3n ill cm oil] 
OF 
GEORGE PEPPER. M.D. 
AN OBITUARY 
§ead Mm the <Dh$tet*kat Variety at f hitadetyhia 
BY 
WILLIAM GOODELL, M.D., President. 
FROM THE ANNUAL ADDRESS, DELIVERED JANUARY 2, 1873. 
WM. WOOD & CO., 27 GREAT JONES STREET. 
1878. IN MEMORY OF 
GEORGE PEPPER, M.D. 
AN OBITUARY 
READ BEFOHE THE OBSTETRICAL SOCIETY OF PHILADELPHIA, 
BY THE , 
PRESIDENT, WILLIAM G00DELL, M.D. 
From the Annual Address delivered January 2d, 1872. 
The other associate whose death we mourn was the 
beloved Dr. George Pepper. He was born in Philadel- 
phia on the 1st of April, 1841, and in the same city was 
wholly educated. Entering the Collegiate Department 
of the University of Pennsylvania in September, 1858, 
he graduated in July, 1862. He at once began the 
study of medicine in the office of his father, the late 
Prof. William Pepper, M.D., of the University of Penn- 
sylvania, one of the most distinguished physicians of his 
day ; but,‘■like many of our patriotic youth, he abandon- 
ed it to enter the army. On the 15th of the following 
September heenlisted as a private in the Sixth Pennsyl- 
vania Cavalry, better known as Rush’s Lancers. His 
abilities, however, being soon recognized, he was short- 
ly afterward promoted to a lieutenancy. He passed 
through many of the hardships and dangers of war, and 
was under hre at the terrible battle of Fredericksburg. 
In spite of the suffering and privation incident to that 
campaign, the out-door life proved of great benefit to 
him. His health, previously shattered by a sharp attack 2 
Obitudrtf of Georye Pepper, 31.1). 
of pleurisy, and by a desperate illness from acute nephri- 
tis, became so robust that it was his purpose to serve 
his country until the rebellion was quelled. But in the 
following spring, while on a scouting party, his left clavi- 
cle was badly dislocated by a fall with his horse on the 
ice. This accident disabled him from active service, and 
on the 22d May, 1863, he received an honorable dis- 
charge. 
Upon his return home, he at once resumed the study 
of his profession; entered the Medical Department of 
the University of Pennsylvania in October, 1803; re- 
ceived his diploma in March, 1865, and, on the 29th of 
the same month, married a daughter of the late George 
M. Wharton, Esq., a leading member of the Philadelphia 
bar. Soon after this, he obtained a district from the 
Philadelphia Dispensary, and, during his term of service, 
faithfully discharged its onerous duties. Taking a great 
interest in the higher studies of his profession, he early 
became a member of the Pathological Society ; for some 
time held the office of its treasurer, and contributed 
numerous short papers to its proceedings. While yet a 
mere youth, he gained an election to the College of Phy- 
sicians and to the Academy of Natural Sciences. Apart 
from a membership in these active societies, he was made 
a corresponding member of the Gynaecological Society 
of Boston, and was honored by several official positions. 
For several years he was the sole physician to the 
Magdalen Home. As one of the assistant physicians to 
the Nurses’ Home, he gained great experience as well as 
reputation in obstetric manipulations. At this institu- 
tion he gave clinical instruction on the diseases of women Obituary of George Pepper, M. J). 
3 
to large private classes. He also delivered a course of 
didactic lectures on the same subject at the Jayne Street 
Medical Institute. In addition, as the assistant of I)r. 
J. .Forsyth Meigs, at the Pennsylvania Hospital, he took 
elaborate notes of every interesting case, and contributed 
to the Hospital Reports for 18G8 an admirable paper 
upon a case of retroversion of the womb, complicated by 
a large fibroid. A few months before his health began 
to fail, he won, after an exciting contest, an election to 
the Philadelphia Hospital as one of its accoucheurs. 
Those of us who knew him well, will recall the joy he 
expressed in gaining so coveted a position on the staff of 
this magnificent hospital. What diagrams were drawn 
by his skilful pencil, what elaborate lectures he had 
written out, and what earnest plans he had laid for im- 
parting clinical instruction to the students who throng its 
wards ! Little did he or we think that this was not 
to be. 
His life, spent in obtaining and in imparting know- 
ledge, was a busy one; but it had its reward. Few 
physicians have ever acquired so remunerative a practice 
in so short a time. By common consent he was con- 
ceded to be the rising obstetrician of this city; and de- 
servedly, for no one had prepared himself so thoroughly 
in that branch of the healing art. No one in this city 
had collected so complete a set of obstetrical instruments 
and of those for the surgical diseases of women. 
