Iowa History Project

 

History of Medicine in Iowa
by D.S. Fairchild, M.D., F.A.C.S.
reprinted from The Journal of the Iowa State Medical Society, 1927
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transcribed from the original book for the Iowa History Project by S. Ferrall

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H.A. Olsten
pg 139, mention
Admitted as a member of the Lee Co. Medical Society on August 1, 1874.
 
W.L. Orr
pg 151, mention
Dr. Orr was one of the organizers of the Wapello County Medical Society in 1853. During the Civil War the society did not meet, and not until 1870 was it again reorganized with Dr. W.L. Orr, president.
 
S.T. Orton
pg 335-336, full text
We learn from the American men of science that Dr. Samuel Torrey Orton was born at Columbus, Ohio, on October 15, 1879; that he received the B.S. degree at the Ohio State University in 1901 and his M.D. diploma from Pennsylvania in 1905. His A.M. degree came from Harvard in 1906. He was pathologist and clinical director of Worcester State Hospital, Massachusetts from 1910 to 1914; instructor in neuropathology at Harvard in 1913. He was a scientific director in Pennsylvania Hospital at Philadelphia before he had the professorship which he has occupied at Iowa City, as professor of psychiatry and director of the State Psychopathic Hospital since he came to Iowa.
 
Henry Osborne
(H. Osborne *)
pg 157, 158, 159 & 160, mention
Dr. Henry Osborne, University of Iowa (Keokuk), 1855; original member of the Council Bluffs Medical Society when it organized in 1869. He was elected to the board of censors of that organization on August 2, 1869. On February 7, 1870 he was elected a delegate to the State Medical Society in Des Moines. At the October 3, 1870 meeting, Dr. Osborne was fined $1 for non-attendance and for neglect to bring forward his essay of that evening. At the August 4, 1973 [sic] meeting, Dr. H. Osborne was elected president.
 
Merrill Otis
pg 286, full text

Merrill Otis, M.D.
Merrill Otis, M.D.

Biographical Sketch of the Life of Dr. Merrill Otis of TAbor, Iowa
Dr. Otis was born in Holmes county, Ohio, May 16, 1830. When 7 years old he moved with his father's family to Henry county, Illinois, where he was educated in the common school and at Oxford Academy. At the age of nineteen he entered Rush Medical College of Chicago and read medicine under the English physician, Thomas Hall. He graduated in medicine from the St. Joseph College of Physicians and Surgeons and began the practice of medicine in Henry county, Ia., in 1852. He formed serveral partnerships after moving to Tabor. The physicians with whom he was associated were Dr. R.R. Hanley, Dr. G.S. Stevena and a Dr. Rust. He began his practice in Tabor in 1866. At the commencement of the Civil War he offered his services with the volunteer corps but was not accepted because the quota had been filled. He served as a member of the county board of supervisors, a member of the state board of registration and also later had charge of the distribution of the funds of the county. He was married twice. His first wife, Margaret, died in April, 1881 at Tabor, Iowa. In 1889 he married Alice Connor of Bartlett, Iowa, who still lives. He acquired considerable property in the town of Tabor, and the surrounding country. He was one of the charter members of the Baptist church at Tabor. A brother, J.C. Otis, was a Baptist minister, and died at Glenwood, Iowa. Another brother, H.W. Otis resided in Red Oak, Iowa. There are 3 children from his first marriage living; C.M. Otis, Tabor; Mrs. Adda German, Persia, Iowa; and Mrs. E.M. Myers, Glenwood, Iowa. A grandson, Dr. Merrill M. Myers is in the practice of medicine in Des Moines, Iowa. Dr. Otis died from a septic blood stream infection after 4 days illness on March 17, 1889.

 
Dr. Overton
pg 183, mention
About 1900 a medical journal appeared in Des Moines, edited by Dr. Overton. It did not appear regularly, or apparently have any definite purpose. It soon disappeared.
 
Dr. Owen
pg 38, mention
Came to Mahaska Co. about 1845. He was not a medical college graduate.


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