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                      SKETCH OE THE

LIFE AND CHARACTER  OF  JOHN D,  FISHER,  M.D.
BY WALTER  CHANNING,  M.D.
   Dr. Fisher died March 2d, aged  53.   To the writer his death was
sudden, and wholly unexpected.  He liad not heard of his illness ; and it
seems but a few days ago that he met him, and  observing  how much
emaciated he  was, and that he apparently was  too feeble with safety to
expose himselfeven to the very mild winter day, asked him if he did  not
mean to run away from what remained  of the season, and especially from
our chilling spring atmosphere.   My friend answered, as he so generally
did, that he was pretty well, and thought he might with entire safety remain
where he was; and if he should be disappointed in his hope, he would
go  away for a time.   Not long after, I leamed from the  newspapers that
he  was dead.
   Dr. Fisher  was emphatically a self-made man.   That which created
him—his  own good  spirit—remained  true to its creation unto  the
end.  He laid deeply the  foundations  of future eminence and usefulness
in patient, laborious study of books, and  careful record of what he saw,
and of  the thoughts  or views to which direct observation  gave  birth.
He went abroad  and  studied under the distinguished men  of Europe
that which had most occupied him at home ;  and those professional sub-
jects which were novel, or  with which his earlier  pupilage and observa-
tion had made him but iinperfectly acquainted.  He was much interested
in the  study  of  smallpox, and gave to his  profession  a valuable  and
useful  volume on that disease.  Auscultation occupied much of his at-
tention abroad, and he continued to be deeply interested in its study and
application, to the latest day of his professional life.   He labored to extend
auscultation  to other diseases than those  of  the chest, having leamed
by a large observation how highly  importantare  the physical signs of
disease to  a correct  diagnosis.   Thus  he employed auscultation in hy- 
2
drocephalus, and  sought to ascertain if any, and  what were the precise
cerebral  sounds which  accompany  this disease.   He published the re-
sults of his inquines, and with a scientific  precisión and  detail  which
testified  to  the stren»th  of his convictions  concernin"  his statements.
He early made trial of etherization  in childbirth,  and so satisfied was he
of the entire safety and  usefulness  of  this agent in  that function, that
he continued to employ it to his  death.   He most generally used chlo-
roform.  His habitual carefulness  governed him in its employment.   He
always dropped it upon  the ball of cotton which he used for  its  exhi-
bition, that he might be sure of the quantity he employed, and frequently
found ten or fifteen drops  quite sufficient to produce such  a degree  of
etherization as  would make labor tolerable, or painless.
   It were  easy to  add to  this  enumeration of ¡mportant offices to the
sick, and valuable service to medicine, which  were  rendered to them by
our deceased  friend.  There was one inslitution in which he was fre-
quently found  laboring.   This  was the Boston Society for Medical Im-
provernent.  He   did not attend  every meeting, for ill  health, fatigue
from professional  toil, inclemency of weather, and other causes, prevent-
ed this.   But  he rarely if ever carne  to our meetings without bringing
with him either facts, or  opinions, or both, which arrested and rewarded
attention.  He often  read  papéis very carefully written, and of all ne-
cessary length, in which  useful views  were  presented, or curious facts
stated.   These papers, and his  larger contributions to medical literature,
are now particularly remembered, as  there is  connected with  them  a
fact  to which Dr. Fisher  more  than  once  referred in conversation with
the writer.   This  was the extreme  difficulty or slowness  with  which
he cornmitted  his  thoughts to  writing.  " I have,"  he would  say,  " I
have  a perfectly distinct  thought,  or many thoughts ready for  language,
but the language  comes so slowly, or  seenis so reluctant to come at all,
that  yon cannot understand  what  a  tedious  business this  writing is  lo
me.   If  I could paint a thought, I should  get on fast enough."  In Dr.
Físher's family is a large development of the powers of  drawing and of
color, as  is so well shown  in  the  works of his gifted brother, the artist.
Thought, says  some one,  always brings with  it its appropriate language ;
or, so to  speak, always clothes  itself in that dress which  will  best  de-
clare  it to others.  This  may  he true.   But it  is not at all difficult to
understand, that what may be  very  well said, may require great labor
to be well written.
