The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-03-15
DR.. THOMAS EMMETT
FAMOUS CATHOLIC PHYSICIAN
DIES IN NEW YORK AT THE
AGE OF NlNETY-ONE-WA A
GRAND NEPHEW OF THE MAR
TYRED PARTICIPANTS THE AU-
THOR OF MANY BOOKS.

DR.. Thomas Adds Emmett, a grand
son Of the famous lrish-American
lawyer, Thomas Emmett, who was a
brother of Robert Emmett, the mar
tyred Irish patriot, died Saturday,
March ], in his home, 50 Madison
avenue, New York, aged 81. A Mass
of Requiem was celebrated for him
the following Tuesday morning in St.
Stephens Church.
DR.. Emmett was world figure as
physician, won eminence as an au-
thor and for over half a century was
| militant force in the fight for Irish
freedom. His last activity was the
publication of his memoirs, entitled
incidents of My Life" He had writ
! ten more than fifty books before that,
some of which have been accepted all
over the world as standard text books
en- medical subjects.
| For over twenty-five years DR.. En-
nets fame as a collector of books on
! American history was as wide in Eu-
rope as here. A large part of his
collection was purchased for $150,000
! by John S. Kennedy more than twenty
! years ago and was presented by the
latter to the LenoX Library. What
remained of the collection was bought
by Henry Malkan, dealer, in 1912.
| There were forty-eight volumes whose
average value was said to be $3.50.
When a student at the Jefferson
Medical College, Philadelphia, in 1S49,
Dr.. Emmett became active in the fight
for freedom in Ireland, continuing his
efforts in that direction to within a
few years ago. After he was IS years
old he spent four and five hours each
day Illustrating his book, ireland
Under English Rule" caustic de-
nunciation Of England's Government
Of Ireland.
Dr. Emmett was one of the few men
in the United States who have been
made Papal Counts. In 1897 Notre
Dame, Ind, gave him the Laetare
Medal, the award to the American
Catholic whose work had been OF
great benefit to humanity. He was a
convert, having joined the Catholic
Church in 1867.
DR.. Emmett was born at the Univer
sity of Virginia, where his father, DR.
John Patton Emmett, one of the fore
most chemists of his day, was pro
fessor of chemistry. In 1850 he went
to New York city. When the Civil
War broke out he went South anC
offered his medical services to the
| NNy,f dow 10 toll hot 1,o
too weak for field work and he re
turned to the North and gave his serv
ices to the Federal authorities.
Within a week after DR.. Emmett.
arrival in New York, he was appoint
ed visiting physician at the Emigran
Refuge Hospital on Wards Island
Inside of a year he twice narrowl.
escaped death from typhus fever, o
which an epidemic was raging. II
1862, when SO years old, he was mad,
surgeon and chief of the Woman
Hospital. Up to a few years ago h
was consulting physician and surgeon
in six Of the largest hospitals in New
York City. During the existence of tn
Irish National League of America HI
was it's president.
Dr. Emmett at different times wa
an officer of nearly every nationa
medical association. An LII. d. wa
; conferred upon him by the Jefferson
Medical College in 1882. He was
life member. of obstetrical societies il
seven New York counties and in MI
merous other States. He was mem
: Der of the Catholic Club of New York
40