Page:American Medical Biographies - Kelly, Burrage.djvu/1207

NAME WALKER 1185 WALKER tains of New Hampshire. He received his preparatory education at the Fryeburg Acad- emy, and graduated at Dartmouth College with the degree of A. B. in 1842. D'uring his college career his health gave way and he travelled in the south, teaching school for a time in Virginia. He had suffered from hemorrhage from the lungs, which led his friends to fear a fatal result, but he after- wards acquired an apparently vigorous phy- sique, which was severely tested by his 30 years of active hospital life. He graduated in medicine at Harvard Uni- versity in 1850, and began practice in South Boston under Dr. Charles H. Stedman, who was then physician to all the city institutions situated there, including the Boston Lunatic Hospital. In 1847-49, when cholera and ship- fever were prevalent among the immigrants at the quarantine station at Deer Island, he volunteered his assistance, and entered on the work of managing these unfamiliar and dreaded diseases with characteristic prompt- ness, courage and skill. On July 1, 1851, he was appointed superin- tendent of the Boston Lunatic Hospital, a position he held imtil his resignation on ac- count of ill health, January 1, 1881, a period P" of -nearly 30 -ears. This hospital, built in 1839, had been in charge of Dr. Butler (q.v.) and Dr. Stedman, whom Dr. Walker succeed- ed, for a period of 12 years. In its rear was a semi-detached building known as the "Cot- I tage," fitted up with cells like those of a police station for the violent insane. Such cells were supposed to be a necessary adjunct to a hos- pital for the insane in those days. Dr. Walker, however, immediately advised their disuse, and in a short time succeeded in haying them abandoned by gradually placing their occu- pants in the wards of the main building, and thtjs he became one of the pioneers in the dis- continuance of cells in the treatment of the insane. In appearance Dr. Walker was a little above medium height, becoming stout in middle life. His eyes were dark and piercing, his mouth expressive of firmness. His hair, jet black in youth, turned white at 35, and with his snow}- beard "gave him the appearance of a vigorous old age in early manhood. He early recognized the necessity of better accommodations for the city's insane, and for years labored earnestly with this object in view, until success nearly crowned his efforts. A site for the new hospital was purchased, plans made and adopted, and an appropriation passed, only to be vetoed by the mayor, w'ho opposed the project. This veto was a severe blow to Walker's hopes, and he had only the satisfaction of seeing the city's plan of con- struction adopted at Danvers, and of exercising medical supervision of the work on behalf of the commission who had it in charge. He was an active member of the Medico- Psychological Association from 1851 until a short time before his death, and was president for three years. He was also a member of numerous medical societies. During the Civil War he was appointed inspector of- hospitals and made a tour of service in the west. In 1872 he made a brief visit to Europe. Through the influence of the German consul he was presented with the decoration of an order of nobility for his humane treatment of an insane German citizen in Boston. He died in Boston, April 26, 1883. Institutional Care of the Insane in the U. S. and Canada, Henry M. Kurd, 1917. Walker, Henry O (1843-1912) Henry O. Walker, of Detroit. Michigan, was born at Leesville, Michigan, December 18, 1843. He was the son of Robert Eshclby Walker and Elizabeth Lee Walker, both of whom were natives of Yorkshire, England. He received his acadeinic education at the Detroit High School and Albion College. In 1864 he matriculated in the Medical Depart- ment of the University of Michigan and after two years of study entered Bcllevue Hospital Medical College, New York, graduating from that institution in February, 1867. Dr. 'alker married Sarah Gertrude Essel- styn, of Detroit, November 13, 1872. They had one son, born December 14, 1894, Elton W'illard Walker, a prominent mining engineer, now living in Northern Michigan. After graduation Dr. Walker returned to Detroit and entered the active practice of medicine, giving his chief attention to surgery. In 1868 he was appointed demonstrater of anatomy in the newly organized Detroit Medi- cal College and successively held several teaching positions. He was lecturer on genito- urinary diseases in 1872, professor of ortho- pedic surgery and clinical surgery in 1881 and professor of surgery and clinical surgery from 1881 to the time of his death. In 1881 he was elected secretary of the faculty and in this position, which he held at the time of his death, he was a leading personality in medical education in Michigan. As a medical educator Dr. Walker was an earnest advocate of higher standards in medical education. Lender his guidance the Detroit College of Medicine kept well in the van in the improvements in the curriculum which have marked the trend of medical edu-