Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-03-11

The Late DR.. Frank v. Cantwell.
at l o'clock this morning in his home
in North Clinton avenue.
DR.. Cantwell, one of the foremost sur
Geons in the East, and for many years
at the heal of the surgical staff in st.
Francis's Hospital, was born at 8 Centre
street, this city, February 81, 1862. The
property at that time was in part used
as a book and toy store and steamship
agency, conducted by his father, Peter
p. Cantwell. Mr.. Cantwell was early in
life a national school teacher in Ire
land, and coming to America taught
school first at Bordentown and later in
this city, having been the first Catholic
MALI teacher in Trenton. His health
failing, he abandoned teaching, and
opened the store at 8 Centre street,
where he attained considerable success
and at his death in 1871 left a snug little
estate.
DR.. Cantwell, who was the youngest
of eight children, lost his mother three
years after his fathers death, n be-
ing thus doubly ar orphan, encountered
not a few trials and difficulties at a
tender age. He first attended st. Johns
parochial school and in the fall Of 1875
was sent to ST. Vincent's College, La
trobe, Pa. He remained there till 1877,
when he was transferred to st. Charles
College, Ellicott City, Maryland, where
he spent nearly two years. On return
ing home, he took up the study OF
medicine with DR.. Thomas H. Macken-
zie, but for various reasons was unable
to pursue this work regularly. For a
year he worked in one of h East
Trenton potteries, learning the trade of
sanitary presser, but in 1881 was en-
abled to enter the University of Penn
sylvania. He was graduated in the
medical class of 1884, and Immediately
thereafter finished first in a class of
thirty in a competitive examination for
resident physician in st. Mary's Hos
pital, Philadelphia. He remained there
for one year, and in May. 1885, %diffident-
ly hung out his sign as an NJ. D, at
Perry street, Trenton.
1t took a year or two for the Youns
physician to acquire confidence in his
own ability, but once he found himsell
ne forged rapidly to the front. From
1887, when he became surgeon to st
Francis's Hospital, his reputation adj
NdIlCeu WITH dIIldLlhS IdpibilS dild III
surgical work began to attract atten-
ton over the entire State. He was
called into consultation in all the near.
by towns and few serious operations
were undertaken in Trenton for som
years without his opinion being frs
sought. His success in treating diph'
iberia by tracheotomy was specially
marked at a time when the use of anti
toxin had not yet become general. III
performed at St. Francis's Hospital II
January. 1889, the first abdominal sec
ton operation ever lone in this city By
a Trenton doctor. encouraged by MI
repeated successes he went on develop
ing greater skill all h while. and TIL
| accuracy of his diagnosis proved a
wonderful as the dexterity with whicl
he handled actual operations. HaVln'
been elected county physician. his sur
gical work grew in volume and variety
| and he was constantly IN demand
Besides his active professional work
DR.. Cantwell wrote much for the medl
cal Journals, chiefly reports OF interest
ing cases which had come under hi
observation Among h subjects o
these papers were the following:
eotomy, with report of ten cases; ne
phrotomy: epistasis, with operation b.
transformation; sarcoma of the stom
ach: stone in abdominal ureter; appch
dicitis and various others. AS an eVl
| dence of his professional standing, 1t Il
interesting to note hat his surgica
work in various cases is referred to il
several standard medical textbooks II
this country and in at least one ABROAD
The Doctors own health failed II
1898, and on the advice of friends n
took up his residence in November 0
that wear in the drier climate of New
Mexico. His family followed him, an
he resided there and at FL Paso, Texas
till June, 1900, Improved, but not thor
oughly well. he then returned to Tren
ton
DIR. Cantwell was one of the city
most ardent book lovers. He owned
large library, and spent many of hi
happiest hours in study. He wrote sew
eral articles for the newspapers ant
magazines, which possessed lterar'
merit.
Besides the office of county physician
above mentioned, he served on the cit.
Board of Health and represented tn
old Fifth ward ir Common Council
Under President Cleveland he was on
of the pension examiners for this dis
trict and he was consulting physical
at the State prison during the year
1s94-95 and '96. He also served as presi
dent of the Mercer County Medical SO
l,ciety. of the Trenton Medical Associa
ton and Of the local Medical Librar,
Association.
DIR. Cantweil married Miss Alic