Jesse P. Judkins, M. D. (born, Ohio., June 1,
1815; died, Cincinnati, Ohio, Dec. 6, 1867. A prominent anatomist and physician
of Cincinnati), Demonstrator of Anatomy.
Death of Prof.
Jesse P. Judkins, M. D
Died, in Cincinnati,
December 6, 1867, after a lingering illness,
Jesse
P.
Judkins,
M. D., Professor of Special
Pathology, in the Miami Medical College of Cincinnati. He had been
gradually failing for several months, so that his death did not take his
friends so much by surprise, yet the shock was all the same, and few men
have had so largo a circlo of deeply sincere mourners. His disease was
softening of the brain.
Jesse
Parker Judkins was born in the village of
Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson County, Ohio, in 1815, of a Quaker family, whose
names have been identified with medicine for nearly a century, and at a
very early age developed a taste for mechanies, which, with a hereditary
bias for the art of healing, shaped his course and directed his study
toward surgery, which he finally became master of and famous in. He
commenced his college education at Cannonsburg, Ohio, and finished at
Steubenville, Ohio, but paid little attention to the honors of his
collegiate course, contenting himself rather with acquiring a mastery of
engineering and white smithing during the lapses of scholastic duty,
which merely literary abitious youths expend in
polishing for commencement day. At an early age he took a deep interest
in medicine and surges, and, with the example of his father constantly
before his eyes, soon aequired a degree of knowledge in the profession
and art which enabled him to enter upon their study at the Ohio Medical
College, in 183l5, under the most flattering auspices.
He graduated in 1838, and received
his degree as Doctor of Medicine. In the following year he received the
high honor of an appointment as Demonstrator of Anatomy in that
time-honored institution with which so many men of eminence have been
identified. No circumstance in the life of the young physician could be
cited which can more clearly demonstrate at once his ability and his
merit than this, for it must be borne in mind that his professional
elevation was in a place and at a time when such burning and shining
lights as Drake, Locke, R. D. Mussey, Staughton, Shotwell and Cobb were
professors and teachers.
With a modesty which excited the
admiration of his seniorsi and won the confidence of his peers, Dr.
Judkins gradually took his place in the
front rank of his profession, both as a practitioner and teacher, and
for many years after his first distinction he pursued a life of
unremitting industry and the highest usefulness. In a word, he practiced
medicine in conjunction with his duties as Demonstrator of Anatomy and
became famous.
Dr. Judkins
projected and delivered several private courses of lectures on
anatomy in this city, and was successful in drawing to his poreh a class
of young men, a majority of whom have since attained distinction in
medicine. His treatment of students was such as won their confidence,
esteem and affection. His lecture always attracted the crowd, and, whilo
the knowledge it contained was imparted, there accompanied it an amount
of humanity that enlisted the heart and refreshed the mind. To that
branch of his profession he now devoted the greater part of his time and
attention, and made such advancement that, as an anatomist, ho was
regarded as second to none. He was called to the Starling Medical
College of Columbus, as Professor of Anatomy, in the session of 1847-8,
and continued there until the elose of the session of 1851-2, when he
accepted the Professorship of Descriptive Surgery, in the Miami Medical
College of this city, at that time located in the building on the
north-west corner of Central Avenue and Fifth Street. In that college he
continued and labored up to the time of his death, having had his
department changed to that of Special Pathology, and leaves a record
which his professional associates can point to with pride and
satisfaction.
In the pursuit of his culture in the
higher branches of the surgical art, Dr. Judkins
visited Europe early in 1853, and remained abroad over a year,
during which time he visited all the famous hospitals of the Continent,
and, upon his return, adopted, as a specialty, one of the most important
branches of medical and surgical practice. Although possessing rare
qualifications for surgery, there was something in it not altogether
congenial to Dr. Judkins, and he
gradually abandoned it for such branches as the art of healing entered
more fully into, until the latter years of his highly useful
professional life, when he abandoned mere operative surgery.
Dr. Judkins
was a bachelor, and, as such, the center of a large circle of
friends, whose companionship he enjoyed to the last. Among his
professional brethren he was much esteemed and beloved, and by a
greatness of heart and loyalty in friendship grappled them to him with
hooks of steel. He was, in the highest sense, a gentleman, and stood
forth a noble representative of that chivalric manhood which no time,
place, or circumstance can conceal or cause to be forgotten. His look
inspired confidence, and his word was the highest assurance of the most
devoted and faithful performance. Dignified, yet modest, in his
deportment, Dr. Judkins inspired the
respect of every one with whom he came in contact, and his natural
kindness of heart confirmed all his manner promised. He really endeared
himself to thousands of his fellow-citizens, and his loss to them, even
in a social respect, will bo irreparable.
