Page:American Medical Biographies - Kelly, Burrage.djvu/693

NAME KNIGHT 671 KNIGHT active and influential member of the Mendels- sohn Glee Club of New York, and at one time its president. He was also an expert performer upon the violoncello. The chamber concerts given at his home will be long remembered by those privileged to hear them. He invented many useful and ingenious instruments for use in his specialty, several of which are not likely to be improved upon. Much as Dr. Knight's accomplishments as a physician, scientist and gentleman are to be admired, it was not these things which made him one of the best appreciated and most well-beloved of men. Handsome to look upon, glowing with intelligence, gentleness and strength, every line of his countenance re- flected the true character of the man. From his undergraduate days, through the struggles incident to establishing a high professional position in a great metropolis, in the long pe- riod of his strenuously active success, and finally, throughout the decade of intense suf- fering which finally terminated his life there w-'is ntver a moment in which his splendid courage forsook him or his patience, cheer- fulness and self-forgetfulness failed. Work- ing diligently but without ostentation, he has left to us a fine heritage of accomplishment. On April 29, 1913, Dr. Knight died at his residence, 55 East 93rd Street, New York City. Trans. Amer. Laryn. Asso., 1914, pp. 307-310. Knight, Frederick Irving (1841-1909) Frederick Irving Knight, laryngologist, was born in Newbur-port, Massachusetts, May 18, 1841, the son of Frederick and Anne Goodwin Knight. His education was received at the Newburj'port High School and Yale College, whence he graduated in 1862. Apparently li had already begun to look towards his pro- fession, for he showed unusual interest in the Soldiers' Hospital — it was during the Civil War — and spent so much time in helping to watch and nurse the patients that he was of- ten spoken of as "Doctor Knight." In 1866 Yale gave him the degree of A. M. Having finished his academic course at New Haven, he entered the Harvard Medical School from which he graduated in 1866. He then entered the City Hospital of Boston, where he passed the usual time as interne, and upon graduating went to New York City. "Hicre he associated himself with Professor Austin Flint (q. v.), with whom he studied for one year when, declining an offered partnership, he returned to Boston and became the as- sistant of Dr. Henry I. Bowditch (q. v.) (Har- vard, 1828), a partnership which was con- tinued for twelve years. Meanwhile in 1871-1872 Dr. Knight spent a year abroad at Vienna, Berlin and London, under the personal instruction of the best mas- ters of the day. From the beginning he had devoted his at- tention to diseases of the chest and the upper air passages, and having perfected his knowl- edge of these subjects as far as possible he returned to Boston. In 1872, while in Europe, he was made in- structor in auscultation, percussion, and laryn- goscopy in Harvard University, and on his re- turn established a clinic in Boston to include laryngolog}', largely limited to teaching me- thods of examination. In 1879, after seven years of instruction, percussion and asculta- tion were separated from laryngology and the title of Teacher became that of Instructor of Laryngology. In 1880 Harvard established a voluntary fourth year. Dr. Knight gave a course to the class of that year, consisting of three exercises a week for two months. In 1882 he was made assistant professor of laryn- gology, and in 1886 clinical professor. By this time the whole field of disease was covered by systematic lectures, demonstrations and the clinical use of patients. Although at a period when his mental and physical powers were in every respect at their best, he resigned this position in 1892 in order to allow of the appointment of his friend, Dr. Franklin H. Hooper (q.v.), who had for some time aspired to attain it. The high-minded unselfishness of this act was great, for Dr. Hooper was hopelessly ill. It was not likely that his life would be pro- longed sufficiently for him to occupy the place for any great length of time. It was equally probable that if Dr. Knight resigned the posi- tion he would not take it up again. Dr. Knight was connected at various times with the Boston City Hospital, the Boston Dis- pensarj' and the Carney Hospital, but resigned these positions in 1872 to establish a special clinic in laryngoscopy at the Massachusetts General Hospital. He was also consulting phy- sician to the Massachusetts General Hospital. While abroad he married in Berlin, October 15, 1871, Louisa Armistead Appleton, daughter of William Stuart Appleton, formerly of Bal- timore, Marj'land; one child, Theodora Knight, survived him. Dr. Knight was one of the founders of the American Laryngological Association. At the first meeting of the Association held in New York City, June 10, 1879, the first scientific