OTHNIEL HART TAYLOR, M.
D.
BY DRS. MULFORD AND GARRISON, COMMITTEE OF CAMDEN DISTRICT
MEDICAL SOCIETY.
OTHNIEL H. TAYLOR was born in Philadelphia. May 4th, 1803. His father was William Taylor, Jr., who married Mary
E. Gazzam, both of Cambridge, England ; whence they removed to Philadelphia, in 1793, in which city Mr. William
Taylor was engaged in an extensive mercantile business, for more than 40 years.
The early life of his son Otlmiel was occupied mainly in attendance upon schools of elementary instruction, in
Philadelphia and Holmsburgh, Pa., and in Baskinridge, in New Jersey. In 1818 he entered the Literary department
of the University of Pennsylvania, and in 1820 he became a medical student in the office of that distinguished
physician and surgeon, Thomas T. Hewson, M. D., at the same time attending the course of medical instruction in
the University of Pennsylvania. He completed his studies there in 1825, and graduated with the class of that year.
After his graduation, Dr. Taylor entered upon the practice of medicine, in the city of Philadelphia, where he was
very soon appointed one of the Physicians to the City Dispensary, in which capacity he served many years; and about
the same time he was elected out-door Physician to the Pennsylvania Hospital, a position he held for 8 years. In
1832 he was married to Evelina C. Burrough, daughter of John and Anna Burrough, of Gloucester county, New Jersey.
During this year the Asiatic Cholera made its first invasion on this continent, and Dr. Taylor distinguished himself
by volunteering to serve in the City Hospitals, which were established in the emergency by the municipal authorities,
while he was at the same time acting as one of the Committee of Physicians appointed by the City Councils, as Consulting
Physicians to their Sanitary Board.
The Hospital which was especially in his charge, was known as St. Augustine Hospital, located on Crown street,
and the number of Cholera patients reported by him as under treatment in that Hospital, was 512. He was also elected
as one of a Commission of Medical men who were sent to Montreal, in Canada, to study the character and treatment
of the Cholera on its outbreak in that city, and before its appearance in our cities, but being unable to accompany
the Commission, he declined in favor of Dr. Charles D. Meigs, who with Drs. Richard Harlan and Samuel Jackson,
made the visit and report. Upon the closing of the Hospitals, after the disappearance of the Cholera, Dr. Taylor,
with seven other Physicians who had been in charge of Cholera Hospitals, received, by vote of the City Councils,
a testimonial of their appreciation of the services which they had rendered to the City-each of them being presented
with a service of silver, bearing inscription that it was given " as a token of regard for intrepid and disinterested
services."
In consequence of impaired health, Dr. Taylor, in 1838, relinquished the practice of medicine in Philadelphia,
and removed to Fontaintown, in Pennsylvania; thence he went, in 1841, to Caldwell, in Essex county, New Jersey.
And in 1844 he located himself in Camden, N. J., where he was actively engaged in his profession until exhausted
by disease, he was compelled entirely to withdraw from practice about a year before his death. The medical career
of Dr. Taylor, in Camden, was from the very first, one of distinction and success. He soon gained a large share
of the practice of the city, and retained, until the last, the confidence and esteem of a wide circle of patients,
who could scarcely be persuaded to relinquish his attendance, long after his failing strength made it impossible
for him to give them any care. Dr. Taylor was an active member of the Camden County Medical Society from the time
of its organization, and frequently attended, as its representative, upon the sessions of the parent Society. He
was elected Vice-President of the State Medical Society, successively in 1849-50-51, and President of that Society
in 1852. In the course of his many years' connection with the State Society, he delivered several addresses before
them ; and those upon " Medical Reform and the present system of Medical Instruction," and "The
Relation of popular Education with the progress of Empiricism," which were delivered upon those occasions,
are evidences of the high esteem in which he always held the medical profession, and the exalted value which he
put upon its worth and honor.
