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PHOTOTHÈQUE HOMÉOPATHIQUE
présentée par Homeopathyforce.com
Dr Edward
Augustus GUILBERT (1826-1900)
Photo : collection Sylvain Cazalet
Edward Augustus
Guilbert was born in Watertown, Jefferson County, New York, on the
12th of June 1826. In .1837 his father’s family moved to Chicago. His
professional studies were commenced in 1843, and after a four years’
course he graduated at Rush Medical College, Chicago. In 1847 he
married Miss Kathleen Somers, a young lady of education and
refinement, having had the benefit of a course of study in the famous
academy of Mrs. Emma Willard, of Troy, New York. Nine children have
been born to them. He practiced medicine and surgery first at Ottawa,
and afterward at Waukegan, Illinois. In that time, 1847 to 1852, he
still pursued medical studies and investigations with all the interest
of an enthusiastic student. In 1851, at the age of twenty-five,
he began a new line of study and research, by becoming a Master Mason
in Union Lodge, at Waukegan. About that time Dr. Guilbert resolved to
practice medicine upon a different system-that of Hahnemann, and since
known as homoeopathy. He soon afterward removed to Elgin, Illinois,
and commenced his changed practice, having thoroughly studied the
literature and theory of that school of medicine.He has also been
professional lecturer in the homoeopathic colleges of Cleveland, St.
Louis and Chicago. And yet another field occupied for a time the
attention of this energetic and industrious young man. In the war of
the rebellion he was appointed surgeon of the board of enrollment for
the third congressional district of Iowa, and discharged the
responsible duties of that position from 1862 to 1865. But his
patriotic nature and zealous spirit shunned no toil or responsibility,
either in fraternal labor for the order he has so loved and adorned,
or in the duties of a citizen or an officer to promote the welfare of
his country. During the war he gave his influence to encourage
enlistments for the volunteer service, and was chosen captain of
company A, of the 46th Iowa Infantry. In that capacity he passed five
months in the military field-service in western Tennessee. Having been
successful in his profession, he succeeded in 1876 in establishing an
institution in Dubuque, known as the Northwestern Sanitarium, with a
view to afford medical and surgical relief to that class of patients
who might not be able to secure proper treatment from local
physicians, and to prevent the necessity of long journeys to more
distant hospitals.
GUILBERT, EDWARD
AUGUSTUS, M. D., of Dubuque, Ia., was born in Watertown, Jefferson
county, N. Y., June 12th, 1826. His father, a Mason of high standing in
the body, and a staunch Methodist, is still living at Waukegan, Ills. In
1837, he had removed with his family to Chicago, where his son, although
receiving a somewhat desultory education, achieved by his real ability,
quick perceptions, and extraordinary industry, more rapid advancement in
his studies than many of his companions who enjoyed more favorable
opportunities.
He
commenced his professional studies, in 1843, under the eminent Professor
Daniel Brainard, pursuing a four years course at the Rush Medical
College at Chicago, where he graduated February 18th, 1847. In the same
year he was married to Miss Kathleen Somers, a young lady of great
refinement and culture, by which union he has had nine children, six of
whom survive.
He
first practiced medicine and surgery at Ottawa, Ills., and subsequently
at Waukegan, in the same State, devoting his leisure time from 1847 to
1852, to the further attainment of medical knowledge and experience,
which he pursued with all the ardor and enthusiasm of an undergraduate.
About this time he became convinced of the superior merits of homœopathy
over allopathy, and on his removal to Elgin, Ills., adopted the former
system of practice after having fully studied it both theoretically and
experimentally. After remaining in Elgin some four years he removed, in
1856, to his present residence.
The
offices he has held in his professional character, both as an allopathic
and homœopathic physician, are so numerous that nothing but a brief
mention of them can here be attempted. He was organizer and President of
the Northern Illinois Homœopathic Medical Association, started in 1853,
the first homœopathic medical association begun in the Northwest. In
1855, he originated the State Homœopathic Medical Society of Illinois,
and became, and continued for five years, its recording secretary,
issuing annually copious volumes of proceedings. In 1849, he was the
founder of the Ottawa Medico-Chirurgical Society (allopathic), of which
he was appointed secretary, and in the same year issued the call
resulting in the foundation of the present Illinois State Medical
Society (also allopathic). In 1862, he originated the Iowa State Homœopathic
Medical Association, which though inactive during the war, was revived
by Dr. Guilbert’s call in 1871, and is now in a flourishing condition.
He was for three years professor of Obstetrics in the Western Homœopathic
College, at Cleveland, O., being selected twice as orator on
commencement occasions. He was instrumental in founding the Homœopathic
Medical College of Missouri, at St. Louis, in 1860, and delivered the
inaugural address in November of the same year, and filled the chair of
Obstetrics in that school for one year, resigning his position in 1862.
He was, in the session of 1866-’67, professor of Diseases of Children,
in the Hahnemann Medical College of Chicago.
Besides
the foregoing professional occupations, Dr. Guilbert has found time for
other matters. He was at the head of the Union League in Iowa, in
1862-’63. Was president of the Liberal State Convention, and its
candidate for Secretary of State in 1872. He has been a contributor to
many of the medical journals, and has frequently -in the early days of
homœopathy- been called upon to publicly defend its pause on the
rostrum. In 1856, he received an honorary degree from the Western
University, and in 1866, the honorary degree of L. L. D., from the
Masonic University of Kentucky.
Dr.
Guilbert is no less celebrated as a Mason than as a surgeon and
physician, having attained in the masonic fraternity some of the highest
honors conferred by that body, at the same time being a voluminous
contributor to its literature. This part of his career, not falling
within the scope of this work, we refer the reader to a pamphlet
published at Davenport, Ia., 1873, by Day, Egbert & Fidlar, giving a
sketch of his masonic career. He served during the war as surgeon of the
board of enrolment in Iowa ; was instrumental in obtaining
enlistments ; and was chosen captain of Company A. 46th Iowa
Infantry, in which capacity he passed five months in military service in
Western Tennessee.
Dr.
Guilbert has always enjoyed a large private practice, to which he
faithfully attends in spite of his numerous other engagements. He is
universally regarded as an ornament to the town where he lives, and the
loss of no man in Dubuque would be more painfully and seriously felt in
his city and State.
Source : Cleave’s
Biographical Cyclopædia of Homœopathic Physicians and Surgeons By
Egbert Cleave
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