The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-03-01

Wright and Mrs. Edmund Gall. DR..
Wright was prominent in masonic circles
and was q thirty-third degree mason.
Definite arrangements for the funeral had
not been determined upon last night and
notice of the same will DO published
hereafter.
Dr.Wright was born in this city Now ],
1913. His collegiate education was OBJ
tanned at Greencastle in DePauw univer-
sity then Asbury university. He next
became a student of medicine at Cincin-
natl in the medical college of Ohio, where
he graduated in March, 1868. Returning TO
Indianapolis he began the practice of his
profession here, making q specially OF the
diseases of the eye, ear and nose. in which
branches he attained no small distinction.
He soon took rank not only in his special
branches, but also as a member of the pro-
fession at large and as a thorough
student not only successful in
practice, but fully competent to perform
his share in advancing the cause of medi-
cal science, both with his pen and in the
discussions of medical associations. His
contributions to the medical literature of
his time were numerous and valuable,
and covered the entire period of mis- pro-
fessional career. He was for some time
editor of the Indiana Medical Journal,
and contributed many editorials,
reports of cases and papers that attracted
attention in his profession. One of his
earliest themes was on Spontaneous
Evolution" which appeared in the Hed-
ern Journal of Medicine in March, 1865.
His reports appeared in the transsc-
tons of the Indiana state medical
society for a period reaching back
over twenty-one years. He read
papers at the annual meetings of superin-
tendents of American insane asylums at
each meeting since the time of his APP
pointmeDt here, aud the same were pub
lished and attracted. like all his contribu-
tiOns to medical science, no small share of
attention.
DIR. Wright was the oldest member of
the faculty of the Indiana medical college
in continuous service, and filed the chair
OF mental and nervous diseases in the
same. He had at various times filed the
office of president of the same institution,
and professorships in other departments
of it, including materia medica, thera-
peutics and diseases of the eye and ear.
He also held the professorships
of the first TWO departments in
the medical department of
Butler university. DR.. Wright was a val
ued member of the Indiana state medical
and also of the Marion county medical
society, and was delegate to the Ameri-
can medical association at it's last meeting
in Washington, ID. c. His Membership
in the association of American superinten-
dents has already been referred to- He WAS
for four years physician to the state blind
asylum, surgeon general OF Governor
Williams staff and Riso OH Governor l. p.
Gray's staff during the latter's term of
Offiaa. " for tun aInanr nf fha
indianapolis board of health. in 1875 and
1876, was president OF the Indiana
medico-legal fraternity in 1877 and 1878.
He served as a member of the staff
to St. Johns home for invalids. and
as chief of staff Of St. VincenTs hospital
as we'll as in other posts equally response
BILE. He was one of the vice-presidents OF
the New York Medico-Legal society.
In none of the many positions which DR..
Wright WAS called on 10 fill was there a
better field for his work and excellent
capacity as an executive than IN
the one as superintendent of
the Central hospital for insane.
He was the head of il not only in name
but in fact, and on him rested the re-
eponsibility for the entire internal man.
averaged over quarter OF
the property in round numbers
is over 100000. The number of
patients has reached total OF .557. The
per capita cost of keeping patients. which
in the present decade has risen
high as 1874 per annum, was
reduced under DR.. Wrighfs eff
cient superintendency to Sl59.96,
the lowest figure reached at any time for
many years, and the patients have been
as we'll If not better cared for and fed than
ever before. DR.. Wrights administration
was humane, enlightened and progressive.
The hospital was not con-
Quoted on the idea that il was
a place merely in which to restrain Deo-
pie. but the great idea was TO cure them.
The old system of repression and physical
restraint as q system was done away with.
The plan of giving convalescents full liberty
and open doors was originated here and
put into successful practice. and IL is but
one of the instances of many in the same
class where wise and hegithful changes
were successfully carried out. The trus-
tees. in their annual report for 1891, after
speaking of the efforts made to secure
care and provisions for the patients as
4 4 A 4 IL A