Page:American Medical Biographies - Kelly, Burrage.djvu/887

NAME ORDRONAUX 865 ORDRONAUX naux, was born in New York City, August 3, 1830. His father, a Frenchman, served on the American side in our second war with Eng- land, at one time commanding the privateer Prince of Ncufchatcl. The father dying in 1841, the lad was adopted by John Moulton, who owned the property now known as the William Cullen Bryant estate, at Roslyn, Long Island. Ordronaux received his A. B. at Dart- mouth in 18S0, later an A. M., and in 1852, an LL. B. at Harvard. For two years he prac- tised law at Taunton, Massachusetts, then re- moved 'to New York. He received an Hon. M. D. from Columbian University (D. C.) in 1859. On the breaking out of the Civil War he was made examining surgeon for volun- teers in Brooklyn, and in 1864 was appointed assistant surgeon of the 15th Regiment, Na- tional Guards, State of New York. Dur- ing his services in these capacities he pub- lished the first American work on miUtary hygiene, "Hints on Health in Armies," and also a "Manual for Military Surgeons on the Examination of Recruits and Discharge of Soldiers." His most important works were "Jurisprudence of Medicine" (1869) and "Ju- dicial Aspects of Insanit}'" (1878), both of which went through several editions. He also wrote copiously for the medical and legal press. But, though Dr. Ordronaux was widely known as a writer on legal medicine, it is chiefly as a teacher of that important branch that his fame v/ill always rest. For forty-eight years he was professor of this subject in va- rious prom.inent schools of law and medicine, and probably under his care a larger number of doctors aud lawyers have received their in- struction in legal medicine than under any other man. His teaching record is as follows : 1860-1898, Columbia Law School; 1873-1908, Dartmouth Medical School; 1865-1873, Colum- bian University Law School and Medical School, Washington, D. C. ; 1865-1873, Uni- versity of Vermont, Medical Department; 1872-1889, Boston University Law School. In 1870 he received the degree of LL. D. from Trinity College. Hartford, Connecticut, and in 1895 the same degree from Dartmouth. Dr. Ordronaux was a small, slender, frail- looking man ("of the ramrod type," as one of his army comrades expressed the matter) but very well built and wiry. His hair was red, in later life white. His complexion was absolutely pallid, his eyes were keen, luminous, and dark. He was slow, methodical, and thoughtful, except when excited ; then he was rapid indeed, and voluble. He was a timid man physicially and socially. He was a bachelor, and for many years lived at Roslyn with a widow and her family, after her death obtaining quarters with a neighbor who continued to take care of him when at home up to the time of his death. He was so very sensitive that the slightest physical hos- tility, or even opposition which savored of hos- tility, caused the doctor, like the leaves of a sensitive plant, when touched, to fold up within himself. H, when he was testifying as expert in court, the cross-examination became of an overbearing or browbeating character, he could scarcely (as he often informed his friends) refrain from bursting into tears. He was pertinacious and stuck to his guns, but the mental and emotional strain was unduly great, and sometimes made him ill. He had few friends, in the ordinary acceptation of the word, but everyone who knew liim loved him. He was fond of children, but they seemed to stand in awe of him, to feel that here was a being beyond their comprehension ; and this was always a matter of great regret to the good doctor. Among his intimate friends were Joseph White Moulton, the historian (with whom he made his home for a number of years) and also William Cullen Bryant and Parke Godwin. He was a man of simple and most economi- cal life. For years he limited his expenditures for his daily luncheon to twenty-five cents; being remonstrated with upon this matter by his friends, he allowed himself thereafter the princely sum of forty cents. He told these friends, in all seriousness, that the matter had cost him deep and prolonged thought as well as the extra fifteen cents. When they laughed, he added, with a sheepish grin, that he be- lieved that it would be a good rule for him to take warm water and dried apples at luncheon, since it was a fair inference that the former would swell the latter. He denied himself many pleasures for the sake of saving the money they would cost. He used to do his own sewing, and bought the material and made his neckties. Sometimes he bought provisions, and took them to his room and cooked them. He was fond of books, and was an au- thority upon them ; yet he had not a large library. He had ample means, but motives of prudence and economy would ever cause him to consider the advisability of purchasing. He was a communicant of the Episcopal church at Roslyn, and a regular attendant at the services, and most earnest in his responses and singing. During the absence of the rector he would occasionally conduct the services