Page:American Medical Biographies - Kelly, Burrage.djvu/1144

NAME TALIAFERRO 1122 TATE Between the years 1882-1886, Dr. Taliaferro made a valuable contribution to gynecological literature in a paper on "Intrauterine Tam- pon, for purpose of Dilating the Uterus, Se- curing Better Drainage, and Treating Diseases of the Endometrium." This paper was pub- lished in the Atlanta Medical and Surgical Journal. He was known as a skilful gj-necologist and one keenly interested in medical progress and in his fellowmen. In the autumn of 1887 he was persuaded by his friends to take a rest at Tate Springs, Tennessee, but, too ill to operate just before leaving, he took with him some patients, among them a charity case, and the last operation he ever did was for her. He died on September 17, 1887, of valvular heart disease. His wife survived him only a few months. J. A. Richardson. Atlanta Med. and Surg. Jour., 1884, n. s., vol. I. Pliys. and Surgs. of the United States. W. B. Atkinson, 1878. Taliaferro, William T. (1795-1871). William T. Taliaferro was born in Newing- ton. Orange County, Virginia, in 1795. He was of Italian extraction, his ancestors having come to this country long before the Revolution. His father. Colonel Nicholas Taliaferro, served in that war, and at its close, settled in Ken- tucky. The son inherited his father's patriot- ism. In the War of 1812, he served as a volunteer in Ball's Kentucky Light Dragoons, which formed part of the left wing of General Harrison's army. At Camp Seneca he enlisted in Commodore Perry's fleet, and took part in the battle of Lake Erie. Soon thereafter he rejoined the army and served in the battle of Moravian Town, Canada West, October 5, 1813. For these services he received seven hundred dollars prize money, and a gold med- al from the state of Kentucky. On his return from the army he began to study medicine with Dr. Keith, of Augusta, and in 1818, at- tended the lectures at the University of Penn- sylvania, where he witnessed, for the first time, the operation for cataract. He returned to Kentucky, and began practice in Wash- ington, Mason County. In 1823 he operated successfully for cat- aract on a boy five years old, who had been blind from birth. After a few years he moved to Maysville, Kentucky, where his success as an ophthalmologist attracted patients from all parts of the south and west. About this time, Mr. Hitchcraft, a man of wealth and influence, became blind, and spent much time and money, but refused to try Taliaferro, and went east, and finally to Eu- rope, seeking relief from oculists. He re- turned home without improvement, and dis- heartened, but, at the instance of friends, visited Dr. Taliaferro, who said his case was not hopeless. An agreement was drawn up by Hitchcraft's friends, that he was to pay the doctor five thousand dollars if cured. The result was a perfect success, and Mr. Hitch- craft sent for the doctor, and said to him, "You have fulfilled your part of the engage- ment, now I will fulfill mine, and pay you five thousand dollars." The doctor was as- tonished, and refused to accept so large a sum. In 1841 he moved to Cincinnati, and with Drs. Vattier (q. v.). Strader and T. N. Marshall, he established a hospital known as the "Hotel for Invalids," the second regular hospital in Cincinnati. In 1843 he married the widow of James Ramsey, of Hamilton, Ohio. No children were born. Late in life Dr. Taliaferro accepted the chair of ophthalmology in the Cincinnati College of Medicine and Surgery, and lectured there until a short time before his death, March 22, 1871. A. G. Drury. Tate, John Humphreys (1815-1892). John Humplireys Tate, obstetrician, was born near Harper's Ferry, West Vir- ginia, in 1815, and practised for fifty years in Cincinnati Ohio. He came of good old stock; Magnus Tate, the elder, came from the Orkney Isles and landed in Philadelphia, May 20, 1696. John H. was edcuated at Hanover College, South Hanover, and graduated there. He then studied with Professor John Moorhead of Cincinnati, matriculating in the Medical College of Ohio, and graduating in 1840. After practising a few years, Tate went to Paris to further his education in medicine and sur- gery, and remained abroad for two years, most of the time being spent in Paris. In 1856 he was elected to fill the chair of physiology, hygiene, and medical jurispru- dence in the Medical College of Ohio, and to serve on the staff of the Commercial Hos- pital. After serving two years he resigned, and in 1870 became a member of the faculty of the Cincinnati Medical College, and in 1873 was elected president of the Cincinnati Acad- emy of Medicine, and from 1873 to 1875, serv- ed as obstetrician and gynecologist to the Cincinnati Hospital. Dr. John Tate was a gentleman of the old school, very studious, ' endowed with a most remarkable memory, occupied the highest positions in the gift of i his profession and had the respect and friend-