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MacRUER

Macrae, Donald (1S39-1907).

In the death of Donald Macrae, which occurred in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on August 14, 1907, Iowa lost one of her highly honored citizens and physicians. Dr. Macrae was called the Father of the Medical Society of the Missouri Valley, having been active in its organization, and its first president in 1888.

He was born at Pollewe in Rosshire, Scotland, October 3, 1839. His father was the Rev. Donald Macrae, minister of Pollewe. He received his educa- tion at the University of Edinburgh, from which he graduated with the M. A., subsequently taking his medical degree there in August, 1861. After practicing for a year and a half in the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Dr. Macrae accepted a position as surgeon for the Cunard Steamship Company, and cross- ed the Atlantic seventy-five times during his four years service.

In 1867 Dr. Macrae married Charlotte Bouchette, daughter of Joseph Bouch- ette, surveyor-general of Canada. Soon afterwards he went to Council Bluffs, arriving in March, 1867, and continued in active practice until illness compelled him to retire a short time before his death. Mrs. Macrae died in March, 1904.

Dr. Macrae was for many years iden- tified with the Omaha Medical College, where, beginning in 1881, he was pro- fessor of principles and practice of medicine. In 1877 he was elected president of the Iowa State Medical Society.

The Med. Herald, Sept., 1907.

McRuer, Daniel (1802-1873).

A typical Scotchman with a "burr" in his talk, Dr. McRuer is worth de- scribing. He was born in Kjiapdale, Argyleshire, Scotland, January 12, 1802, the son of a clergyman, who before the birth of his son had settled in Greenock. His parents left him an orphan at the age of five, but, befriended by relatives, he studied medicine with a surgeon apothecary.

and after obtaining a degree from some source unknown to me, he had suffi- cient political infiuence to get the posi- tion of surgeon's mate in the English Navy. The vessel on which he was on duty was shipwrecked in South America, lie was rescued with others by a pass- ing vessel, and brought safely to St. Johns, New Brunswick, where he prac- tised for a while, but learned to like America and decided to move into Maine, where he practised at Noble- borough and Damariscotta.

At this place, he married Mary Ann Wright, about 1825. When Dr. McRuer wished to become a member of the Maine Medical Society, in the year 1826, his election was refused on the ground that although regularly nominated, he, as a foreigner, had never exhibited any testimonials re- garding his qualifications as a practi- tioner.

He was, however, finally admitted. In 1834 he removed to Bangor, where he practised until his death.

A man of sterling worth, he did great service in the Civil War as an army surgeon; he had also a large consulting practice and did twenty- six ovariotomies in days when that operation was rare and few physicians dared to do it, with perfect result in twenty of them. He was a student, interested not only in medicine, inde- pendent and original in thought and language. Of a calm and cheerful na- ture, he made the best of life, despite the terrible misfortune of his later years, terminating in blindness from glaucoma. He contributed to the pages of the " Boston Medical and Surgical Journal," 1838, 1849 and 1853, papers on "Women's Diseases," "Cod Liver Oil," and "Removal of an Ovarian Tumor." He also wrote a pamphlet of fifty pages on "Ulcerations and Abrasions of the Cervix Uteri."

Having lost his sight, which he was enduring with remarkable cheerfulness, he was next loaded down with physical pain and renewed burdens in the shape