Page:A cyclopedia of American medical biography vol. 1.djvu/162

 BATES

In 1S19 Dr. Bates moved to Norridg- wock, Maine, where he practised with great skill as a surgeon and physician for twenty-six years. During this time he performed throughout the state all of the capital operations. He was a very remarkable operator, owing his excellent skill in that line to his abun- dant opportunities for surgery during the war of 1812. He is said to have amputated a leg in twenty seconds. He was early a member of the Maine Medical Society, and contributed to its meetings several excellent papers, one, " On the Use of Artificial Leeches for phlebotomy," and another" on "En- cephaloid Tumors." He also wrote for the "Boston Medical and Surgical Journal."

After eleven years of active practice, Dr. Bates was asked to enter the polit- ical field, which he did with great reluc- tance, and was elected member of Con- gress for two separate terms, returning home during the recesses of Congress. Declining further political offices, he resumed practice until 1845, first in Fairfield, Maine, near his former home, and finally in 1858, at the urgent re- quest of a large number of citizens of Yarmouth, he moved there and worked steadily until over ninety.

Born to be a leader, he led the people toward good things wherever he lived. He spoke often in public and private on temperance, medicine and agricul- ture. Though not obstinate, he uttered his views with persistence, yet good humor. A great medical man in every way, he may be considered as among the best Maine has ever produced. He died rather suddenly at the last, from the effects of a slight fall and after a short illness on the twenty-fifth of February, 1882, aged over ninety-two years. He said on his death bed, "My father lived to be ninety-three years, his father before him reached the same age, and the only thing that I regret now is that I am afraid I shall not get there myself." J. A. S.

Trans. Maine Med. Assoc, Family Papers.

> BATTEY

Battey, Robert (1828-1895).

Robert Battey, son of Cephas and Mary Agnes (Margruder) Battey, was born November 26, 1828, in Augusta, Georgia, and educated in Richmond Academy, Augusta, Georgia, Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts, and graduated from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy March 17, 1856. He began to study medicine in 1S49, at Rome, Georgia, under Dr. George M. Battey (his brother), and later studied under Dr. Ellwood Wilson of Philadelphia ; attended two courses of lectures at Jefferson Medi- cal College and the University of Penn- sylvania, graduating from the former March 7, 1S57, and receiving her LL. D. in 1S91; 1859-60 was spent in post- graduate studies in the hospitals of Paris. Dr. Battey commenced practice in May, 1857, at Rome, Georgia, and remained there continuously with the exception of the years 1872-75, when he was profes- sor of obstetrics in Atlanta Medical College, and editor of the "Atlanta Medical and Surgical Journal," 1873- 76, Atlanta, Georgia. He was four years, July, 1S61-65, in the Confederate service as surgeon of the Nineteenth Regiment of Georgia Volunteers; surgeon of Hampton's Brigade. He was surgeon- in-charge of the Gynecological Infirmary, Rome, and consulting surgeon, treasurer, and business manager of the Martha Battey Hospital, Rome, Georgia, an institution incorporated under the laws of Georgia, the buildings and grounds the gift of Dr. Battey, in grateful recog- nition of the valuable aid of his wife in his surgical work, and whose name it bears.

What is known as Battey's operation — oophorectomy — was first done by him in Rome, Georgia, on August 27, 1S72, and reported in the "Atlanta Medical and Surg- ical Journal" for September of that same year. The patient was thirty years old and had been an invalid for sixteen years, having only menstruated twice. Both ovaries were removed by abdominal sec- tion and the woman cured. Battey afterwards tried vaginal section but re-