   Dr. Fisher  found time, amid  the interests  of literary and practical life,
to devote  himself to objects  which are  sometimes considered to  be
rather  of collateral than of immediate  or  practical relation to medicine. 
3
And yet, strictly  speaking, what is there  relating  to humanity which
does not belong  to  it ?   He was one of  the  earliest advocates of the
establishment of the  Perkins  Institution for the Blind.   So early and
so devotedly attached  was he to this object, that he is considered to  be its
first  suggester.   For that which he was so instrumental in producing,
he faithfully labored to his death.  He was its  Physician and its  Vice
President;  and thus by perpetual personal  agencies in its service—asso-
ciations with its highest  interests—it was his privilege and  his happiness
to mark and  to  minister to its steady progress, and  to  witness and re-
joice in its entire success.   During Dr.  Howe's absence  in Europe, the
entire care of the institution devolved  on  Dr. Fisher.   His whole service
was  thus faithfully devoted  to its impoitant  objects, and for it Dr. Fisher
received no pecuniary compensation.  It was a free-will offering of duty,
and  had its reward  in itself.
   Dr. Fisher has recently been  elected  one of the acting physicians of
the Massachusetts General Hospital.   How strikingly are both the  proof
and  the illustration  of the high consideration in which he was held by
his profession  and  the  public, set forth in  this important and distin-
guished appointment.
   In this  brief sketch of the  professional  life, and of some  of its pro-
ducís, of a friend, it ¡s  not easy to forget  the  personal  relations which
that friend established,  and which were alike grateful to  him  and  those
who  enjoyed  them.  The moral nature declares itself  in the familiar
intercourse of life.   Its fair development—that, namely, in which there  is
neither extravagant  eccentricity, ñor offensive radicalism—in which equa-
nimity is the rule of every-day ufe, and courtesy  and kindness its at-
tendants—gives an interest to character and to conduct,  which all  men
cheerfully  recognize.  The memory of an  acquaintance  of many years'
standin» does not bring to the  mind of the writer one ínstance in which
these elements of character were wanting in Dr. Fisher.  He was happy
in communicating to you what he  knew, and  of directly aiding you as
a professional  friend, whenever his special  knowledge  might serve  you,
or your patient.  He  would  ask your  counsel in his own cases;  and
then with entire confidence in  you, would desire you  to  see them with-
out  special appointment with  him, in order  that you míght observe ef-
fects of remedies, or other occurrences which  had  to you any particular
interest.   His  heart as well as  his mind  was in  his profession ;  and his
patíents  and  his  brethren  felt how useful  and how  grateful  were their
united agencies.
   Dr. Fisher was quite remarkable for the  simplicity  and  perfect repose
which characterized his demeanor.  He was justly  sensible of what he 
4
thought wrong ;  but the expression of his feelings was not such as could
tend to render the wrong greater.   His position was too respectable to be
hurt by what was untrue or unjust;  and, so to speak, he could afford to
command his temper.  He had true moral courage.  He sustained his
views with firmness, but always with courtesy.  He was as a friend most
deeply valued.   He was sincere, without  arrogance  or  pretence.  You
saw him daily at his work. but how little of its results did he show you.
He was the founder, as has been already said, of a  noble charity ; and
yet to how many will not this be known  since his death for the first time ?
Said one of him with peculiar appropriateness, " His left hand knew  not
what his right hand  did."   Who that knew him does  not feel  sad at his
death; and yet did not death come in  kindness to him, to draw to  a calm
cióse a life devoted  to duty, and to  bring to everlasting rest a frame  wasted
by long disease, and so often exhausted by suffering ?
   The following notices ofthe last illness and post-mortuary appearances
in the case of Dr. Fisher, have  been very kindly presented to the wri-
ter by his friends Drs. J. Bigelow and J. B. S. Jackson.
   It appears that  Dr. Fisher visited  Milton  on Friday, 22d  Feb., and
passed the  night with Dr. Ware of that place.   On Saturday  he had
febrile symptoms and  sore throat, but visited his patients, and  in  the
evening  attended the  meeting  of the Suffolk District Medical Society,
feeling much  indisposed at the time.  On  Sunday and  Monday  his
symptoms continued, with  increased  debility and  some  vomiting.  Dr.
