Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-04
DIR. BAxTER DEAD.
me surgeon General Of the Navy succumbs
to . Paralytic stroke.

0uCC0mO4
to . Paralytie Stroke.
Inc brief illness Of Surgeon General Baxte,
terminated fatally this morning at las o'clock
MS stroke OF paralysis. which came Tuesday
afternoon, utterly bereft him Of consciousness
which never returned to him. His case pre-
sented no hopeful features from the first and
the physicians labored only in dread Of what
they felt was an inevitable conclusion. Yester.
day the patient seemed to be resting more
easily, and hope began to be entertained that
possibly there might be favorable turn. In
the afternoon the change came, but for the
worse, and the patient sank until at Las he
died. Mrs. Baxter Dr. Geo T. Carson and Mr. J.
>: Bcardsley, chief clerk of the bureau. were in
the room when the breath left the lips of the
dying man.
SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.
Frederick II. Baxter. surgeon general of the
army. was q Vermonter by birth. He was
practicing physician in Massachusetts, when
the. war broke ont and was appointed sur
geon OF the twelfth Massachusetts, infantry,
the regiment commanded by Col. Fletcher
Webster. a son of the great statesman.
In June, 1861. He served through the
war as surgeon. achieving wide
reputation for skill and scientific progress. and
In July. 1857, having retained his volunteer
commission until then. he was appointed as
sistant medical purveyor of the regular army
medical corps. He virtually created the Office Of
chief medical purveyor. although it existed for
some years prior to his appointment to it,
which occurred in March, 1872. That is, he
transformed the Office from one of no import
ance whatever to one OF the most active and
progressive in the medical bureau. The latest
devices. inventions and discoveries of
science were under his supervision
made to produce results for the benefit Of the
army, and many step al advance was taken
through his efforts. He was very near to the
ONCE OF surgeon general two or three times
prior to his appointment, August 10, having
been a candidate for the position for
fully decade.
On the LIST OF July, 1881. the names of DR..
Baxter and Paymaster Mcclure were sent over
to the White House for nomination as SURGE on
general and paymastcr general respectively.
The selection of DIR. Raxter was a personal
matter with President Garfield, but just before
he sent the names to the Senate question
arose as to McCiures accounts-afterward re-
shifting in an investigation--and both names
were retained, as il was thought desirable to
send them In together. The next day the
assassin Guiteau fired his fatal shot, and for
weeks after the Prcsidentlay dying. DIR. Baxter
was the Garfield family physician. He was alb
sent on the cay of the assassination Of the
President and through his absence DIR. Bliss
acquired charge of the President case. This
was the occasion Of bitter quarrel following
ward nominated Surgeon Crane 70 succeed DIR.
Barnes, and DIR. Baxter was RELOCATED to the
shelf again. He was once more n candidate
when DR.. Crane was succeeded By Dr. Murray
IN 1888, and also in 1856. when Surgeon Moore
was promoted. Thus there we're three nonsi-
tons made to the surgeon generalship over his
head. and it began to look though the re-
ward for his long labors was never to come.
While every one recognized his wonderful
ability and acknowledged his superiority. his
selection was deferred from time to time for
various reasons until the recent retirement of
Surgeon General Moore left vacancy.
DR.. Baxter leaves a widow. who was formerly
Miss Tryon of Boston. There was something
of romance in their courtship. Miss Tryon
was visiting Mrs. Henry A. Willard. and it was
while the doctor professionally attending
Mr.. Willard that he met her. He called good
deal more frequently than the exigencies of
the case seemed to demand, which led the sick
man to jocularly remark that there was deal
more counting going on than there was atten-
ton to making him well. That this surmise
was true was proved by the announcement of
the engagement of DIR. Baxter and Miss Tryon.
and their marriage soon followed. Mrs. Baxter
is a highly accomplished woman. of vigorous
intellect and was perfect companion for her
husband. They had no children. One brother
of the deceased, Myron l.. Baxter, lives in YER
mont, ana another, VIM. Baxter, resides in
Chicago.