SMITH, Henry Hollingsworth, surgeon, born in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 10 December, 1815. He was graduated at the
University of Pennsylvania in 1837, and at the medical department in
1839, spent the subsequent eighteen months in study abroad, and on his
return settled in practice in Philadelphia. He became a surgeon to St.
Joseph's hospital in 1849, surgeon to the Episcopal hospital soon
afterward, one of the surgical staff to Blockley hospital in 1854, and
was professor of surgery in the medical department of the University of
Pennsylvania from 1855 till 1871, when he became professor emeritus.
At
the beginning of the civil war he was appointed to organize the hospital
department of Pennsylvania, and at the same time made surgeon-general of
Pennsylvania. In this capacity he contributed much to the efficiency of
the medical services of the Pennsylvania reserves and other state
regiments. At the first battle at Winchester, Virginia, he originated
the plan of removing the wounded from the battle-field to large
hospitals in Reading, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and other cities, and
established the custom of embalming the dead on the battle-ground. He
organized and directed a corps of surgeons, with steamers as floating
hospitals, at the siege of Yorktown, and served the wounded after the
battles of Williamsburg, West Point, Fair Oaks, and Cold Harbor. After
thoroughly organizing the department of which he was in charge, he
resigned his commission in 1862, and has since been actively engaged in
the practice of his profession.
Dr. Smith is widely known as a medical
author. His publications include " An Anatomical Atlas," to illustrate
William E. Horner's" Special Anatomy" (Philadelphia, 1843); " Minor
Surgery" (1846) ; "System of Operative Surgery," with a biographical
index to the writings and operations of American surgeons for 234 years
(2 vols., 1852) ; " The Treatment of Disunited Fractures by Means of
Artificial Limbs" (1855); "Professional Visit to London and Paris"
(1855); "Practice of Surgery" (2 vols., 1857-'63) ; and numerous
surgical articles in medical journals; and he has translated from the
French Civiale's "Treatise on the Medical and Prophylactic Treatment of
Stone mid Gravel" (Philadelphia, 1841), and edited the "United States
Dissector" (1844), and Spenser Thompson's " Domestic Medicine and
Surgery" (1853).
