The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-02

DR.. THEoDoRE CAu.LARD THOMAS died
suddenly OF q dema OF the lungs. due to heart
disease at Townsville, Ga. Feb. %. His death
was the greater shock to most Of his friends
because they had not known that for year
he had been q sufferer from his heart. His
face had not altered. but bis step was less
active. and he had ceased to ride the spirited
horse he preferred.
DR.. THOMAS was q man OF mark In every
way. He was Of broad intelligence and
wide and varied reading. He was strong
in his opinions and able and courageous
In their defence. As q debater he was
ready with repartee and illustration. As
a lecturer he was most entertaining; he
made his themes attractive and impressive
by the vigor and facility Of his delivery.
Fer FIVE years he was lecturer on obstetrics
IN the medical department OF the uni
versity and from 1885 for several years
was professor Of obstetrics and diseases OF
women at the College OF Physicians and
Surgeons.
Dr. THoMA, was born In Charleston,
S. c. and was graduated from the Charleston
Medical College in 1852. He entered Belle
vue Hospital as an inferno at the time OF
an epidemic Of typhoid fever He COM
pleted his service unscathed. and COM
menced private practice in New York city
He gained the friendship Of the late Dr.
MRIcALFz. and by him was taken into as
ISOLATION and partnership, an arrangement
then unusual among physicians. The
friendship between these two distinguished
men was maintained, with scarce cloud,
till DR.. MBIcALRE's death.
DR. THOMAS was among the most eminent
and successful In practice. He was q man
Of pleasant manners, refinement. and keen
observation. AL his patients loved him
and believed In him. He made his diagnosis
almost like q snapshot; but IL was not
chance, 90 rapid and sure were his mental
processes.
About 1858 DR.. THOMAS withdrew chiefly
from general practice and devoted himself
to gynscology. which introduced him to
surgery, a work that he preferred to medi-
cine. This was then an undeveloped field.
He labored In IL well. and advanced greatly
the knowledge Of this department OF medi-
cine He was ingenious and inventive.
and several new operations were first sug-
gested and performed by him. One, now
very frequently employed. was the removal
of q small ovarian tumor without an alb
dominal section.
In the department Of obstetrics the in
cubator for premature babies was his de-
vice.
Dr. THoMA, did much public a well as
private WORK. He was one Of the visiting
physicians at Bellevue Hospital. and only
gave up the position when he devoted him.
self to gynscology. Then he became q
surgeon OF the woman's Hospital. Al
this and the Strangers Hospital he did his
chief public surgery.
DR.. 1BoM ls was popular consultant
with his fellow practitioners, not only in
his special department. but in general medi-
cine He had knowledge, discernment and
good common sense. The appreciation of
his fellows was shown in the dinner given
him at KERRY in November, 1902, on his
Sven let birthday, at which he received the
welcome and the good wishes OF more than
two hundred of those who knew and hon
ored him.
Though not an active politician. DR..
THOMAS was a man Of great public spirit.
This ne showed more than elsewhere at
his summer home, at Southampton, q place
which greatly through his influence has
grown from a hamlet to a beautiful water
ing place.
But most pronounced in him we're his
moral qualities. He was honest and he
was true. His desire was 70 help his fel-
lows and not neralv ~ cN,irssl