McCREADY, Benjamin William,
physician, was born in New York city, Oct. 28, 1813, son of Thomas and
Margaret (Miller) McCready. He was educated in the public schools of New
York. He first studied medicine under Dr. John Hrodhead Beck, professor
of materia medica in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and became
a favorite with him. Through the hitter's advice, Dr. McCready undertook
the course there, and was graduated in high standing in the class of
1835. Hisskillasastu- dent was sufficiently marked to win for him an
appointment as house physician to the Xew York Hospital,where he served
a full term to the eminent satisfaction of the authorities. He was later
appointed physician at the Tombs, and after a short term there became
one of the most sought and valuable of the dispensary physicians in New
York. This brought him to the notice of the Bellevue autho¡ties, who
invited him to that hospital as visiting physician, a position he held
for twenty-five years (1848-73)', a length of service rarely equaled. In
1874, being advanced in years and the demand on his time and service
very great from without, he became consulting physician, in which
capacity he served until his death. His earliest efforts as a teacher
were made at the College of Pharmacy, which he helped largely to
develop.
In 1861 he helped to found the
Bellévue Hospital Medical College, becoming its first professor of
materia medica and therapeutics. This chair he filled for eleven years,
until 1872, when he Was created emeritus professor. He was chief medical
examiner for the Washington Life Insurance Co., of New York, for twenty
years. He helped to found the New York Medical and Surgical Association,
and was one of its charter members. Dr. McCready was an acknowledged
expert in medico-legal science, and was often called to testify in
disputed will and insanity cases. During the cholera and typhus fever
epidemics he manifested his zeal in the service. He was also n member of
the New York Academy of Medicine and of the Century Club, and belonged
to a number of scientific and philanthropic societies. He took an active
interest in the politics of his era, and was an ardent friend of the
slaves before the war. He was sent to Canada in the interest of the New
York "Tribune" to inquire into the conditions of the fugitive slaves
there, and wrote for that newspaper the results of his observations in a
series of interesting and widely read articles on the subject. Taking a
fancy to Halifax, N. S., he spent a part of each year there" from 18-%
to 1892. Dr. McCready was married, first, to Margaret Doyle, of New
York, who died iu I860; second, to Jane Gall. He hud one son and three
daughters. He died in New York city, Лиг. 9. 1892.
___________________
1874
Mccready,* Benjamin W.,
1892.
M. D., Coll. Phys. & Surg., N. Y.,
1835; Prof. Mat. Med., N. Y. Coll. Pharm.; Prof. Mat. Med. & Therap.,
Hell. Hosp. Med. Coll., 1861-72; Emeritus, 1872-92. Died in N. Y. City,
1892, act. 79.