New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-26
DIR. WILLARD PARKER DEAD.
ALoss TO THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

wAs TOO BUSY TO WRITE BOOKS
DR.. Willard Parker Is dead. Yesterday, at
ten mnu past o'clock he breathed his last at MS
home, Ne IL East Tvelhh-st, in the presence OF DIS
family and young medical student who had
been his faithful watcher. For twelve hours
he had been under the Influence Of opiate''
and bis death painless II not unexpected ior
his life had been hanging for many months by slender
thread. Physically wasted away. his mind was uAun-
paired the last For days he had scarcely spoken Oh
April IL he stricken with partial paralysis Wnch
resulted in aphasa. rendering him speeches.. WIN
great effort he could pronounce the words yes anu
"Ro," and he used them intelllgently n the last
In September 1882 his SON DR.. willard Parker jr ana
MS son-nlaw, D. NJ stmsOn, discovered evdsncesoi
kidney affection in Dr. Parker although his general health
not markedly impaired. Later he was found 10 DC
suffering from pyelltis of tho right kidney. During the
winter Of 1892 and 'S3 he gradually improved
and Last summer he generally IN comparative com
fort IN the fall he began 70 grow worse MS
strength gradually suoc1mhed to the severe
attacks upon II, though his mental Vsor was never
impaired Throughout his long illness no was acous-
toned prescribe for hmsef and he made close Suuy
OF maady Though he had the best Of skill In attend
ance he always consulted with his physicians and as
sisted in the diagnosis OF his own case.
DIR. Edward W. Lambert OF the Equitable
Life Assurance Company. lad charge Of tne
case. assisted by Drs. II. b. sasd', W. II. Draper
AlOnzo Clark Others He died fssm exhaustion &C
casioncd Dy the severe AttackH upon 'i'
which great physical visor alone hsdsnabed him to
withstand
He leaves q wife. two dsughters-Mrs DR.. . NJ slim
and Mrs Butler, the wife OF B. F. Butler. merchant
Of this oity-and son, Dr. Willard Psr-:F j.
The funeral will take place at, the
University Place Presbyterian Church Monday. at
D. NJ The body Will be taken Tuesday to the deceased
mans late country ~ NevCazsaH Conn. for n
torment
SKETCH OF DIR. PARKER'S CAREER.
Willard Parker, VI. D., Ii. D., was born in
Hillsboro. y H., september .. 1900. on both sides
his descent was traced from the blood OF the English
Puritans. The Parkcrs ems,ated TO Massachusetts, IN
I64O and settled at Chelmsford farmers. Several
members OF the family were active IN the Revolution
One Colonel Moses Parker who had distinguished HIM
self in tho French War wounded and taken prisoner
at the battle OF Bunker HILL and died ia Boston July T.
1878. On the maternal side, Mr. Par.er' grand ''-'r,
Captain Peter Clark. with stark at Bennington ana
witnessed the surrender ~ Burrovue.
When willard Parker was five years old. lis family re-
turned 20 Massachusetts ard settled upon the Old nome
stead at Chelmsford. which year, ae4ward came into Dr.
Parkec's possession. Here he being the Old = of the
family was indicted into tie practical duties or
farmer. ifs He worked ia the fields from sunrise
until sunset. gaining thereby an amount of phF'ia
stamina which stood MIN good stead 10 BIS probes
si1nll career. This coz Lued until lie was nineteen.
Meantime be was ca.. reading and -tud lag 10 -ici
the evening after the days wosA was done. When he
was nineteen left Ills work upon The farm 10 take up
tuc occupation III teaching, inr which Ice was almost
entirely sc.l-p.eparcI lie DID this In oller 20 obtain
more time ior preparing himself FOR COLLEGE, 10 procure
the mean. fora present livelihood. aud 20 lay mp enough
20 caiiy him through his student ds}s free from debt
Industry and perseverance accomplished the task, and
he was graduated from Harvard in 1876. In his first
year In college an incident occurred which turned Ills
attention to surgery. Ills ca.m wa afflicted with
strlngllatrd hernia. and the local surgeon vs.
unable to relieve It. Dr John G. Warren, pro
lessor Of surgery Ia the college, was sent for The
mastery -Lu aud readiness with which LES diagnosed
and reduced the hernia so forcily Impressed young
Parker that Lee received t5 drvore Ia, Il to Uedi
cine and surgery ON hi, graduation he began the study
OF medicine In the Offices o. DIS Warren and Townsend
IN Boston In the spring OF 1927 he received the ap-
pontment OF house physician in the United states Ma
rno Hospital at Chelsea. Here he remained for TWO
years. enjoying the best possible opportunities for the
study oi practical anatomy under DR.. :. d Townsend
IL the winter OF 192o29 he the private pupil OF Dr.