Dr. Taylor was for many years a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in Camden. In 1847 he was elected Warden
of St. Paul's Church in Camden, and at the time of his death, was Senior Warden of that Parish, in which position
he gained and was entitled to the respect and confidence of those who were associated with him in the Vestry of
the Church, as well as of the Minister and Congregation with whom he was called upon to act hi his official capacity.
The final illness of Dr. Taylor dates from a severe attack of acute Pneumonia, occurring in the early winter of
1864. This in its course eventually involved both lungs, although the most serious lesions were in the right lung.
He was at this time confined to the house until the latter part of April. His constitution was very much enfeebled
by this attack, and although he was for a time able to resume his practice, he was continually liable to an aggravation
of the Pulmonic disorder, which was left behind upon the subsidence of the more acute disease. In the spring and
summer of 1868, he became so weakened by the gradual intensifying of the affection in his lungs, that he was compelled
to relinquish the greater portion of his practice, and towards the close of autumn, was seldom able to venture
out of doors. During the winter months he continued with no very material alteration, and the spring brought no
relief. But he retained his appetite, and with it a measure of strength, until the excessive hot weather of July
and August so broke down his remaining powers, that it was with the greatest difficulty he could walk from room
to room. With all this, however, he still maintained great energy of mind and purpose, and on the Sunday previous
to his death came down into the parlor, but remarked that it was the last time he should ever be down stairs, lie
gradually but steadily sank from this point, with marked aggravation of all his symptoms, but retaining perfectly
his mental faculties until a few moments of his death, which was on Sunday, September 5th, 1869.
Besides the assiduous care which Dr. Taylor always gave to his immediate practice, he was the author of quite a
number of valuable articles and addresses upon various medical and related subjects. Among these were reports on
" Ovarian Abscesses," in the American Medical and Surgical Journal, 1826; " Case of Twins carried
to full term, in which one f tus perished at 5 mouths," in American Medical and Surgical Journal, Vol. 4,
1827 ; communications at different times in Journal of Medical Sciences, and New Jersey Medical Reporter; Address
delivered at the Annual Meeting of the New Jersey State Medical Society, as Vice-President, in 1849; "Case
of Placenta Proevia," in New Jersey Medical and Surgical Reporter, May, 1854; 'o Effects of Lightning,"
in New Jersey Medical Reporter, June, 1854 ; Address as President of the New Jersey State Medical Society, in 1853
; " On the Obvious Decline in the Respect of the Public for the Medical Profession, and Inquiry into the Causes,"
New Jersey Medical and Surgical Reporter, Vol. XL These, with many addresses before Lyceums and Literary Societies,
show that his mind was constantly awake to catch and reproduce whatever he thought might be of service to the medical
profession, or the community at largo. In his character of physician, Dr. Taylor was marked through the entire
extent of his professional career, by diligence and steadfastness.
He was always an industrious worker, being ready to answer to all calls of his vocation, at any and every season;
and he was persistent therein, not allowing himself to be driven or drawn aside into any alien pursuit. He gave
to his profession his whole thought, and all his strength, making it the principal purpose of his life to meet
its requirements. In his intercourse with his professional brethren, he was prompt and courteous. No one was ever
tried by a late or tardy movement on his part; he had nothing of the laggard in his nature. In consultations his
own views were advanced with due moderation, and the opinions of others were properly received and considered.
To patients in his charge he gave the most unwearied attention, and his demeanor towards them was characterized
by the greatest attention and kindness. There seemed to be something of tender concern beyond the anxiety inseparable
from the proper discharge of professional duty.
Let the particulars here mentioned, together with whatever else there was known of good in the character and course
of our deceased associate, be so borne in mind by us as to incite 'and strengthen us afresh for the onerous duties
devolving upon us. And in the calmness with which he marked the approach of death, and the confidence with which,
as a Christian, he waited his entrance on its unknown realities, may we all learn to feel the power of that Christian
hope which could so take away from Death its sting, and from the grave its victory. [Source:
Transactions of the Medical Society of New Jersey By Medical Society of New Jersey; 1868. Newark, N.J.; Printed
at the Evening Courier Office, 309 Broad St. 1868, pg. 90-93, submitted by Michelle Byrd]
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