History of Homœopathy
Biographies
Presented by Sylvain Cazalet
LY, WALLACE AUGUSTUS, M. D., of White Plains, N. Y., was born in Hanover, Morris county, N. J., January
28th, 1828. His father, although then a plain, practical farmer, determined to give his son a profession, and educated him accordingly. He chose the
profession of medicine, studying under Dr. John L. Crane, of Hackettstown, N. J., who subsequently removed to New Utrecht, L. I., where with his
partner, Dr. Dubois, he fell a martyr to the yellow fever, while bravely battling against that terrible scourge, during its visit to that section, in
1852. They fell just as the disease was abating in violence, having remained at their post when all other physicians for many miles around had fled in
terror. His education was entirely allopathic. After applying himself assiduously for three or four years, he graduated from the medical department of
the New York University, in the spring of 1850. His health being at that time delicate, and having been a close student, he asked for his examination a
few weeks in advance of the regular commencement, and through the kindness and influence of Dr. Gunning S. Bedford, Professor of Obstetrics and Diseases
of Women and Children, he was allowed his examination, and graduated when he was twenty-one. He then returned to his home in New Jersey to recruit his
health. In the autumn following, he commenced practice in Syracuse, N. Y., but having clandestinely read Hahnemann’s “Organon,” and other
works on homœopathy, his mind had become too deeply imbued with the spirit of truth contained in them, to remain long confined to the narrow dogmas of
the old school ; and, taking the earliest opportunity to convince himself by actual experiment of its truth or falsity, on leaving Syracuse, he
located at Dobb’s Ferry, N. Y., in the spring of 1851, practicing there his first principles of homœopathy. Remaining here only a year or two, he
removed to Hempstead, L. L, where he found a far more promising field of labor. He remained here for about seven years, gaining a large practice, and
establishing a fine field for future operations, and meanwhile attending a course of homœopathic lectures in New York city. He was fortunate while here
in securing to the cause of homœopathy an eminent allopathic physician -a graduate of the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York- which he now
successfully practices. His health failing, he sought its restoration in travel. After some time spent in this, he was attacked with severe illness
while at St. Paul, Min., from which he had barely recovered, when he returned to his father, with whom he remained until he was able to resume his
duties, and then settled in White Plains, N. Y., where he is making for himself a valuable practice.Dr. Ely keeps himself aloof from politics, except in exercising the right of suffrage, but devotes
himself exclusively and assiduously to his profession.Source : Cleave’s Biographical Cyclopædia of Homœopathic Physicians and Surgeons By
Egbert Cleave