the life of our departed benefactor, the Massachusetts Medical Society will more readily excuse from a general presumption, that the illustrious kinsman of Mr. Boylston, (who is co-executor of his last will, and guardian to his grandsons, and a legatee withal to his estate,) will, at some future season of leisure, employ his eloquent pen in writing his life and character. The destroying angel has slain another victim. Dr. Ezekiel Dodge Cushing died at Hanover, on the 5th of April, 1828, at the age of thirty-eight, ere his arrival at "the noon of life." Inheriting from a healthy parentage, a robust constitution, his early years gave promise of a long life. He was the son of the late Mr. Nathaniel Cushing, of Pembroke, was graduated at Harvard University, in 1808, commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Nathan Smith, at Hanover, N. H. extended his medical education by attendance on the hospital and lectures at Philadelphia, and afterwards went to London, where he became a dresser in St. Thomas' Hospital under Mr. Birch, and simultaneously attended on the lectures of Abernethy, and Cooper, and Heighton. From London he went to Paris, in the hospitals of which, while the allies occupied that city, he enjoyed the opportunity of witnessing an extensive surgical practice. His education had been practical, and he had acquired to an eminent degree the tact of the profession. He commenced the practice of medicine and surgery in Boston, and but for the surplus of skill beyond the public demand, his success had been brilliant, a great proportion of his cases and severe cases too, terminated favourably. Some years back, he had occasionally been in an epileptic state. Since his removal from Boston to Hanover, his practice in difficult cases extended even to towns quite distant. His opinions had given great satisfaction to both the attendant physician and patient. His last sickness, which commenced in a paralytic attack on the muscles of one side of the face and organ of speech, while travelling to visit a patient, was an atrophy connected with an entire prostration of the tone of the stomach. His sickness and death has shrouded in gloom his whole neighborhood. To his family the loss is irreparable. The odour of an honest fame is the only inheritance he has left to his wife and children. His wisdom had been for his neighborhood, and not for himself or family. His discretion had been discovered in good offices to the sick and suffering, and not in the ingathering harvest for his family. As Dr. Cushing cast his bread upon the waters, may his wife and children, after many days, under the blessing of the widow's God, and the Father to the fatherless, gather it up. |
