of his death. In 1871
he was elected an honorary member both of
the New York State Medical Society and De-
troit Academy of Medicine, and member of
the American Medical Society. He was elect
ed and filed the chair of professor of surgery
in Long Island Hospital for the years 1894.
In July, 1880, he was elected President of the
Maine Medical Society for the year 1SsO-81
He was, one of the six American surgeons
elected to represent this country at the Surgi-
cal Congress held at Philadelphia in 1876, and
was one of the twelve surgeons from the world
at large invited to dine withiSir Jas. Paget, the
President of the late international Congress in
London. In fact throughout the late Congress
he was highly honored by the London surgeons
portant operations
In 1868 DR.. Greene removed from Pitts6eld
to Portland and took up his residence on Con-
gress street, next to DR.. Ludwigs, where he
remained several years. and then removed to
his late residence on High street. Here his
great skill and success in treating the most diff
ficult cases quickly won him a broad recogni-
ton, and his patients trooped to him from all
parts of the country. 1t would be fair to say
that, although comparatively young, he wore
himself out in his profession. His operations
were not only quoted in medical and surgical
papers of New England but also those of the for
eign capitals His description Of his operations
for goitre were copied into the London Lancet
and called the attention Of the leading foreign
surgeons to him. He was author of Litigation
of Veins, Ceases of Successful Extirpation OF
Bronchocole," an article on "Ovariotomy,"
Successful Casar@an Section Operations,
Reduction of Dslocations," and Cotton
Wool Dressings" also OF "Greene's Illustra-
tions of Surgery medical text book. He
took part in the discussions in the late Inter-
tional Congress
AS medical instructor DIR. Greene stood ex-
ceedingly high His explanations were clear
and concise, and his students always referred
to his admirable qualities as teacher. DR..
Greene was born physician and surgeon. He
seemed to have peculiar intuition as to what
was the matter with a patient as soon as he
looked at him. AS man he was exceedingly
genial and one OF the kindest-hearted men that
ever lived 1t made no odds to him whether
his services were wanted for the richest or the
poorest man. His ideas seemed to be to allie
viate pain. If he had been less generous he
would have made more money. He wss an ex-
ceedingly bold operator but his boldness, and
his perfect command of his nerves, were two of
his strongest points. He had great knowledge
of literature, and perfect command of French
and German. He was man whose loss not
only Portland, but all New England will feel,
while, in this city, he will be mourned as
few can hope to be. DR.. Greene was married
twice. First to Miss Lizzie Carleton of Water
ford, who did not long survive him, and o
Miss Lawrence of Yarmouth, who died in
1875, by whom he leaves a son in college at
Ann Arbor, and a young daughter in this city.
The following despatch from DR.. j. L. Little
of New York, one of DIR. Greene's fellow pas
sengers on the Parthia, was received by Mr.. 81.
f. Kurdish of this city last evening:
DR.. Greene on the evening of the 9th, was
| taken with vomiting and congestion of the
| kidneys. On the 10th he had two ur8mie con,
| WILSON'S aud died. He had complete suppress
| sion of urine. DR.. Sayre and myself with the
ships doctor, did all we could for him. Hii
| burial at sea was considered absolutely neces
| sary. will write full particulars this evening
| His effects are in the hands of the purser o.
| the Parthia.
| He was dear friend of mine, although we
met for the first time on the Gallia, and hi
| sudden death has robbed me of the pleasures
| of my trip. He was in a partially comatost
| state during his illness, but although we con
sidered his sickness alarming we had n,
thought of such a sudden death. I was at hi
| side when he died. j. L. LITTLE.
Maine Corporation Law.
The statute law relating to manufacturing