Bristol County, Massachusetts - Chapter 11: Fall River Doctors, 1924

The pride of Fall River in its medical fraternity, and in the knowledge that the doctors of medicine and of dentistry from the first have proven their capabilities and skill, whether at call of neighborhood, city or nation, has been justified, not by the numerical strength of the medical phalanx here, though that is considerable, but by the unswerving application and loyalty of the physicians to their profession at all seasons and at all hours. Whether in the hospital or the home, the Fall River doctor has the high regard of men and women of all professions for the traditions and the practice so firmly established in the community. Fall River does not trace a line of physicians to Colonial times, as other New England cities often do, but as tried and proven a company of doctors as any that can be readily pointed out in New England have made this their home and place of profession. In this city of the representatives of many nationalities, too, there are physicians of quite as many racial origins. Of those earlier doctors who made Fall River their home, none is today more frequently referred to than Dr. Foster Hooper, who was not only a skilful practitioner, but also a townsman who became active along many lines, and fore- - most in many ways. He was prominent here during the Civil War, and it was he who offered those memorable resolutions, declaring that "the government of the Union shall be sustained," and in which the request was made that the city government appropriate $10,000 for the aid of volunteers and their families.

Dr. Hooper was born in Walpole, N. H., April 2, 1805. He was a graduate of Burlington College, Vermont, and came to Fall River in 1826, where he soon acquired an active practice. He was a member of the school committee in 1829; a representative to the Legislature in 1831; county treasurer in 1837-1839; and State Senator in 1840-1842. He was chairman of the board of firewards from 1845 to 1847, and was chief engineer from 1848 to 1850. At the time of his death he was collector of internal revenue for this district, and he was a member of the constitutional convention of 1853. He died in New York City, October 18, 1870, where he had gone as a delegate to the Unitarian conference, and he was buried in this city October 21, that year.

Dr. James M. Aldrich (fifth in descent from George and Catherine Aldrich, who came from Derbyshire, England, in 1631, and settled in the town of Mendon, this State) was born in Smithfield, R. I., October 30, 1817. In 1839 he entered the office and infirmary of Dr. J. A. Brown, of Providence, R. I., and in November, 1840, he came to Fall River temporarily to take the place of Dr. J. B. Woodward. He afterwards attended Harvard and the Botanic Medical college at Cincinnati, where he received his. diploma. After some months' practice in Woonsocket, R. I. he again removed to Fall River, in 1848. For some years he held the office of president of the Children's Home. In 1852 he was elected a member of the school committee. He was married, May 24, 1844, to Mary Allen, of Dedham, who died December 18, 1857. He married (second) Louisa G., youngest daughter of Hon. Nathaniel B. Borden. His son, Dr. N. B. Aldrich, died in 1908.

Dr. Thomas Wilbur was also a descendant of an old New England _ family, his native place having been Hopkinton, Rhode Island. He was of Quaker'stock, and for some time held the principalship of the Friends School at Providence, R. I. He was a brother of the late Dr. Amos Wilbur, who was also in practice here for a few years. Dr. Wilbur, after coming from Providence, at first located at Swansea, and then came to Fall River, where he had a large practice. He was a member of the school committee, and was a leader in many of the town's affairs.

Dr. Jerome Dwelly, who for twenty years was a member of the Fall River school board, was a native of Tiverton, where he was born January 21, 1823. His father, Daniel Dwelly, was a descendant of Richard Dwelly, one of the earliest settlers at Scituate. Jerome Dwelly received his education at Pierce Academy, Middleboro, with the intention of preparing for college, to study law. On account of ill health, he suspended his studies a few years, and then became a student in the office of Dr. Thomas Wilbur, here, and later in the offices of Drs. William E. and Solomon D. Townsend. He graduated from the Harvard Medical College in 1847.

Dr. Ebenezer T. Leonard, one of Fall River's most honored citizens, was born in Gardner, this State, July 19, 1812, and after studying medicine at the offices of leading physicians in Boston, he graduated at Harvard Medical School in 1836. He was a practising physician at Weymouth, this State, for ten years, and he removed to Fall River in 1846. He was president of the South Massachusetts Medical Society two years, and vice-president and councillor two years.

