The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-12-21
Remarkable Career sf Chicago d.,

/
'.Did you ever hear of blind doc
tor?" asked an eminent surgeon of
reporter for the Inter Ocean the other
day.
s.Don't think ever did," was the re-
ply, ..and don't see how a blind man
could handle scalRsl or mix pre-
scription."
"That is the natural supposition, - he
esponded; "but, remarkable as it may
seem, we have in Chicago blind man
who is already successful in the pro-
tession. and promises to become emil
nent."
"Who is hep
"Robert Hall Babcock."
..Is he totally blind?"
''Yes, and has been from childhood
he was born in WATERFOWL, N. T., in
1851, and moved with his parents to
Kalamazoo, Mich, where an accident
befell him which, while it marred. per-
haps helped to determine. his so far re-
markable career. One day, at the age
of thirteen, while playing with gum
powder, the terrible stuff exploded. so
injuring the poor boys eyes that. from
the ensuing Inflammation, their sight
WIS forever lost. His parents sent him
to an institution for the blind in Phila-
delrhia, where he remained three years.
At sixteen he went to Olivet, Mich,
and there prepared for college. In 1869
he entered the freshman class of the
Western Reserve College, at Hudson,
o. There he remained until the close
Of the junior year. After this course
he went to Ann Arbor, where he went
through the senior course, taking no
degree, inasmuch as his studies were of
an elective character. And now be-
gins his medical work.
"In the fall of 1854" continued the
surgeon, che entered the medical de-
partment of Michigan University. and
took the lectures for two winters. In
1876 he entered the Chicago Medical
College, and here he graduated in the
class of 1878. And even then he didn't
consider himself ready. So he entered
the College of Physicians and Surgeons
In New York City, and there he grad
uated, standing among the ten honor
men in the class of 1879, with MEM
bership of ninety-fve. Then married
man, he came to Chicago and spent the
fall and winter doing some quizzing at
the Chicago Medical College, together
with little practice.
lin July of 1880 he and his wife
sailed for Germany, and there he mas
tered the language. He had to, for the
Young fellow was never to receive any
education through the eyes, as many
another man partially does, but through
his senses of hearing and touch. Then
he took course of lectures at the Uni
versity of Berlin. In October of the
next year he went to Munich, where he
studied masterfully until June of this
year. He gave his entire time to the
study of what was to become his special
ty, diseases of the heart and lungs, for
in that branch of medicine. you see, he
might make the loss of his sight COM
paratively Insignificant deprivation. So
he studied in the chest department Of
the city dispensary, and good were the
advantages he had. Then, too, he en-
joyed the benefits of medical clinics I'M
der Won Ziemssen and equipped him
self most thoroughly. So, finally ready
TO battle with the fate that, at any rate,
could only draw dark curtain before
his eyes, never to becloud his brain, the
young physician ventured, as 1 have
said. to Chicago. and here you have
him. If you want to talk with him 60
down to his pleasant home on Michigan
avenue and you will be welcomed by
the hand that will soon find your own,
and see the trim figure, well-cut feat
nres and dark eyes Of the man who has
made his way and hasn't found the end
either" Chicago Inter Ocean.