Up to the autumn of 1803, Dr.
Judkins displayed remarkable energy and
led a very active life, but at that time an accident, by which one of
his feet was injured, laid him up for a few weeks and somewhat impaired
his health. In the January of 1864, his elder brother, Dr. Robert
P. Judkins, died in Highland County,
Ohio, and that event preyed uyon his mind so heavily that all his
intimates remarked the change. He was deeply attached to his deceased
brother, and never ceased to grieve for his loss. Indeed, the
bereavement affected his health, and his naturally robust constitution
began to give way, until, during the past summer, he was obliged to seek
rest and recuperation by a few months' residence in Mackinaw, without,
however, any permanent benefit to his failing health. A few weeks ago he
was prostrated, and during what proved to be his
final illness, bore his affliction with examplary patience and
fortitude, and calmly sank to rest.
His funeral was attended by the
Faculty and students, in a body, of both the Miami Medical College and
the Medical College of Ohio; the funeral services being conducted by the
Rev. Mr. Snively, of Christ Chureh.
At a meeting of the profession of
this city, Dr. Vattier presiding, Drs. Murphy, Vattier, Tate, Richardson
and Dawson were appointed a committee, who reported the following:
Dr. Judkins
was successful as a general practitioner and a surgeon. In tho
special department to which he gave so much study, and in which he was
so strong, he may well be called the Ricord of the West. As an
anatomist and a demonstrator he had few superiors. Therefore, be it
Rrsolved, That we bow to the decree of an allwise Providence, who
has removed from us our friend and brother, Dr.
Jesse P. Judkins.
__________________
OHIO COLLEGE OF DENTAL SURGERY.
THE charter
or the act of the Legislature of Ohio by which Ohio College of Dental Surgery
came into legal existence was passed January 24, 1845, and constituted Drs. B.
P. Aydelott, Robert Buchanan, Israel M. Dodge, William Johnson, J. P. Cornell,
and Calvin Fletcher, of Cincinnati; Dr. G. P. Hampstead, of Portsmouth ; and Dr.
Samuel Martin, of Xenia, and their successors, a board of trustees, with power
to establish a college of dental surgerv in the city of Cincinnati.
In the
spring of 1845 the trustees met and organized by appointing B. P. Aydelott,
M. D., D. D., president, and Israel M. Dodge,
M. D., secretary. They then completed the
organization of the Ohio College of Dental Surgerv by the creation of the
following departments : Dental anatomy and physiology,
Jesse M. Cook, M. D., D. D. S., professor;
dental pathology and therapeutics, M. Rogers, M.
D., D. D. S., was elected professor; practical dentistry and pharmacy, James
Tavlor, M. D., D. D. S., professor; demonstrator
of anatomy,
Jesse P. Judkins, M. D.;
Professor Taylor discharged the duties of demonstrator of practical anatomy.
_____________________
MIAMI MEDICAL COLLEGE.
The first meeting of the faculty of the Miami Medical College, of Cincinnati,
was held at the office of
Jno. F. White, M. D., on Fourth Street,
Cincinnati, O.,
July 22, 1852. Members present : R. D. Mussey, M.
D. ; C. L. Avery, M. D. ; Jno. F. White,
M. D. ; John Davis, M.
D.;
Jesse P. Judkins, M. D.; George
Mendenhall, M. D. ; C. G. Comegys,
M. D. ; Jno. A. Murphy,
M. D. John Locke, Jr., M. D., was a
member, but not present.
The faculty was organized by
the appointment of Jesse P. Judkins, M. D., as
dean.
Such is the concise
introduction to the history of Miami Medical College, on its records. The
faculty was composed of the following: R. D. Mussey, M.
D., professor of descriptive and operative surgerv, J. P.
Judkins, M. D., professor of surgical anatomy and
surgical pathology ; Chas. L. Avery, M. D.,
adjunct professor of anatomy ; John F. White, M.
D., professsor of theory and practice of medicine ; George Mendenhall,
M. D.. professor of obstetrics and diseases of
women and children ; John A. Murphy, M. D.,
professor of materia medica, therapeutics, and medical jurisprudence ; C. G.
Comegys, M. D., professor of institutes of
medicine; John Locke, Jr., professor of chemistry.
(The personal edited research
notes of Michael Echols, the source of which may or
may not be completely documented)
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