Page:American Medical Biographies - Kelly, Burrage.djvu/626

JACKSON Dr. Jackson was unmarried, he had few social duties, and his entire life was devoted to his profession.



Jackson, Samuel (1787–1872)

Samuel Jackson was the son of Dr. David Jackson (1747–1801), of Philadelphia, a hospital physician in the Revolutionary army and a delegate to congress. Samuel was born March 22, 1787, the year in which the College of Physicians, Philadelphia, was founded, and graduated from the medical department of the University in 1808, having received his college education also at the University. His thesis was on "Suspended Animation" He was a student of Dr. Hutchinson, and after Dr. Hutchinson's death, of Dr. Wistar. He did not begin practice until about 1815, when he severed his connection with the drug business, of which he had assumed charge in 1809 on the death of his brother. He rapidly became prominent and in 1820, when the yellow fever prevailed in Philadelphia, he was chairman of the Board of Health. He rendered signal service not only fighting the disease fearlessly and valiantly, but publishing important papers in the Philadelphia Journal of Medical and Physical Sciences. He himself had an attack of the fever and regarded it of local origin, due to filth and putrescent animal and vegetable matter.

His writings, chiefly opening lectures at the University and biographies of colleagues, occupy some two columns in the catalogue of the Surgeon-General's Library at Washington. His best work was his "Principles of Medicine founded on the Structure and Functions of the Animal Organism" (1832), the first of its kind published in America.

Jackson was seventy-six years of age when he delivered his last course of lectures at the University in the session of 1862–63, which I attended. He had the appearance then of being a very old man—older than he seems in the bronze tablet which we in 1910 erected to his memory in our University. He was so feeble that he leaned on the arm of an assistant as he walked to his desk, whence he delivered his lectures sitting. There was, however, no lack of spirit in his message. With his bright eyes beaming, his face full of enthusiasm, and his white hair streaming over his shoulders, he was truly picturesque. Leaning forward, he narrated with great animation the happenings of the day in physiology as they appeared to the eyes of the great French physiologists, Claude Bernard, Milne Edwards and Brown-Séquard. For at that day the French were the acknowledged leaders in physiological science.

He became professor of materia medica in the College of Pharmacy in 1821 as the colleague of Prof. George B. Wood. Jackson's introduction to medical teaching was in the Philadelphia Hospital, in whose wards he served from 1822 to 1845, and attracted many students to his lectures. At that day the subjects of practice of medicine and the institutes of medicine were united under one professorship. Institutes of medicine was a term which in its broadest significance covered almost the entire subject of medicine except anatomy, surgery and materia medica, but practically was a synonym for physiology. In 1827 (q. v.) was the professor of practice and institutes, but finding the subject too extensive, Jackson was appointed assistant and delivered the course on Institutes. In 1835 a chair of institutes was established and Jackson elected to it, resigning in 1863 after twenty-eight years' incumbency. He died April 4, 1872, nine years after his resignation, aged eighty-five years.



Jacobi, Mary Putnam (1842–1906)

Mary Putnam Jacobi, born in London, England, August 31, 1842, was the eldest of the ten children of George Palmer Putnam, publisher. She was descended on both sides from New England colonial stock and seven of her ancestors fought at Bunker Hill.

She was educated by her mother and by tutors, but not the least part of her education was gained from her literary environment. Her rare intellect early set a high goal for her efforts and the study of medicine appealed most strongly. Many of Mary Putnam's writings beginning with her ninth year are in existence; at seventeen she wrote a story, "Found and Lost," which was later accepted and published by the Atlantic Monthly. This success almost turned her from her early decision to study medicine. She began to teach at the age of nineteen to earn money for a medical education, and at the same time studied anatomy under private instruction. Gaining admission as its first woman student to the New York College of Pharmacy, she graduated in 1862. The following two years she