Whitney, of Dedham, who called on  him on  Monday, reports his aspect
at that time to have been extremely morbid, and his throat  much in-
flamed.   On Tuesday, finding himself more ill, he sent for  Dr. Bigelow,
and inquired if he was likely to be more sick,  since in that case he would
wish to be removed to his brother's house in Temple place.  At this  time
his whole fauces, including both tonsils, velum and uvula, were of a dull red,
turgid and glossy appearance, with a few specks of effused lymph  on the
tonsils.   He had  headache, difficult deglutition, a small pulse about 100,
and  much debility.   He  had taken  a cathartic  with modérate effect.
Nitrate of silver was now applied to the parts  of the throat most af-
fected, and  he was  removed to  his  brother's house.   On Wednesday
morning  he expressed himself better, especially in regard to  deglutition.
In the  evening, feeling an  increase  of headache, he took, of his own
accord, four grains of calomel, with eight of extract of colocynth, which
operated  moderately in the night, and on Thursday a diarrhcea of eight
or ten discharges followed, which was not controlled under opiates and 
5
other remedies, and during which his  strength sank rapidly.  On Friday
he appeared failing, pulse 130 to 140,  small and feeble.   During this time
and  until his  death, there was no  dyspnoea, slight cough, voice hoarse
and abrupt, with difficult articulation, considerable  dysphagia.   He was
visited by Drs.  Jackson, sen. and jun.   On Saturday  there was slight
aberration of mind, irregular action of heart and failing pulse, and he died
about midnight.
   On dissection, there was found an  acute inflammation of the larynx.
The glottis upon the left side  was considerably  tumefied, though quite
soft, and scarcely reddened ;  cellular  tissue about  the muscles  to some
extent looked as if infiltrated  with  pus, though very little could  be forced
out; oadematous swelling about  the ventricle  upon  this side, so that its
cavity was nearly closed.   Right side similaily, though much less affected.
Disease  limited to upper  half of larynx,  the passage  being apparently
sufficiently free for  the admission of air.  Mucous membrane of phar-
ynx of a dusky-red color;  but nowhere any effusion of lymph.
   At the apex of the right  lung, posterior!)-, there was an oíd pleural
adhesión ; the surface of the organ was much puckered ; and beneath it
were  several  white, opaque,  dryish, firm  masses, partly cretaceous, and
about the size of peas.   At the corresponding part of the left lung there
was  also an oíd adhesión ;  the surface of the  lung had a wilted  ap-
pearance, and beneath it  was found a  grayish  granulated deposit,  not
larger than a pea.   And these were all the remains that were to be found
of tubercular disease; the  lungs being otherwise sufficiently healthy, as
were the bronchial glands.
   Immediately  after the death  of Dr. Fisher,  the public,  as well as
his friends, sought to testify their deep sense of the services he  had ren-
dered to humanity, and how they might best manifest it.
   His funeral was attended by an  unusual assembly.  The house was
thronged with those who carne to pay their last respect and honor to the
dead.   It was a rainy day, but this did not  prevent those  from coming
whose solé claims to his kindness and faithful professional attendance had
been their poverty.   The mother was there, with  her infant in  her arms,
to pay him reverence.  She was asked to go into the house, that she and
her child might be saved  from the cold storm.  She said,  No—she had
come to his funeral, and she asked for no other privilege.  How beauti-
ful and excellent that life which has survived the grave, and has its voice
out of the deep hearts of grateful poverty!  We talk  of monuments to
the dead.  How sublime that monument which has  its foundations in
human hearts !   How safe that memory whose record is in  heaven ! 
6
   A meeting has  been held by Dr. Físher's friends, to " consider what
 measures shall be taken to express their respect for his memory."  Reso-
 lutions were  oñéred, and committees appointed to report on this subject.
 Friends spoke of the  dead at the meeting, of their loss, and of their de-
 sire  to manifest their  regard.  They spoke of him, of his mind, of his
 heart, of his  life.  How grateful was it to meet with the honored  of the
 city, and to take part with them in making arrangements to manifest the
 public estimation of individual excellence !

