James
Webster, M.D.
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James Webster,
M.D.—Dr. Webster died in the City of Louisville, Ky., July 19th, 1854,
of disease of the heart, in the 51st year of his age. From a
biographical sketch in the Boston Med. and Surg. Journal we learn that
he was born at Washington, Lancashire, Eng., on the 26th of Dec., 1803.
At an early age he emigrated to this country with his parents, and
settled in Philadelphia, where his father became an eminent bookseller
and publisher, and established the Medical Recorder, of which his son
became afterwards one of the editors. Dr. Webster was originally
destined for the bar, but his inclination soon led him to the study of
medicine, in which anatomy soon became his favorite pursuit. He pursued
his studies in Baltimore and Philadelphia, and after attending three
full courses of lectures, two of which were in the University of Pcnsylva- nia, he graduated at the latter in March, 1824, at the age of
20 years. Dr. W. was a private student of the late Dr. John D. Godman
and succeeded him, on his removal to New York, as private teacher of
anatomy.
As a successful teacher of anatomy, Dr. Webster had few if any superiors
in this country. He was clear, precise, and accurate, and always enjoyed
a high degree of popularity with his students. His private classes in
Philadelphia were crowded, and he succeeded in imparting to his students
the same enthusiasm which he himself felt in the study of his favorite
science.
About the year 1835 or, 36, he removed to the city of New York, where he
soon acquired considerable reputation as an operative surgeon, and
especially in the treatment of diseases of the eye and ear. In 1842 he
was appointed Professor of Anatomy in Geneva Medical College, and took
up his residence in the city of Rochester—where, in a short time, he
became one of the most prominent surgeons in western New-York. In 1849
he was elected to the Chair of Anatomy in the University of Buffalo,
where he continued to lecture until 1852, when he resigned from ill
health.
Dr. Webster was a man of superior native abilities, and of extensive
acquirements in anatomical science. He was exceedingly fluent and
animated as a teacher, and never failed to command the whole attention
of his class. His mode of teaching was that pursued by the late Dr.
Goclman, viz., to perform all the dissections before the class,
demonstrating all the parts as he went along. Such was his great skill
and facility in dissecting, that he usually went over more ground in a
single lecture, than when the parts are previously dissected. The
advantages attending this mode of teaching are sufficiently obvious.
As a surgeon, Dr. Webster was cautious, though bold and prompt enough
when the occasion demanded. He was a neat operator, gentle
and kind in his deportment to his patients, and remarkably successful.
As a lithotomist and an oculist, he was one of the most skilful
operators in western New York, and performed a vast number of operations
of every kind.
(The
personal edited research notes of Michael Echols, the source of which
may or may not be completely documented)
