Page:American Medical Biographies - Kelly, Burrage.djvu/291

NAME CURTIS 269 CURWEN Cuiti., Josiah (1816-1883) Josiah Curtis, naturalist, hygienist, was born at Wetherslield, Conn., April 30, 1816, and died at London, England, August 1, 1883, while traveling. He was fitted for college at the Academy at Monson, Mass., and received his A. B. degree from Yale College in 1840. He taught school for a time and was principal of the Salem (N. J.) County Academy. He taught also in Philadelphia, and while there studied medicine and graduated M. D. at Jefferson Medical College in 1843. He settled to practise in Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1849 removing to Boston. Dr. Curtis made a study of the sanitary management of public cities, a prominent branch of his profession, and twice visited Europe between 1850 and 1855, in pur- suit of tlie subject. In 1861 while secretary of the Boston Sanitary Association, he assisted in the preparation for publication of the mor- tality statistics of the U. S. Census of 1860, and this year Yale conferred an M. A. upon him. He served as brigade-surgeon during the civil war in various stations. After being mustered out in 1865, with a brevet promotion, he took up his residence in Knoxville, Tenn. In 1872 he accompanied the U. S. Geological Survey as surgeon, microscopist and naturalist, traversing that portion of the present National Park which includes the Yellowstone Lake and its many geysers. In 1873 he became chief medical officer to the U. S. Indian Serv- ice, which he organized and placed on a useful footing. He resided for many years in Wash- ington, D. C, where he was well and favor- ably known. He was a member of the Massachusetts Medical Society and of the American Medical Association from 1847, as well as a member of scientific and literary associations. He was a faithful and industrious worker in various fields of scientific research and a contributor to medical and other periodical literature. He was the author of "The Hygiene of Massa- chusetts, especially Lowell and Boston," Transactions American Medical Association, 1849. While making gun cotton, after it was dis- covered, he found accidentally that by wash- ing it with ether, it became liquid, forming what was afterwards known as collodion. Trans. Amer. Med. Assn., 1883, vol. i, 223. Phys. and Surgs. of U. S., W. B. Atkinson, Phila., 1878. Curwen, John (1821-1901) John Curwen, alienist, was born at Walnut Hill, in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, near the City of Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania, on his father's estate, September 20, 1821, and died after a brief illness July 2, 1901. His ancestors lived in Little Broughton, Bridekirk, County of Cumberland, England. He was a graduate of Yale College of the class of 1841. In 1844 he received the degree of M. D. from the University of Pennsylvania. After spending several months at Wills Hos- pital for Diseases of the Eye, he was appointed during the same year an assistant physician of the Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane. He was thus brought into close personal and professional relations with Dr. Kirkbnde (q. v.), whose character and methods of ad- ministration did much to influence and shape the course of his after-life. Reference is made in the report of the Pennsylvania Hospital for 1845 to the establishment of a course of lec- tures for the entertainment and instruction of patients, and to the zeal and co-operation of Dr. Curwen, which contributed so much to "the very gratifying success of the experi- ment." The number of lectures varied from 45 to SO during the year. Dr. Kirkbride, in a succeeding report, states that "the manner in which Dr. Curwen has acquitted himself of this self-imposed task is worthy of high commendation." In addition to his medical duties he showed at this early age the un- tiring zeal and capacity for work characteristic of his entire life. Dr. Curwen was appointed physician and superintendent of the State Lunatic Asylum at Harrisburg, February 11, 1851, which he organized and administered until February !, 1881. In 1862 Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, conferred the degree of LL. D. upon him. On the 2Sth of June, 1881, he was elected physician and superintendent of the Warren State Hospital for the Insane, an office which he held until June 15, 1900. He was one of the commissioners to locate and build the Danville State Hospital, and later acted in the same capacity to erect the Warren State Hospital. He was appointed a commissioner to locate and erect an asylum for the chronic insane, but subsequently re- signed. He was connected with hospitals for the care and treatment of the insane, with scarcely an interval, for a period of 57 years — a record of service without parallel in our country. In addition to official hospital duties, he exercised much influence in shaping legis- lative and public sentiment in the interests of the insane, and his opinion as an expert was often sought in lunacy trials. He was an honorary member of the British Medico-Psychological Association ; of the American Philosophical Association; of the