BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 
OF 
DR. GEORGE M. KOBER. 
[Reprint from Physicians and Surgeons of America.] GEORGE MARTIN KOBER. KOBER, George Martin, Fortßidwell, Cal., 
son of Jacob and Dorothea (Behr) Kober, grandson 
of Johannes Kober, was born at Alsfeld, Hessen- 
Darmstadt, Germany, March 28, 1850. He was 
educated at the public and grand-ducal “ Real- 
schule ”of his native town; emigrated from Ger- 
many in April, 1867, and determined to study 
medicine, but possessing no means he entered the 
hospital corps at Carlisle Barracks, Pa., at the age 
of seventeen. He commenced his medical studies 
under Dr. J. J. B. Wright, U. S. army, and in 
January, 1870, was appointed hospital steward and 
ordered to Frankford arsenal near Philadelphia, 
where he pursued his studies under Dr. Robt. B. 
Burns, until October, 1871, when he was ordered to 
duty in the surgeon general’s office, Washington, 
D. C. He entered the medical department of 
Georgetown University the same year and pursued 
his studies under the instruction of Drs. Johnson 
Eliot and Robert Reyburn, and was graduated, after 
four courses, in March, 1873. In the following win- 
ter he was the first graduate of a post-graduate course 
instituted by Drs. Thompson, Busey, Ashford, and 
others, at the Columbia Hospital, Washington, D. 
C. In the spring of 1874 he opposed the estab- 
lishment of a German dispensary, but assisted in 
the reorganization of the “Central Dispensary,” and 
in providing a German speaking staff for his suffer- 
ing countrymen. In July, 1874, he was appointed 
acting assistant surgeon U. S. army, and was post 
surgeon at Alcatraz Island, Cal., to November, 
1874; post surgeon, Fort McDermit, Nev., to 
July, 1877. (In the field southeastern Nevada 
expedition against hostile Indians in the fall of 
1875; and in Ihe Nez-Perces expedition and in 
charge of the field hospital at Kamiah on the Clearwater, Idaho, from July to October, 1877.) 
He was post surgeon at camp near Spokane Falls 
and Fort Coeur d’Alene, to November, 1879; 
Fort Klamath, Oregon, to June, 1880; and post 
surgeon at Fort Bidwell, Cal., to November, 1886. 
The following is a copy of the order releaving him 
from duty at the latter station : 
Fort Bidwell, California, 
Post orders \ November nth, 1886. 
No. 104. ) 
. . . Ist Lt. W. R. Fisher, Asst. Surgeon U. S. 
A., having reported for duty will relieve Acting Assis- 
tant Surgeon Geo. M. Kober as post surgeon. . . . 
In recognition of the long and faithful professional 
services rendered to the government during the past 
twelve years in the field in pursuit of hostile Indians 
and at various posts, the commanding officer cannot 
part with him without some expression of his feelings 
of regret, as part of this service was rendered under his 
immediate command. 
His devotion to his professional duties has been 
warmly recognized not only by this commanding officer, 
but by others and has stamped him as one of the most 
skillful surgeons in the U. S. army. 
A steadfast friend, a faithful officer, with the many 
acts of kindness to all, professionally and otherwise, he 
has endeared himself not only to the officers and en- 
listed men of the garrison, but to the community at 
large, which he has helped to build up. . . . He 
carries with him our best wishes for his future welfare 
and happiness. 
By order of Major Gordon. 
(Signed) L. M. Brett, Ist Lieut. 2nd Cavalry, 
Post Adjutant. 
While at this station he was engaged in a large 
practice among the civilians, and continued there 
after severing his connection with the army until 
June, 1887, when he traveled extensively inAmeri- ca and in Europe, returning to Fort Bidwell the 
following year. 
In the fall of 1888 he returned to Washington, 
D. C., with a view to devoting his time to college, 
hospital, and literary labors. In 1889 he was ap- 
pointed professor of state medicine in Georgetown 
Medical College, and assisted his friend and for- 
mer classmate, Dr. Carroll E. Morgan, in his 
specialties, diseases of the throat, chest, etc. In 
August, 1890, he was a member of the Tenth In- 
ternational Medical Congress, and honorary secre- 
tary of the section of medical geography, history, 
etc. In December, 1890, his California invest- 
ments necessitated his return to Fort Bidwell, 
where he is now engaged in the practice of his pro- 
fession, and since June 1, 1893, is again attending 
surgeon at the post. 
He is a member of the various medical societies 
of Washington, D. C., and was president of the 
Medical and Surgical Society of the District of 
Columbia, in 1889; he is also a member of the 
Anthropological Society; of the “Cosmos;” and 
of the American Association for the Advancement 
of Science. He is the author of a work on “ Urin- 
ology and its practical applications,” and of numer- 
ous papers, reviews, and articles, which have been 
published in the American Journal of Medical 
Sciences and other medical journals and transac- 
tions at home and abroad. His report on the dis- 
eases and climate of Surprise and Goose Lake 
valleys, in California, published in 1886, evoked 
two editorial comments in the New York Medical 
Record. In October, 1876, he described in the 
American Journal of Medical Sciences a recovery 
from a gunshot injury of the knee joint, treated 
with antiseptic injections of iodine and carbolic acid, and in his review of the second surgical vol- 
ume of the War of the Rebellion, published in the 
Militairarzt, in 1877, he placed himself on the 
side of the innovators, and vigorously combated 
the objections of Prof. Ashhurst, Hamilton, and 
others, to enterorrhaphy, without visceral protru- 
sion. 
The following is a partial list of his publica- 
tions : “ Urinology and its practical applications,” 
pp. 108, Bvo, Louisville, 1875. “Infantile Paraly- 
sis,” Pacific Medical and Surgical Journal, 1874. 
“ Gunshot Wound of the Knee Joint,” American 
Journal of Medical Sciences, October, 1876. Re- 
view of Prof. Gurlt’s oration on Military Surgery, 
idem, July, 1877. Review of Surgical History of 
the War of the Rebellion, Militairarzt, 1877-78. 
Review of Prof. Gurlt’s work on Excisions for 
shot injuries, American Journal of Medical 
Sciences, April, 1881. “Report on Climate and 
Diseases of Surprise and Goose Lake Valleys, 
California,” Biennial Report, State Board of 
Health of California, 1886. “ The Etiology and 
Prevention of Tuberculosis,” nth Biennial Re- 
port, 1890. “ The Etiology and Prevention of 
Typhoid Fever,” Tenth International Medical Con- 
gress, 1890. Lectures on Hygiene, reported for 
the Southern Clinic, 1890. “ Syphilis and Prosti- 
tution,” Virginia Medical Monthly, May, 1891. 
“ The Etiology and Prevention of Infectious Dis- 
eases,” idem, April, 1892. “The Etiology and 
Prevention of Land and Ship Cholera,” California 
Sanitary Convention, April, 1893. “ Laparotomy 
for Wounds of the Peritoneal Cavity,” Medical Re- 
cord, Jan. 21, 1893.