Page:American Medical Biographies - Kelly, Burrage.djvu/60

ARMOR chosen for his life's work, but the turning-point in his career came in 1847 when he accepted an invitation to deliver a short course of lectures on physiology in Rush Medical College. Later he was tendered the chair of physiology and pathology, but declined because of the previous acceptance of the same chair in the medical department, University of Iowa, at Keokuk. This position was soon exchanged for the chair of natural sciences in the University of Cleveland (non-medical), in connection with which he also engaged in general practice.

In 1853 Dr. Armor was awarded a prize by the Ohio State Medical Society, which held its annual meeting in Dayton, for an essay, "On the Zymotic Theory of the Essential Fevers." This paper focused the attention of the college men of southern Ohio on the talented young author and led to his accepting in the fall of that year the chair of physiology and pathology in the Medical College of Ohio, where he soon fell heir to the chair of practice, made vacant by the death of Lawson.

In May, 1856, he married Miss Holcomb, of Dayton, and in 1861, having been tendered a professorship in the University of Michigan, he went to Detroit, becoming a member of the firm of Drs. Gunn & Armor. After a service of five years he accepted the chair of therapeutics, materia medica, and general pathology in the Long Island College Hospital, Brooklyn, and in the following year succeeded to the professorship of practice and clinical medicine made vacant by the resignation of the elder Flint.

After years of wandering this peripatetic teacher found himself at last permanently anchored and retained this position until his death in 1885.

Dr. Armor was tall and well-formed, in complexion dark, with hair straight and black as an Indian's.

He was immensely popular in college and one of the finest lecturers to whom I have ever listened. His graceful delivery and modulated voice, the rounded sentences of pure English, and a wealth of illustration enabled him to breathe life and beauty into the driest of medical themes and to enthuse the dullest of students.

Dr. Armor was not a voluminous writer, although his contributions covered a wide range of subjects and were valuable.

Dr. Armor died from cancer of the abdominal viscera in 1885 and sleeps by the side of his first wife in Woodland Cemetery.



Armsby, James H. (1809–1875)

Armsby, an enthusiastic surgeon, was determined that the doctors and students of Albany, New York, should have everything necessary to advance their interests, and he carried out by hard work and persuasion many of his pet schemes for this end.

He came into the world on December 31, 1809, in Sutton, Massachusetts, the son of an impecunious but long-headed farmer. When twenty he left the farm and began studying medicine under (q.v.) in Albany.

After graduating M. D. from the Vermont Academy of Medicine in 1833, he associated himself in Albany with Dr. March as teacher in a "School of Anatomy and Surgery," a school which had been originated by Dr. March twelve years before in a garret.

Soon after his arrival in Albany he got up a petition to render dissections of the human body legal and for the establishment of a medical college and hospital. In 1838 he delivered a course of popular lectures illustrated by dissections of the human subject which were attended by some three hundred of Albany's citizens and brought in subscriptions for the projected college, erected in 1839, with Dr. Armsby as professor of surgery and president.

This school founded, he took time from his anatomical studies to advance the founding of the Albany Hospital and, that accomplished, he lent his whole energies to those who were interested in obtaining a university, a design which first met with little encouragement but was finally realized in 1873.

Even when in Europe he remembered Albany and brought back a rich collection of models for the college museum, and when United States Consul at Naples for awhile the Neapolitans had their first experience of a scientific lecturer. In Albany he was known as an accomplished operator and surgical lecturer. His profound knowledge of anatomy, his mechanical dexterity, and his clearness in elucidating every point made his lectures eagerly sought by students.

He married in 1841, Anna L., daughter of the Hon. Gideon Hawley, and had two children, the son, Gideon H., becoming a physician. By his second wife, Sarah Winne, married in 1853, he had one daughter.

His death, which came very unexpectedly December 3, 1875, from pulmonary congestion and heart disease, deprived Albany of a most devoted citizen and clever surgeon.

He gave the surgical world an interesting illustrated work, "Photographs of Pathological Specimens from the United States Isa Harris