Appleton's Cyclopedia of American Biography, edited by James
Grant Wilson, John Fiske and Stanley L. Klos. Six volumes, New York: D. Appleton
and Company, 1887-1889 and 1999. Virtualology.com warns that these 19th Century
biographies contain errors and bias. We rely on volunteers to edit the historic
biographies on a continual basis. If you would like to edit this biographyplease
submit a rewritten biography in text form.
If acceptable, the new biography will be published above the 19th Century
Appleton's Cyclopedia Biography citing the volunteer editor
Virtual American Biographies
Over 30,000 personalities
with thousands of 19th Century illustrations, signatures, and exceptional life
stories. Virtualology.com
welcomes editing and additions to the
biographies. To become this site's editor or a contributor
Click Here
or e-mail Virtualology here.
SMITH, Henry Hollingsworth, surgeon, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 10 December, 1815. He was graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1837, and at the medical department in 1839, spent the subsequent eighteen months in study abroad, and on his return settled in practice in Philadelphia. He became a surgeon to St. Joseph's hospital in 1849, surgeon to the Episcopal hospital soon afterward, one of the surgical staff to Blockley hospital in 1854, and was professor of surgery in the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania from 1855 till 1871, when he became professor emeritus. At the beginning of the civil war he was appointed to organize the hospital department of Pennsylvania, and at the same time made surgeon-general of Pennsylvania. In this capacity he contributed much to the efficiency of the medical services of the Pennsylvania reserves and other state regiments. At the first battle at Winchester, Virginia, he originated the plan of removing the wounded from the battle-field to large hospitals in Reading, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and other cities, and established the custom of embalming the dead on the battle-ground. He organized and directed a corps of surgeons, with steamers as floating hospitals, at the siege of Yorktown, and served the wounded after the battles of Williamsburg, West Point, Fair Oaks, and Cold Harbor. After thoroughly organizing the department of which he was in charge, he resigned his commission in 1862, and has since been actively engaged in the practice of his profession. Dr. Smith is widely known as a medical author. His publications include " An Anatomical Atlas," to illustrate William E. Horner's" Special Anatomy" (Philadelphia, 1843); " Minor Surgery" (1846) ; "System of Operative Surgery," with a biographical index to the writings and operations of American surgeons for 234 years (2 vols., 1852) ; " The Treatment of Disunited Fractures by Means of Artificial Limbs" (1855); "Professional Visit to London and Paris" (1855); "Practice of Surgery" (2 vols., 1857-'63) ; and numerous surgical articles in medical journals; and he has translated from the French Civiale's "Treatise on the Medical and Prophylactic Treatment of Stone mid Gravel" (Philadelphia, 1841), and edited the "United States Dissector" (1844), and Spenser Thompson's " Domestic Medicine and Surgery" (1853).--His cousin, Francis Gurney, physician, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 8 March, 1818; died there, 6 April, 1878, was graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1837, and at its medical department in 1840, and became a resident physician to the Pennsylvania hospital for the insane in 1841, lecturer on physiology in the Philadelphia medical association in 1842, and in 1850 professor of the same branch in the Pennsylvania medical college. He was professor of the institutes of medicine in the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania from 1863 till 1877, was one of the first medical staff of the Episcopal hospital, and for six years an attending physician and clinical lecturer in the Pennsylvania hospital. During the civil war he was physician in charge of a military hospital. He founded and established the first laboratory in which physiology was taught experimentally and by demonstration in the University of Pennsylvania, was the first president of the Philadelphia obstetrical society, and vice-president of the American medical association in 1870. For nine years he was an editor of the Philadelphia "Medical Examiner." He contributed frequently to medical literature, translated and edited Barth and Roger's "Manual of Auscultation and Percussion" (Philadelphia, 1849); edited Daniel Drake's " Systematic Treatise," with H. Hanbury Smith, on the " Diseases of the Interior Valley of North America" (1854) ; William B. Carpenter's " Principles of Human Physiology " (1856); his "Microscope and its Revelations and Uses" (1856); and William S. Kirke and James Paget's "Physiology "(1856) ; and was the author of "Domestic Medicine, Surgery, and Materia Medica" (1852), and, with John Neill, an "Analytical Compendium of Medicine " (1857).
Unauthorized Site:
This site and its contents are not affiliated, connected,
associated with or authorized by the individual, family,
friends, or trademarked entities utilizing any part or
the subject's entire name. Any official or affiliated
sites that are related to this subject will be hyper
linked below upon submission
and Evisum, Inc. review.
Please join us in our mission to incorporate The Congressional Evolution of the United States of America discovery-based curriculum into the classroom of every primary and secondary school in the United States of America by July 2, 2026, the nation’s 250th birthday. , the United States of America: We The
People. Click Here