520

Obituary.J. POCOCK HOLMES, ESQ., M.R.C.S.

AN American paper has reached us (through the kindness oMr. J. O’Reilly, of Eva.nsville,) containing a very painful history of the death of a practitioner of this metropolis, undercircumstances of peculiar sadness. At the end of April, a help-less and afflicted stranger, past the age of eighty, was broughtto Evansville, Indiana, by the steamer. One eye had beendestroyed by cancer, the other was so far diseased as to besightless. One leg was paralyzed, and the poor sufferer seemedutterly helpless, destitute, and friendless. His destination, orlast place of sojourn, were alike unknown.’ He lay unattendedon board the steamer for a whole day, when a truly goodSamaritan, Dr. A. C. Hallock, whose name we cannot inscribehere without offering to him the expression of grateful esteemand thanks, visited him, and found him helpless, blind, suffer-ing, and delirious. By intercession with a good old negrowoman, a shelter in her hut, and faithful attendance, wereprocured for him. From this time his necessities were lovinglyministered to by Drs. Hallock and Casselberry. He knew wellthe desperate nature of his disease, refused medicines, and wasthankful for care and quiet. In a few days he died. On exa.mining his effects, papers were found which proved him tohave been Mr. John Pocock Holmes, a member of the Collegeof Surgeons, London. Certificates of ability and morality werefound, under the hand of Sir Astley Cooper and other eminentmen, and two gold medals, awarded for the invention of sur-gical instruments. There were letters from Captain Parry, thegreat Arctic explorer, couched in terms of friendly intimacy,thanking him for chemical services rendered, and speaking ofan Admiralty grant of £150 in acknowledgment. Many otherpapers were found, which proved that Mr. Holmes hadHabitually moved in a highly respectable social circle. Thereare very many of our readers who will hold in their recollectionthe career of the unfortunate deceased in this metropolis. Hebecame member of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1824,having previously seen service in the employ of the Hudson’sJBa.y Company. He practised for many years successfully inOld Fish-street; Doctor’s Commons. Mr. Holmes acquired areputation for the invention of some obstetrical instruments,for which the gold medals alluded to were probably awarded.About 1840, becoming dissatisfied with changes that had oc-curred in his professional relations, he left for the United States,atad, so far as we know, has been little heard of since. The’writer for the Louisville Journal completes the sad historythus : "He appears at one time to have resided near Nash-ville, in Tennessee; and from other papers, we are led to sup-.pose he has been residing recently with the community ofShakers, at West Union, not far from Bowling Green, in Ken-tucky. Whether he had just witbdrawn from them when hearriv,ed here, or why he should have left them in the afflictedand helpless condition in which he was found, is not explained by his papers, nor did he give those who took care of him any explanation before his death; neither did he give them anyaccount of himself, nor tell of the strange vicissitudes by whichhe, in his old age, had been cast amongst strangers, a homelessand friendless wanderer. In his last moments he spoke of aMater, but gave no clue to her name or residence. Before hisdeath he committed his fnnds, which he had kept concealedabout his person, amounting to about 250 dollars, to Dr. Hal-1ock, but left no instructions in regard to the disposal of them.His other effects were of little or no value. His estate will beduly administered upon, and after the expenses are paid, thebalance will be sent to his friends. He was evidently a manof correct habits and great intelligence. By what misfortuneshe who had enjoyed high professional reputation, and had beenthe associate and friend of eminent men, was left homeless andpoor, and died at last alone, in the shanty of a poor negronurse, is unknown. It is a painful lesson of the sad vicissitudesof life.

CHARLES FOWLER, ESQ., F.R.C.S.WE regret to have to announce the death of Charles Fowler,

Esq., of Cheltenham, at Weston-super-Mare, on the 11th inst.He received the College diploma in 1822, and in 1825 he be-came surgeon to the Cheltenham General Hospital, an appoint-ment he held for thirty years, and only resigned under thestress of failing health. By his zealous and disinterested exer-tions he did much to promote the prosperity of that institution.

