Page:A Memoir of Thomas C. James, M. D. - Hodge.djvu/10

, which, while they were sustained by scientific rules, had received the testimony of experience in their efficiency. Hence he was not one of the pioneers of the profession—not one who was remarkable for the novelty of his views, the importance of his discoveries, or the boldness of his practice,—but he was numbered among that most respectable and useful class, who, by the exercise of a discreet judgment, under the guidance of science and experience, profited by the discoveries of others, perhaps of more genius, and of more energy and enthusiasm; and at the same time avoided the errors into which such geniuses often fall, and the mischief they not unfrequently produce.

As an obstetrician, he was chiefly known to the inhabitants of this city and of our country; and great are the obligations under which society is placed to him and a few of his cotemporaries who, by their talents, education, learning, manners and accomplishments elevated and adorned a department of the profession which had been unaccountably neglected, and was, in this country especially, in a degraded condition.

As a practitioner of obstetrics, Dr. James manifested the same kindness and benevolence of disposition, the same prudence, discretion and judgment for which he was distinguished as a physician, and which gave him an eminent station as an accoucheur. As an operator, he was also skilful and prudent: occasionally also bold and decisive when the circumstances of the case demanded his assistance. His natural diffidence of himself, his fear of responsibility, his deference to the opinions of others, prevented however his obtaining that self-command and that composure essential for greatest eminence in the operative department of obstetrics. Nevertheless a large proportion of our physicians resorted to him for assistance in cases of difficulty and danger with the happiest results.

As a teacher of obstetric science, his success was also great. Commencing a system of instruction when no medical school patronized this department of the profession, when the prejudices of the community were greatly in opposition, and when even practitioners of medicine thought any peculiar tuition on this subject unnecessary, Dr. James succeeded in securing the attention of a very respectable portion of the pupils who then resorted to Philadelphia for medical instruction, and soon obtained an influence in favour of tokology, by which the practice was rendered more efficient and extensive, and the importance of the science suitably acknowledged by the establishment of an independent professorship. Occupying