Page:A cyclopedia of American medical biography vol. 1.djvu/113

 ALLEN

Allen, Peter (17S7-1S64).

Peter Allen, of Norwich, Connecticut, was born on July 1, 1787, the son of John Allen and Tirzah Morgan. He was descended from Samuel Allen, who came to the Massachusetts Bay Colony from England in 1630. His preliminary education was received at the Academy in Norwich, and he later conducted this school as a teacher for two years, obtain- ing his medical education with Dr. Phineas Tracy, of his native town. In 183S Jefferson College conferred upon him her honorary M. D.

Dr. Allen removed from Norwich, Connecticut, in 1S08 and became one of the early pioneers in Kinsman, Ohio, having made the journey thither on horse- back by way of Philadelphia and Pitts- burg. The nearest point at which medi- cines could be obtained was Pittsburg, and here he secured the supplies with which to begin practice. It was from this source he also ordered medical books.

In 1812, being appointed surgeon in the Western Army, under General Simon Perkins he served in the regiment of Colonel Hays in the campaign on the Maumee River. In passing through Cleveland, General Perkins desired to secure for Dr. Allen a case of instruments belonging to the United States Govern- ment. Finding it [impossible by any re- quisition to secure these, he sent a squad of soldiers and seizing them delivered them to Dr. Allen to be used in the campaign.

A necessary result of Dr. Allen's pioneer position was of course the endurance of many hardships, on account of his ex- tended practice. There were no roads, and the paths were often marked only by blazed trees. Sometimes at night he was piloted through the forest by torches made of hickory bark.

Bis -in), who was born in 1814, remem- bers tu have heard him prophesy that I In- time would come when then- would be tin grass or stumps in the roads between the wagon t raci

Dr. Allen in his practice covered twelve townships in Northeastern Ohio and

i ALLEN

Western Pennsylvania, and he was called largely in consultation and for opera- tion over a much wider territory. Among the operations which he performed with- out an anaesthetic were ligation of the femoral artery for aneurysm, trache- otomy, amputations of leg, thigh, arm and shoulder-joint, together with opera- tions for strangulated hernia and the removal of tumors. The causalties in- cident to pioneer life requiring his atten- tion were numerous. Dr Allen kept well up to date, and the position as student under him was much sought, and he had usually three or four with him. It was his custom to assign to them regular reading, and to spend a portion of every evening in questioning them upon what they had studied.

He was a censor in the Medical College at Willoughby, which was the first Medical College in Northern Ohio, and later in the Cleveland Medical College, which was its successor.

In 1835 he was elected first president of the Ohio Medical Convention, which was the parent society of the Ohio State Medical Society. He was elected presi- dent of the latter society in 1S56.

In his address, delivered at that time, he speaks of having made a journey to Columbus in the latter part of 1826, for the purpose of organizing a state medical society. The journey was made on horse- back and required a week in going, another in returning, and a third in Co- lumbus, the journey being made over roads which were well nigh impassable except for a man on horseback.

In 1840 he was elected a member of the state legislature, but absolutely refused further political honors.

Di Erastus Gushing characterizes him as one of the most prominent medical men in the Western Reserve, and Dr. De Lamater wrote, "I would rather have Dr. Allen's influence with the Cleveland Medical College than any physician in Northern Ohio."

May 13, 1813, Dr. Allen married Charity Dudley, who was born in Beth- lehem, Connecticut. She died in 1840.