Other of the physicians of note during the century past included such men as Dr. Phineas W. Leland, who was collector of the port as well as editor of the "Fall River Patriot" and a State Senator; and Dr. Jason W. Archer, who was the first president of the Massasoit Bank.

About the year 1885, the physicians of Fall River were called together by Dr. Geo. S. Eddy at his home, for the purpose of uniting as a society to discuss medical subjects. Dr. Eddy presided at this meeting, and was probably its first president. From this period until 1889, the society met at the homes of its members, but there are no records to show who were its officers or when and where the meetings were held. I recall meetings held at the residences of Drs. R. J. Thompson, Wm. A. Dolan, D. E. Cone, and J. H. Jackson, also at my home, July 14, 1887, when the subject of "Croup" was discussed. I think meetings were held at other members' homes, but they have gone from my memory. January 9, 1889, at its annual meeting, Dr. Dwight E. Cone was elected president, Dr. William A. Dolan, vice-president, and Dr. A. C. Peckham, secretary and treasurer. A dinner was served at the Wilbur House, at which Dr. A. M. Jackson gave a very interesting talk on his experience as a member of the school committee; Dr. Geo. S. Eddy spoke upon the "Past, Present and Future of the Society," and Dr. J. H. Jackson of its relations to the citizens of Fall River and of the effects of its influence relative to the observance of sanitary laws. A partial report of the committee to secure permanent quarters was submitted at this meeting. Our membership at this time was about twenty-six, and meetings were held for the most part in the parlors of the Wilbur House, but occasionally at the residence of one of its members. May 1, 1893, the society had its first permanent home in rooms in the Fall River National Bank building, and on June 14, our first librarian, Dr. H. G. Wilbur, was elected. Later in the year the society was largely instrumental in obtaining from the city authorities a renumbering of all the houses, a task completed in 1894. July 11, 1896, the society lost by death its first member, Dr. John M. McKensie, at the age of forty-one.

In November, 1897, the society moved into the A. D. Borden building, South Main street, where it had more spacious quarters, and Dr. George L,. Richards was elected librarian, with Dr. Mary Marvell as his assistant. Dr. Richards served as librarian continuously for a period of twenty-three years, and too much praise cannot be given him for the work he did in keeping our library up to date and its reading matter so accessible. July 26, 1898, the society lost by death one of its youngest and most promising members. I refer to Dr. EK. H. Kidder, who passed away in his thirtieth year, leaving his library to the society. January, 1905, fire destroyed our library and most of our records, and we took temporary rooms in the Horton building, and later bought new furniture and returned to our previous rooms in the Borden building.

December 10, 1905, the society was incorporated, with the following names upon the charter: Drs. W. Learned, W. A. Dolan, S. V. Merritt, D. E. Cone, A. I. Connell, J. Gilbert, H. G. Wilbur, and G. L. Richards. December 6, 1907, the society received a legacy of ten shares of Arkwright Mill stock from Dr. Robert T. Davis, who died the year previous, at the age of 83 years. December, 1915, a room was leased in the Odd Fellows' building, Rock street, and retained for a period of five years. In January, 1920, both the Union and the City Hospital (now the Fall River General Hospital) kindly offered the society rooms in their buildings without expense, and it was voted to accept the hospitality of the former, and our meetings are now held in the Stevens Clinic, on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, except during July and August. Annual dinners are held, usually in August or September, to which, as a rule, all physicians in the city are invited. In public affairs, four of our members have been elected mayor of our city; nine, as members of the Board of Health; sixteen as city physicians; four as city bacteriologists; seven as members of the school committee; six as medical examiners or associates; six as U. S. examining surgeons for pensions and one on the State board of registration in medicine. Members are now living who took part in the war activities of '61, the Spanish War, and many in the World War, whose good deeds I hope will never be forgotten. 'The various staffs of our different hospitals are made up largely of our members. Four are now living who were appointed upon the first staff of what was then called the Fall River, now the Union Hospital. This staff was appointed March 10, 1888, the members to serve one year.

The society has lost by death twenty-four members, the youngest, Dr. John H. Leary, aged twenty-nine; the oldest, Dr. Jerome Dwelly, aged ninety years, ten months. At our meetings many interesting and instructive papers have been read, not only by our members, but by many out of town physicians. The present membership is 117, and our library is now located in the Stevens Clinic, Union Hospital, and open to the medical profession for reference.