Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-06-17
Or. HENRY JAMES,
ABLE WATERBURY,
PHYSICIAN. DIES
Was Distinguished Veteran o.
Civil War, Eminent in Medi-
cal Circles, Loved by
TownspeOple.

Waterbury, June l0-Dr Henry James,
entitled to a place among vermont's most
eminent surgeons and physicians. died
this evening shortly before eight o'clock
at the age of SO years Death followed a
long period of poor health. Waterbury
mourns the loss of one of her oldest and
most distinguished citizens
Henry James was born in Waterbury
January n. 1892 the son of Henry f and
Fanny Butler James He came Of dstin-
guished ancestry his father being a prom
inent lawyer state treasurer for "A num-
Der Of years and member Of Congress.
His mother was the daughter of Ezra
Butler, also representative in Congress
and one of the early governors of the
state. DIR. James. however. did not rely
upon his heritage for success but By hard
work came to he one of the foremost
physicians and surgeons in the State. The
doctor received his early education Mt
Morrisville and St Johnsbuiy cademles
His medical studies were begun in 1852
at Waterbury under Or. J. r. Woodland
He attended his first course of medical
lectures at Woodstock college IN 1859 and
two courses subsequently at the College
Of Physicians and Surgeons in New York,
where he was graduated in 1855. He was
appointed assistant and afterward house
physician in Bellevue hospital. New York
city. In 1856 he began practice at Chel-
sea, Mass, and in 1857 returned to Water
bury and soon acquired extensive bust
ness.
In 1861 he entered the army as surgeon
of the Third Vermont Regiments In 1863
he was commissioned surgeon # the
United States army and in 1865 was made
breVet lieutenant. The greater part Of
his military service was spent in hos
pital duty. In the fall Of 1862 he was
in charge of a hospital at Burkettsville
and in the winter of 1853 at Frederick,
Nd. In the following spring he was N
the hospitals of the Sixth Army corps
and in the summer and fall In the army
hospitals In and about Gettysburg. also
at the Letterman General hospital, in
which were about 900 severely wound
ed from the Gettysburg battlefield In
the winter and spring OF 1864 he was
active In the South Street General hos
pital at Philadelphia and in the summer
or the same year was placed in charge
,of the hospital in Steamer. Me. From
the fall Of 1864 until the close of the
war he was in charge of the Sloan Cen
eral hospital at Montpelier He left the
army in 1856 and spent portion of that
year In New York. making a special
study of injuries to the bones and brain
In 1867 he returned to Waterbury. where
he had since been actively engaged in
practice with the exception OF a por-
ton of
Europe.
His practice although general was
specialized in the treatment of nervous
diseases and surgery and for years he
was prominent in consultation work with
neghboring physicians. In 1920 he
published In the "Translations OF Yer
mont Medical Society" n paper on the
treatment of gun-shot fractures. espe-
cially of the fever. in 1S7l-72-73 papers
on some Of the incidents following anipu-
tations; in 1874 amputations at the knee
Joint; in 1877 a paper on spinal hemi-
pleyin. AT the ninth International con-
gress held in Washington. D, c.. Dr..
James read two papers. one on Non
Fatal Penetrating Gun-Shot Wounds of
| the Abdomen Treated Without Laparo-
tony" and the other, "Gun-Shot Frac-
/
suits Of treatment OF AZ cases, and also
263 cases treated conservatvely a larger
number than has ever been treated by
any other living person. He had follow
ed these with many contributions to med
ical papers and had given of his exper-
ience to aid not only the suffering but
also younger physicians
| He had been ever faithful to his pro-
/ ffSSiOn. ri for 81,
did give OF his time to represent his
town In the State Legislature. He had
taken much pride In his home farm
which with his fine residence Ia one OF
the beauty spots OF the town DR.. James
also made much Of music as a pastirne
and pleasure to others. For a number of
years he was prominent in the choir OF
the Conversational Church. both in sing
ing and as organist. To the younger
generation a visit with Or. James had
been full of interest. His patience never
seemed exhausted as he told them Of
their own ancestors and urged them or
| to stronger purpose In life. He seemed
especially interested in the traits Of the
young people and in aiding them to
understand for what work they were
especially adapted
James had been consulting physician 10
the Mary Fletcher hospital at Bur
| linRton and Heaton hospital at Mont
pelier; surgeon general of the Yer
mont National Guard; chairman of the
Vermont board OF medical censors;
professor of military surgery at the
University OF Vermont; trustee OF the
| University of Vermont; president OF
the board of trustees Of Waterbury
village; member of the Vermont Legie-
lature from Waterbury; member OF the
, Waterbury, Washington county, Yer
mont state and Massachusetts, State
Medical societiea, honorary member of
the California State Medical society:
member of the American Medical asso-
citation and member of the Bellevue
Hospital Alumni association. He was
| a member of the G. A. r.. Loyal Legion
and Sons of the American Revolution.
! There are no immediate survivors In
! his family, his nearest living relatives
being second cousins. Amonk them
Mrs. Ella Roscoe, who has made her
home with him for the last four Years
| and the Misses Thomas of stowe His
wife, who was Miss Frances Bergin
l Hun of Boston died six years ago The