New-York tribune., 1921-06-04
DR.. Bar.,rcI, 81.
Noted Medical
Authority, Dies
Lung Ailment Takes Surgeon
and Hydro-Therapy Spe-
cialist at Home Here;
Wife With Him at End
Father of the Financier
Served as Physician on
Civil War Fields;. Came
TO New York i'm 1881

DR.. Simon Baruch, one of the fore
most surgeons in America and father
Of Bernard NJ. Baruch, the financier,
died at his home, ID West Seventieth
Street, yesterday, victim of a lung
ailment. He was eiGhty-one years old
With DR.. Baruch at the time of his
death were his wife, four sons and
DR.. Albert J. Wittson, his physician.
The three other sons are DR.. Herman
B. Baruch, member of the brokerage
tirm of Hentz Company, % William
Street; Hartwig NJ, a retired broker,
and Sailing w, member of the firm of
A. A. Housman g. Co., 20 Broad Street.
DR.. Baruch also is survived by ten
grandchildren.
The funeral services will be held at
10 o'clock tomorrow morning at the
West End Synagogue, 100 West Eighty
second Street, There will be only a
simple ceremony, in compliance with
DR.. Baruch's wishes.
DR.. Baruch was one of the worlds
foremost authorities on hydro -therapy
and the pioneer in surgery for appen-
dicitis. He was born at Schwersenz,
Germany, on July 20, 1S4O, the son
of Bernard and Theresa (Green)
Baruch. He received his early educa-
tion at the Royal Gymnasium of Posen.
Before attaining his majority he came
to the United States and completed his
studies at the Medical College Of Vir-
ginia, from which he was graduated in
1862.
Surgeon in Lees Army
From that time until The close Of the
CIVIL War he was a surgeon in the
field with the army of Robert E. Lee.
In that capacity he witnessed some of
the greatest conflicts of that war. At
South Mountain and again at Gettys-
burg he was taken prisoner while min
isterlng TO the wounded on the field
and spent a little time in Federal
prisons before he was exchanged Al
the close OF the war he engaged in the
practice of his profession at Cam
den, S. c., and remained there from
1865 until 1881.
After his removal to New York il
1881 he became one of this city's fore.
most consulting physicians as spe-
clallst in chronic diseases, and pio-
neer in the promotion of public baths
as an essential part of sanitation. A
few years after his arrival in New York
he began his campaign for public
! paths, which should be, as he insisted
as free to the public as the parks
AT hrst he met with little encourage
ment. Three Mayors successively re-
Jected his proposals. But in 1917 the
m paLt
DR.. Simon Baruch Public Bath and 8
bronze tablet in his honor was affixed
u 1T. He was also an advocate of in.
terna1 as well as external HYDRO
therapy and regarded the minera
springs of this country as the equals
/ OF any in the world in healing power,
Made Medical History
DR.. Baruch diagnosed the first re
corded case of perforated appendicitis
which was successfully operated upon
a report of this epochal achievement
being made by Dr.. Sands in The New
York Medical Journal in 1889. He was
an earnest opponent of prohibition
contending that distilled liquors should
| be banned, but that pure beer anc
wines of moderate alcoholic content
were not only harmless but actually
beneficial and that their use should be
continued.
He also was interested in drug ad-
dIctlon and its treatment.
he was for many years professor OF
hydro-therapy in Columbia University
and consulting physician at a mum
Der of hospitals. He wrote Uses OF
Water in Modern Medicine" and "Prin-
clples and Practice of Hydro -Therapy,
both of which works were translated
into other European languages and re-
garded as authoritative tne world
around. A hospital was erected in his
honor at Camden, S. c., and munici,
pal bath was named for him in Chicago
as well as in New York.
DR.. Baruch was married in Novem
Der, 1857, TO Miss Isabel Wolfe, OF
Winnsboro, S. c., with whom he cele.
brated their golden wedding anniver.
sary in 1917, more than 1000 guests
offering their congratulations on tha'
| occasion. Mrs. Baruch has long taker
an active and earnest interest in so.
biological and philanthropic matters
urging the highest ideals Of woman.
hood and a more faithful discharge Of
its domestic duties.