In the spring of 1871, lie was laid low by a lingering 
attack of typhoid fever. From this he convalesced so 
slowly that he was sent to spend the summer at the 
family country-seat in Chestnut Hill. Thanks to the unre- 4 
Obituary of George Pepper, M.D. 
mitting care of his brother, Dr. William Pepper, to whom 
he was warmly attached, he was so far restored to health 
as to resume his practice in the autumn. Three months 
later, on the 12th of November, he was seized with an 
extremely severe influenza, followed in a few days by 
an inflammation of the left lung. Ilis sickness was 
lingering and marked by many alternations of condition. 
Early in May, he was again moved to Chestnut Ilill. 
where, after an illness of ten months, he died on the 14th 
of September, 1872. Thus, in the first flush of man- 
hood, at the early age of 31, passed away our greatly 
beloved friend and associate leaving a wife and two 
children to mourn his loss. He was buried in Laurel 
Hill Cemetery, and at his funeral this society was largely 
represented. 
In an annual address, more can scarcely be given than 
a mere sketch of the life of a departed member; but 
I)r. George Pepper was so identified with the history of 
this society, and withal so highly esteemed, that I need 
not ask your indulgence for a little more than the custom- 
ary obituary notice. 
Early attaching himself to obstetrics and to the dis- 
eases of women, he sought in every way to perfect him- 
self in those branches. His name appears on tin* honor- 
able roll of the founders of this society; but he was 
more than that—he was one of its prime originators. As 
such his memory should be cherished by us. Upon the 
night of its organization he was chosen to be its first 
secretary. To this office he was annually reelected un- 
til his protracted illness compelled him to resign. IIow 
rarely absent he was from his post; how pleasantly and Obituary of George Pepper, M.T). 
5 
efficiently lie performed its duties; how lively an interest 
he took in the welfare of this society, and how often and 
how ably he participated in its debates, all are still fresh 
in your memory. To our Transactions he contributed 
two valuable papers—the one “ Adipose Deposits in 
the Omentum and Abdominal Walls as a Source of Error 
in Diagnosis,” the other on “ The Mechanical Treatment 
of Uterine Displacements.” His numerous remarks and 
observations there recorded bear witness to the wide 
range of his information, and the keen interest he took 
in this chosen branch of his profession. By his death 
we have lost our most active member and our staunchest 
supporter. 
His great artistic talent, his mechanical ingenuity, his 
singularly retentive memory, his industry and enthusiasm 
in the pursuit of knowledge, gave promise of the highest 
attainments. No young physician had a more certain 
future before him. His practice was rapidly growing; 
his reputation as a teacher increasing; his skill and 
counsel were beginning to be sought after by his profes- 
sional brethren, when an inscrutable Providence cut 
short this brilliant career. 
While greatly admiring the intellectual qualities which 
lie possessed in so high a degree, I love still more to think 
of the qualities of his heart. The charming simplicity 
and guilelessness of his character, his genial hospitality, 
his warm affections and abiding friendships, endeared him 
to a very large circle of friends. During his last illness, 
the love with which he was regarded sought expression 
in numberless gifts and constantly repeated delicate at- 
tentions. No sick-chamber was ever so lavishly decked Obituary of George Pepper, M. />. 
6 
with flowers; no bedside so surrounded by every device 
that art could contrive or money purchase, for the com- 
fort and cheer of an invalid. It was in a meeting of the 
College of Physicians that I first met George Pepper. 
11 is tallTigure, handsome face, highly intellectual coun- 
tenance, and gentlemanly bearing immediately attracted 
my attention, and I at once sought an introduction. 
But it was in this hall that I first learned to know him 
and to love him. A common interest in the welfare of 
this society, the transaction of its business, like pursuits 
and congenial tastes threw us much together, and this 
acquaintance, despite the disparity of our ages, soon 
ripened into a warm friendship. 
Ilis death I feel keenly ; we all shall sadly miss him— 
very ’sadly indeed. But this grief is not ours alone; 
there are others to whom his death brings far more lat- 
ter pangs. It is not for us to violate the sanctity of 
home-griefs; but I may say that no husband was more 
devoted, no father more kind, no son more affectionate, 
no brother more beloved than our departed friend. Few 
men loved his kindred so warmly and so unselfishly; no 
one was in return more loved. 
It was my privilege to see much of him during the 
long and weary days of his illness, and many a time did 
he ask after the welfare of this society, and after its 
members by name. Ilis sufferings were great, his frame 
reduced to a most pitiable condition of emaciation and 
weakness. When it was day, he longed for the night, 
and when it was night, he longed for the day; but words 
of impatience, words of complaint, I never heard pass 
from his lips. When it was but too evident that the last Obituary of George Pepper, M.D. 
7 
enemy was approaching, he calmly arranged his affairs 
gathered up his strength for a last farewell, and died in 
the abiding faith of a Christian, and in the hope of a 
glorious resurrection. 
0 vita, stulto longa, sapienti brevis !