Page:A cyclopedia of American medical biography vol. 1.djvu/372

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DRAKE 2

the Medical College of Ohio, but trouble arose and in the spring of 1S50 he re- signed. In the autumn of 1850 he was recalled to Louisville where he filled the chair of practice of medicine in 1851-52. In 1852 he returned to Cincinnati, and to the Medical College of Ohio, then reorganized. But his work was done, he saw only the opening ex- ercises of the session.

In 1835 he exerted himself to enlist the people of Ohi6 and the southwest in favor of a chain of railroads from Cin- cinnati to the coasts of South Carolina and Cieorgia. He made an elaborate report, showing the political and com- merical advantages that would accrue to the states through which the road would pass. The scheme failed through the un- willingness of one of the states to grant the right of way. More than fifty years later his wishes were realized.

Dr. Drake was a voluminous writer. His first work was on the "Topography, Climate and Diseases of Cincinnati," published in 1810, and in 1815 his cele- brated "Picture of Cincinnati." 1827 saw him editing the " Western Journal of the Medical and Physical Sciences," which he continued to do until 1836. In 1832 he published a "Practical Trea- tise on the History, Prevention, and Cure of Epidemic Cholera." His " Discourses" were delivered in July, 1852, before the Cincinnati Medical Library Association, but the crowning glory of his life was "The Diseases of the Interior Valley of North America." In 1822 he announced his intention of preparing it, but it was not until 1837 that he began in earnest the collection of material.

In the prosecution of this work he made several tours through the West and South. Finally the first volume of the work was presented to the profession in 1850. The second volume did not appear until November, 1854, two years after the death of the author.

Dr. Drake received many tokens of honor from scientific bodies at home and abroad.

He died in Cincinnati, November 5,


1 DRAKE

1852 from arachnitis, brought on by over- exertion of the brain.

His writings included:

" Natural and Statistical View, or Pic- ture of Cincinnati and the Miami Coun- try," illustrated by maps. With an appendix; 251 pages, 2 illustrations, 2 maps, S°. Cincinnati, 1815.

"An Inaugural Discourse on Medical Education," 31 pages, 12°. Cincinnati, 1820.

"A Narrative of the Rise and Fall of the Medical College of Ohio," vi — 7-42 pages, 12°. Cincinnati, 1822.

"A Practical Treatise on the History, Prevention and Treatment of Epidemic Cholera, Designed both for the Profession and the People," 180 pages, 12°. Cin- cinnati, 1832.

"An Account of the Epidemic Cholera as it Appeared in Cincinnati," 46 pages, S°. Cincinnati, 1S32.

"The War of Extermination," 15 pages, 8°. Cincinnati, 1839.

" An Introductory Discourse to a Course of Lectures on Clinical Medicine and Pathological Anatomy," 16 pages, 8°. Louisville, Kentucky, 1840.

" A Memoir on the Disease called by the People, ' The Trembles,' and the Sick Stomach or Milk Sickness, as They Ap- pear in the Virginia Military District in the State of Ohio," 57 pages, 8°. Louis- ville, Kentucky, 1841.

"Analytical Report of a Series of Ex- periments in Mesmeric Somniloquism, Performed by an Association of Gentle- men; with Speculations on the Production of its Phenomena," 56 pages, 8°. Louis- ville, 1844.

" Strictures on Some of the Defects and Infirmities of Intellectual and Moral Char- acter in Students of Medicine; an Intro- ductory Lecture," 16 pages, 8°. Louis- ville, 1847.

"A Systematic Treatise, Historical, Etiological and Practical, on the Principal Diseases of the Interior Valley of North America, as They Appear in the Cau- casian, African, Indian and Esquimaux Varieties of its Population." Cincinnati, 1850.