   The papéis give the following account of the meeting:

   " ¡Meeting of  the Friends of  Dr. Fisher.—There  was a  nu-
 merous gathering of the friends of the late Dr. Fisher, at the Montgomery
 House,  on Saturday evening.   The meeting was  called  to  order by Mr.
 Charles Sumner.  Mr. Edward Brooks  was appointed Chairman, and
 Mr.  Eliphalet Baker,  Secretary.   The  Chairman made some  touching
 remarks upon the life and character of the deceased.
   "  Mr. Geo. S. Hillard also paid  an eloquent tribute to his memory.
   "  Dr. S. G. Howe, after alluding to the modest and unobtrusive virtues
 of the departed, offered the following  resolutions, which  were unani-
 mously adopted:—
  u Resolved, That  by the death of Dr. John  D. Fisher, this community
 has lost a benefactor—the medical profession an omament—the wide circle
 of his patients a skilful physician, a wise counsellor, and a kind friend ;—
 that  we all  recognize in him a man, who, by his early and long-continued
 interest in various institutions of charity, and his gratuitous labors for their
 improvement, showed  himself to  be a practical  philanthropist;  who, by
 tender solicitude for the health of  his numerous patients in  the humblest
 walks of life, and by unwearied efforts  to  promote their welfare in every
 way, proved himself to be a real friend of the poor; who, by  his modest
 and quiet way of doing good, studiously shunned notoriety ; who was ever
 sowing good deeds, like seeds in his pathway of life, but quickly covering
 them up from the public eye;  and, therefore, it becomes us, who knew his
 virtues, to commemorate them, not so much to do him honor, as to lead
 others to imítate  his blameless life  and his good deeds;  for which end—
  " Resolved, That a Committee of six persons be appointed  by the Chair
 to take such measures  as shall seem to them most suitable for paying a
 proper and  lasting tribute to his memory.
  " Resolved, That a Committee of twenty-five be  appointed  by the Chair
to raise the necessary funds for carrying into execution the purpose of the
 foregoing resolve.

  " Upon the first Committee the Chair named  Messrs. Wm. H. Pres-
cott, Thomas G. Cary, George N. Russell, D. Humphreys Storer, S. G.
 Howe, Charles Sumner. By  a vote of the meeting, Mr.  Edward Brooks
was added  to the Committee." 
7
  Note.—In the beginning  of this sketch, it is stated that Dr. Fisher
went to Europe and  pursued his  professional studies with  some of the
most eminent men of the age.  Among these were Laé'nnec, Andral and
Velpeau.   To the first he would seem to have  been  especially devoted.
He was the author of auscultation, and taught  its principies and its  uses.
To these Dr. Fisher most faithfully applied himself, and was one of the
best as he was  one of the earliest of those who used this discovery in the
investigaron of thoracic disease.   He  never, as we  have  seen, lost his
interest in  this subject; but continued  through  life to be devoted to its
study and application.  He corresponded  with Laé'nnec, and his letters
of introduction of friends  to that distinguished man, secured to them im-
portant attention and kindness.   His work on  smallpox  has its history.
Its  materials were collected in Paris.   It was  printed  in Boston in 1829.
It treats of "  Confluent  and Inoculated  Smallpox,  Varioloid Disease,
Cow Pox,  and Chicken Pox."  It is dedicated  to Dr. James Jackson,
from one of whose lectures in  the  Massachusetts Medical  College Dr.
Fisher conceived  the idea of preparing  the  work, and to which in his
dedication he acknowledges it owed its  origin.  This volume is of  large
quarto size, with plates of the  size of  life, exact portraits,  taken in the
presence of the author by  a distinguished artist, and at  the bed-side of the
patients.   It is excellently well printed, and is  a most important aid to
the study of the diseases of which it treats.  The plates of this work and
unsold copies,  were destroyed  by  a fire some years ago; and those are
to be esteemed fortúnate who possess a copy of so rare and so valuable
a volume.
Boston, March, 1850. 



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