The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1922-03-07
DIR BABCOCK DIES
AT COLUMBIA HOME
RECOGNIZED AUTHORITY ON
MENTAL DISEASES
Former Superintendent of State Hos
pital for Insane Succumbs After
Short Illness
The State, 4.

The State, 4.
DR.. James Woods Babcock, alienist
and recognized authority on pellagra,
died suddenly at his residence, Pine
hurst, yesterday morning about 5
O'Clock after short illness. DR.. Bao-
cock suffered an attack of influenza
last Christmas but had apparently re-
covered. He was on the streets few
days ago and had been i'll but short
time when the end came. The an
nouncement of his death yesterday
was a surprise and shock to his nu-
merous friends and admirers.
DR.. Babcock was easily one of the
best known and most cultured physl-
clans of South Carolina; was almost
to the hour of his death a diligent
student in his chosen line Of work
and was held in highest regard by
persons familiar with his scholarly
attainments. His death removes from
this city a man who had devoted a
large part of his life to study OF
mental diseases and to pellagra. de
was easily one of the outstanding
alienists of the South.
DR.. Babcock, who was born in Ches-
ter, August II, 1856, was the son OF
DR.. Sidney E. Babcock and Margaret
Woods Babcock, the former having
received his training in Europe. The
SON after completing his preparatory
studies entered Harvard university
and took the full academic course and
then entered the medical school at
Harvard and completed that course.
For some years after his college ca
reer he was assistant physician at
Mclean hospital, Somerville, Mass,
and specialized in mental diseases.
Heads State Hospital
During Governor Tillman's first ad-
ministration DR.. B. W. Taylor was
requested to recommend head for
the state hospital for the insane and
as result of that request DR.. Bah
cock came to Columbia in 1891 to &C.
cept the superintendency. DR.. Bab-
cock devoted the best years OF his
life to the care and study OF the
states unfortunates. With small ap-
propriations he had to build addition
al quarters to meet the constantly
growing demands upon the institution
and when it is considered how little
he had to work with, his accomplish
ments at the hospital are little short
Of marvellous.
1t was while DR.. Ba1ocock was super
intendpnt of the hospital that he made
the first observation of pellagra In
the South and subsequently, he be-
came recognized authority on this
mslady as we'll as on mental diseases.
There was always close friendship
between B. R. Tillman and DR.. Bah
cock and after the terrible storm OF
1898. when the coast of the state and
the islands along the coast suffered
severely, DR.. Babcock went to the
scene as the personal representative
of the governor. He spent weeks IN
helping the unfortunate people, many
of whom were i'll as result Of the
storm. An another occasion Senator
Tillman and Dr.. Babcock Travelled
abroad together for a considerable
period and it was during this time
that Wr. Ba'5cock gave special study
to pellagra in Italy.
Opened Private Ssnitarium
After leaving the state hospital in
1914, DR.. Bahcock opened private
sanitarium for nervous and mental
cases near the city of Columbia and
met with decided success in this work.
DR.. Babcock was an ardent lover of
his state, of it's traditions and of its
history. He was an omnivorous read
er and kept his room plentifully sup
piled with volumes and when trou-
bled with insomnia would turn on the
light and read in bed. He had re-
markably retentive memory and could
give quickly and accurately informa.
ton on vast number of subjects.
To what he termed his "fads," which
were collecting books and antique
furniture, he devoted much time and
often said that persons should have
some such hobby as means of recre-
alton.