Page:A cyclopedia of American medical biography vol. 2.djvu/552

 WESSELHOEFT

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WEST

an original mind, was both brilliant and eloquent. C. R. B.

Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, vol.

iii, 1831. Bait. Month. Jour., Med and Surg., 18.30-31, vol. i, Nathan R. Smith, Eulogium, ibid.

Wesselhoeft, Conrad (1834-1904).

Conrad ^^'essclhoeft, a prominent homeopathist, was born in Weimar, Germany, March 23, 1834, and came to America with his parents, Robert and Ferdinanda E. Wesselhoeft, when a bo}'.

lie graduated from the Harvard Medical School in 1856 and at once began practice in Boston, soon becoming one of the leading homeopathists. As physician and trustee of the Massachu- setts Homeopathic Hospital for nearly the entire period of his professional life, he was unremitting in his labors for the cause of homeopathy. In 1879 he was president of the American Institute of Homeopathy and in later years presi- dent of the Massachusetts Homeopathic Medical Society, and also of the Boston Homeopathic Medical Society. He filled the chair of pathology and therapeutics in the Medical School (Homeopathic) of Boston University for many years, with distinguished ability.

As a medical author his work covered a wide range, the most notable of his writings being a translation of the " Organon " of Hahnemann. He was one of the committee for preparing the "Cyclopedia of Drug Pathogenesy," also on the committee for pubhshing the "Pharmacopeia of the American Insti- tute of Homeopathy," and his writings for journals and medical societies have been very numerous.

Dr. Wesselhoeft married Elizabeth Foster Pope, who survived him. In March, 1904, more than two hundred of his friends and associates celebrated his seventieth birthday by a banquet, and presented him with a loving-cup and a purse of $2,000.

Dr. Wessehoeft had closer relations with the members of the regular pro- fession than most homeopathists. He

lectured on one occasion at least to the students of the Harvard Medical School explaining the principles of homeopathy, and it was his aim to bring into closer touch all practitioners of the healing art. His death occurred in Newton Centre, Massachusetts, December 17, 1904.

W. L. B.

Bulletin Harvard Med. Alumni Asso., April, 1905.

West, Hamilton Atchison (1830-1903).

Hamilton Atchison West was born in Ru.sseirs Cave, Fayette County, Ken- tuck}^, the second child and eldest son of James N. and Isabella Atchison West. His father was a native of Georgia and his grandfather. Dr. Charles West, a physician of Georgia and a member of the legislature.

He went as a boy to the common schools and entered the medical depart- ment of the University of Louisville, graduating in 1872 with first honors — the faculty medal — for the best thesis, his subject being the "Thermometry of Disease."

In 1873 he moved to Galveston, Texas, where he lived till his death. It was largely through his efforts that the medical department of the University of Texas was located in Galveston, and upon its organization he was elected to the chair of general and clinical medicine.

He was a vice-president of the Ameri- can Medical Association in 1898.

Dr. West's first wife was Sallie Mason Davenport, of Virginia, and his second Mrs. Ella May Fuller. Five children survived him.

His death was due to acute suppression of urine, occurring in the course of chronic interstitial nephritis, which was further complicated by pneumonia.

He had gone to New York City in the hope of getting relief, but within a week after his arrival he rapidly succumbed, dying at the home of his brother, December 30, 1903.

Dr. West was a good writer and con- tributed largely to medical literature. He wrote the articles on "Dengue,"