Mr. Fowler’s practice at Cheltenham was extensive, andthroughout his whole career he deservedly retained the respectand love of a very large circle. In 1856, when severe illnesscompelled him to withdraw from practice, his friends andpatients subscribed between X1600 and X1700 in the course ofa very few weeks, as a testimony of the value of his publicservices, and the warmth of their private affection. Of thissum X1500 were invested in the Bank stock, and settled uponMrs. Fowler and her children, and the rest expended in silverplate.

____

PROFESSOR MULLER.PHYSIOLOGY has lost one of its most ardent and successful

cultivators by the lamented death of Professor Muller, ofBerlin. This melancholy event occurred suddenly, at theearly age of fifty-six. Belonging to a family already illus-trious by its splendid contributions to science, he has addedlustre to its hereditary fame.

L’ Union Medicale announces the death, at Venice, of Pro.fessor Mauthner, director of the Hospital for Children; ofProfessor Plattner, at Fribourg; and M. Mareska, at Gherist.These are all eminent names in our profession, and their losscannot be regarded without pain and regret.

MEDICAL DIARY OF THE WEEK.

MONDAY, MAY 24 ...

TUESDAY, MAY 25 ....

WEDNESDAY, MAY 26

THURSDAY, MAY 27. .

FRIDAY, MAY 28........

SATURDAY, MAY 29 ..

’ROYAL FaM HOSPITAL.—Operations, ii P.M.METROPOLITAN FRBE HOSPITAL. - Operatiom,

,.. 2 P.M.ST. BARTHOLOMEw’S HOSPITAL. - 3t P.M. Dr.Brown-Séquard, "On the Nervous System."GUY’S HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1 P.M.WESTMINSTER HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.ROYAL INSTITUTION. - 3 P.M. Mr. J. P. Lacaita,

"On the History of Italy during the MiddleAges."ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS. - 4 P.M. Dr.Brown-Sequard, " On the Physiology of theNervous System."

ROYAL MEDICAL AND CHIRURGICAL SOCIETY OFI LONDON.-8½ P.M. Mr. John Tudor, " On a Case

, of Excision of the Elbow;" Mr. Coulson, "On

i Hydatids in the Tibia;" Mr. J. Birkett, "OnFibrous Polypus of the Urinary Bladder."

PATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. - 8 P.M.(ST- MARr’s HosPITAL.-Operations,1 1 P.M.UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL. - Operations,

) 2 P.M.ROYAL OsTHop-zDio HOSPITAL. - Operations, 2

( P.M. ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S HOSPITAL. - 3t P.x. Dr.L Brown-Séquard, "On the Nervous System."’MIDDLESEX HOSPITAL,-Operations, 124 P.3LST. GEORGE’S HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1 P.M.CENTRAL LONDON OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL.-

Operations, 1 P.M."’ LONDON HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1’9 P.M.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS. - 4 P.M. Dr.Brown-Sequard, " On the Physiology of the

Nervous System."(OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL, MOORFIELDS. - Opera.

’ tions, 10 A.M.

WESTMINSTER OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL. -Opera-J/ tions, It P.M.GtEAT NORTHERN H06PITAL’ KING’s CROSS.-

Operations, 2; P.M.ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S HOSPITAL. - 3½ P.M. Dr-

Brown-Séquard, "On the Nervous System."ROYAL INSTITUTION.-8! P.M. Dr. E. Frankland." On the Production of Organic Bodies without

the Agency of Vitality."CHARING-CROSS HOSPITAL.- Operations, 12½ P.M.ST. THOMAS’S HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1 P.M.ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1i

P.M.KING’S COLLEGE HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.

ROYAL INSTITUTION. - 3 P.M. Dr. Lankester," On the Vegetable Kingdom in its Relations te

/’ the Life of Man."ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS. - 4 P.M. Dr.Brown-Sequard, "On the Physiology of the

’ Nervous System."

MEDICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON

To Correspondents.A Builder.-Valuable information upon the most recent improvements inhospital architecture are to be found in the papers read by Mr. Roberton,surgeon, of Manchester, to the Statistical Society of that town, and since published by him as pamphlets. Scattered papers on the subject will btfound in the later volumes of The Builder.

Enquirer.-The operation was performed by Mr. Liston in the year 1839. Itwas recorded in THE LANCET at the time, and transferred from our pages to

, his work on Practical Surgery.