OBITUARIES.

JOHN BURROUGHS ALLEY.

Dr. JOHN BURROUGHS ALLEY died in Boston, April 29, 1862, aged 41 years.

He was the son of Nathaniel Alley, and was born in Boston. He graduated at Yale College in 1840, received his medical degree from Harvard University in 1844, and after passing two years in Europe, chiefly at Paris, where he continued his studies, he entered upon the practice of his profession in Boston, where he continued to reside until his death. He never married. Although of large frame and unusual stature (he was four inches above six feet), Dr. Alley always had delicate health, and showed symptoms of consumption several years before his death. He had repeated attacks of hæmoptysis, and though more than once apparently about to sink, he would rally, and even enjoy tolerable health for a year or two.

As a practitioner he was intelligent, industrious and devoted to the welfare of his patients. The state of his health, which compelled him to avoid a great amount of exposure and fatigue, prevented him from acquiring a very large practice. But he never lost his interest in medicine, and labored unceasingly for its interests. He filled the offices of Secretary to the Boston Medical Association and Superintendent of the Boston Dispensary, and at the time of his death was a Councillor, and Recording Secretary of this Society. He was also an active member of the Boston Provident Association, from the time of its foundation, and of the School Committee for many years. In the discharge of all these duties he was most diligent and conscientious; and his remarkable capacity for business caused his services to be eagerly sought for and highly appreciated.

Bodily suffering and repeated bereavements only served to strengthen and develop his early religious tendencies. He was a sincere and faithful Christian; but his religion was free from gloom, he was always cheerful, and often gay, and few possessed a keener sense of the ludicrous. Previous to his death he arranged his worldly affairs with that method and precision which was so characteristic of him; and looked forward to his departure with the faith and hope which can only spring from a well-spent christian life.

Dr. BENJAMIN ATKINSON was born at Minot, Maine, Jan. 29, 1806, and died Oct. 22, 1831.

He studied medicine with Dr. Little, of Portland, and with his brother, the late Dr. John Atkinson, at Newport. He attended lectures and took his degree at Brunswick. He began practice in West Amesbury, in 1831. He married a daughter of Dr. Seth Chandler, of Minot; and left one son, who studied medicine, but is now a Lieutenant in the army, and two daughters. He died of a paralytic affection, brought on, probably, by his being thrown from his carriage. He lingered two or three years after the accident, in much suffering.

The following just tribute is from the funeral discourse preached by his pastor:

"How well he performed the duties of his laborious and responsible profession, those who have known him longest and best need not be reminded. If the united testimony of a great number of grateful and attached friends, who have experienced his professional kindness, can be relied upon, he has been a physician of rare fidelity. Always selfsacrificing, full of sympathy and tenderness, he never spared himself so long as he had strength to expend. His presence, his noble form, his gentlemanly bearing, and his kindly manner, always inspired confidence around the bed of sickness, and suggested supporting considerations around the bed of death. And he has ever had in his profession a more than ordinary share of success. His friends confided in his skill as well as in his kindness. To not a few among us he has thus been for many years what Luke was to Paul and other primitive Christians -The beloved Physician."

LUTHER V. BELL.

Dr. LUTHER V. BELL was the son of the Hon. Samuel Bell, Governor of New Hampshire, and Senator in Congress, and Mehitable Bowen Dana, daughter of Judge Dana. He was born in Francestown, N. H., Dec. 20, 1806. He entered Bowdoin College in 1819, before he was thirteen years of age, and was graduated in 1823. He received the degree of M.D. at the Hanover Medical School, in 1825, but engaged in mercantile business in New York for a while, before commencing practice in Derry, N. H., where he remained till he was appointed physician to the McLean Asylum, in Somerville, in 1837. In 1834, he married Frances C. Pinkerton, daughter of James Pinkerton, Esq., of Derry, who died in 1855. They had seven children, of whom four only now survive. He resigned his situation at the McLean Asylum in 1857, and devoted himself to consultation business. In July, 1861, he joined the Army as Surgeon to the Massachusetts Volunteers, and was at the battle of Bull Run. For his efficient services on that occasion he was promoted to the rank of Brigade Surgeon. He died at Budd's Ferry, Feb. 12, 1862.

Dr. Bell was always much interested in politics. He was a member of the New Hampshire Legislature, while at Derry; and of the Executive Council of Massachusetts, under Gov. Briggs, in 1850, and filled other public offices of trust. He twice visited Europe; once for the Trustees of the Butler Asylum, at Providence, the building of which he planned.

In 1857, he was chosen President of this Society, which office he held till his resignation in 1859.

Dr. Bell always stood very high in the estimation of the community at large; his rank in the profession was, if that were possible, still higher. He was, however, chiefly known for his connection with the McLean Asylum for the Insane, at Somerville, Mass. His Annual Reports were models of their kind, always full of the wisest suggestions; and his skill in the treatment of mental disorders was widely known and appreciated. The Society in losing him has lost one of its bright

est ornaments.

JOHN BALL BROWN.

Dr. JOHN BALL BROWN was born Oct. 20, 1784. He was a son of Dr. Jabez Brown, of Wilmington, Mass. He graduated at Brown University, Providence, R. I., in 1806, and studied medicine with Dr. Augustus Holyoke and Dr. Moses Little, in Salem. He began practice in Dorchester, in 1809, and returned to Boston in 1812. In 1814, he married the third daughter of Dr. John Warren. He was appointed Surgeon and Physician of the Boston Alms House in 1817, and Associate Surgeon of the Massachusetts General Hospital when that institution was first organized; and when he resigned that office, he was appointed Consulting Surgeon, which office he retained for many years.

In 1838, Dr. Brown began to devote much attention to the study and practice of orthopaedic surgery, which he was one of the first to introduce into this country. His reputation for the treatment of clubfoot, wry-neck, affections of the spine and other distortions of the human frame, became very great, and he enjoyed a large practice in this specialty; and patients not only from various of the neighboring States, and from the South, but from the far West, and even from the Sandwich Islands, have journeyed to Boston for the sole purpose of being placed under his care. He was not only skilful in performing the operations necessary for the cure of these annoying and perplexing cases, . but, what is more difficult to accomplish, he followed them up by mechanical means with patience and energy, until he had attained a suc cessful result. He was possessed of great mechanical ingenuity in the invention and application of special surgical apparatus. He also wrote occasionally on subjects connected with the arts, and was the author of