Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1884-01-29
Death of Dir. M. M. Lewis.

Iron the Alexandria Cva.) Gazette, Jan. 81. j
DR.. Magnus Mewes Lewis died at
his residence, on North Washington
street, on Saturday night last at ten
minutes of eleven O'Clock, aged fifty
nine years.
For more than year his health
had been impaired and his death was
not unlocked for, yet the announce
ment was received with none the less
of poignant grief by whole COM
munity in which no man stood higher,
and by whom he was loved rs few men
are loved.
He was fully conscious of his con-
dition and knew OF the approach of
death, yet met it with that imperturb-
able caImness that characterized him
all his life, and he died without fear,
bearing al! the pangs of disease with
"a patient fortitude becoming one
whose life had been devoted to allie
waiting the suffering of others.
His life was devoted to his profess
sion, in which he had risen to an en-
ineuce attained by few, and his name
and famc-especialIy rs n surgeon
were household words within the
State, and with the fraternity
throughout the country.
DIR. Lewis came to Alexandria from
jefferson, his native county, then a
part of Virginia, and studied under
the late Benjamin IIalloweil. He
then went to the University of Vir-
GINA, where he took course in med
icine, and afterwards graduated at
Jefferson Medical College in Phila-
delphia. Returning to the home Of
his adoption he commenced the prac-
ticc of his profession, and soon ex-
hibited the germs of that talent that
made him take rank with the foremost
practitioners Of the country. Upon
the breaking out of the war between
the States he cast his lot with Vir-
ginia and went out of this place with
the famous Seventeenth Regiment, as
surgeon, but was rapidly promoted
until he became a Division Surgeon
i'll the Army of Northern Virginia.
After the close of the war he return
ed to Alexandria. where he resumed
his practice and was the acknOwl-
edged head of the profession, the
members Of which looked up to him
as prcc2pto. worthy OF all their
confidence and esteem.
Nothing that skill and science
could do was omitted, but fate had
ordained otherwise and the fell de-
str6ver bafiled all human efforts, and
he is laid low in the cold embrace of
death. Here, in the midst of his re-
latives, friends and acquaintance
the hundreds of patients to whom he
was so near akin-it would be super
erOgatory to pronounce an culogium
upon his character. lie was " the
soul Of hOnor"-bravc generous and,
though apparently brusque, and pos
tive in manner. the natural out
growth of an absolute knowledge and
thorough mastery of his profession.
vet in Il - sick room he was as gen
tic and tender rs woman and his
heart ever went out in sympathy to
the afflicted, and in the breast of such
he has left q vacuum that time will be
long in filling.
He knew his duty and never failed
to perform it; nor ever pandcrcd to
the whims OF imaginary ailments, but
treated them with positivcness that
brought relief without the aid of pre-
scriptions and rendered his presence
beneficial.
All mourn his death. and few were
the eyes that did not mniSten at its
announcement but one there is. who
bending DER the caskct and looking
down upon the wasted form of that
once splendid physique, broken
hearted and inconsolable because he
is not, will in the solitude of that
quiet chamber from whence his light
is gone. catch the echo OF his voice as
it murmurs