D.. C. Warren whose lectures he had attended for two
years and whom he aided IN the anatomical department
Ale office or house surgeon had st been created IN tns
Massachusetts, General Hospital aud the position was
offered Mr. Parker who EadT ac'e tedSt seryl--ior
about year and Attending lecture, mean while In
February 1850, &c graduated i MEDICINE after arr
unusually thorough education tor q" .lH' III iAe course
or WI ION hs had displayed pr-emiueut abilities tor bis
gree Of NJ D. was called Thesis OIL Nervous Eesp.4-
ton" He had made many dlasectloas OF the parts n-
yovcd and c,say ey.ucod cear Aead' sound juds
n.ent sud IN amount OF practical wisdom rarely found N
one yoIug.
PROFESSOR AND PRACTITIONER.
There y,s at once opened 10 Dr. Parker position IS
as Instructor Immediately are, his graduation hs de-
l,ered course Of lectures upon anatomy before tie
Medical school at Woodstock. VI Tn June $780, lie was
appointed o. the chair of anatomy IT, the He kA!ie Med
zeal College al P.t;-helu Mas then leading country
school while he continued 90 lecture al ~ Vermont
school In ls32 DIE appointed also 70 tie ch''r Of
surgery I'm tue Ptt,Ieid school, and be delivered Two
lecture, daily In 1856 lie .ccepted the chair OF surgery
la tine Cincinnati Medical College. Soon afterwai be
went ab.oal and spent IN the French and En-
ri.h hospitals. On his return be Intended 20 settle Ia
Cincinnati. but he forced 90 leave the West by TIE
injurious effects Of the climate upon his health. IN
1889 he was appointed to tho cLar o. -sur-ery In the
College o. Physicians and surgeons his city IN the
spring 1910 Dr. Parker introduced An important IN
novAtlou which was the beginning Of college clinics.
Feeling tie need u practical demonstration Ia teaching
surgery be OoG his students TO NO Of tie city dispense
res Soon a1erwa4 Interesting cases were selected al
,le di-rorc- and taAn % the e-o then u Crosby
g.. where diagnoses were made and operations per-
formed tne anatomical theatre before the class Olt
% this crew tie system OF clinics IN vogue in every
medical college IN 1913 Bellevue Hospital then the
cry A.msAolsa reJrg-nlzed under board OF GOV
eruor. aud Dr. Parker and the late Dr. James r. Wood
were appointed visiting surgeons.
During Tie next ten years DR. Parker rapidly built up
large practice. Daring vet conservative sSifn bnt
prudent i'm surgery aud fJr-- GIFTED aud wise IN medical
III gnp,e, his abiUue, became rapidly recognized In
40 . va, appointed visiting Surgeon tO tie Now OK
UD-uft.. lu l5G.. on Tie death NJ Or. Valentine Moi
W was then president o. tie New York state lue3rate
ASYLUM al Bn-4autuu. Or. Parker was appointed as
turct--lr. To this institution Or. Parker devoted
much time and Thought The subject was one IN "Lltl
deeply Interested, and II IS To ms care ana L.'
energy in overcoming opposition, that the as ann -
LARGELY Indebted Success. DR.. PArktrs. position
I'm REGARD tu. alcohol cn.urutly couserFa-
tive lie held HlrO HOl 10 bee essentially poison thti
cannot he considered food and thai 10, Use sol.u DE
.Arrpt0Lal. when advised boy physician aud JOB iLr
preparation OF incidence In $50 DIT Parker resigned
ue active dulles Al- prore>+or-hip " surgery u tLr
college Of Physicians aud surgeons becoming emeritus
professor surgery. In the yeur be receive. JAr