hillside, where we buried our beloved daughter, my wife and I have had placed a monument surmounted by a figure emblematical of Hope. That hope is mine,-the hope of eternal life. When a young man, I entered the Congregational Church. After some years, I brought a letter to this Church here. I am still loyal to that Church. I have not done so much work in the Church as I wish I had or as I would have been glad to do. My professional work interfered. The calls of sickness and accident will not wait. A physician must be ready to respond at once. I have tried to do my duty. I have tried to make the world a little brighter and better. I hope I have succeeded in some small measure."

JAMES WILLIAM GORDON, A.B., M.D.,

SANDY HOOK.

EDWARDS M. SMITH, M.D.,

BRIDGEPORT.

James William Gordon, M.D., died in Sandy Hook, January twenty-sixth, 1904, in the forty-second year of his age. He was born in St. Louis, Mo., on December twenty-second, 1862, of Scotch-Irish parentage, his paternal grandfather being quite a noted surgeon of his day in Glasgow. His father dying when he was six years old, his mother came East with him and located among friends in the town of Newtown, Conn., where the future Doctor attended the public schools of the town until his sixteenth year when he entered St. Charles' College at Ellicott City, Md., and took a three years' course there, after which he completed his studies at St. John's College, Fordham, N. Y., from which institution he received his A.B. degree in 1885. He at once took up the study of medicine in the office of the late Dr. Robert Hubbard of Bridgeport, matriculated in the medical department of the University of the City of New York in the Fall of 1885, and was graduated from Bellevue Medical College, receiving his M.D. in 1888. After two years of service in the city hospitals of New York, the Doctor located in Bridgeport, where he practiced for four years, during which time he served as physician to the County Jail for a while, and for three years was on the staff of the Emergency Hospital.

Thinking that the dryer air further inland would prove beneficial to an annoying bronchitis, Dr. Gordon moved from Bridgeport to Sandy Hook, Conn., where he opened an office in July, 1895, and where he quickly built up a

good practice, and took a prominent part in the affairs of the town, serving for a number of years until his death as a member of the Board of Education, where his influence was always felt on the side of progress and advancement. He was one of the prime movers in establishing a public High School in Newtown, and at the time of his death was serving as a member of the High School Committee. The Doctor was a member of the Bridgeport Medical Association, the Fairfield County Medical Association, and the Connecticut Medical Society; he was also a member of the Ancient Order of Foresters of America, and a leading member of St. Rose (R. C.) Church, from whence his funeral was very largely attended January twenty-eighth, 1904.

Dr. Gordon while a man of few words was of positive opinions and had the courage of his convictions. In his public positions he was independent in his actions, always standing for that which he believed was for the best public good. As a physician he enjoyed a large and loyal clientelle to which he was thoroughly devoted and by whom he was beloved. No one knows better than the writer the arduousness and exacting demands upon a man of a large country practice and to this Dr. Gordon was not found wanting-remaining actively in the harness until within a few weeks of his death, although his health had been failing for more than a year.

In June, 1890, Dr. Gordon was married to Miss Louisa Telzmann of Kingston, Ontario, Canada, who with one daughter, Margaret Dorette, survives him.

IDA R. GRIDLEY CASE, M.D.,

COLLINSVILLE.

PAUL PLUMMER, M.D.,

COLLINSVILLE.

Ida Rachel Gridley was born in the town of Canton, November 3, 1862, of good old New England stock, she being a relative of the celebrated John Brown of Ossawatomie. Her early life was passed on the homestead farm, and she attended the schools of the district, graduating from the Collinsville High School in the class of 1880. According to the statements of her teachers, she was an exceedingly bright and conscientious student. Later she entered Wesleyan University, graduating from that institution with very high honors in the class of '84. While attending the University the naturally scientific and investigating trend of her mind decided her to study medicine and she accordingly entered the P. & S. Medical School in Boston. This school was not of her own selection but at that time was almost the only one that was co-educational, and it was that or nothing. Had she been able to enter the school for which her high mental abilities qualified her, she would undoubtedly have been a graduate of Harvard or Johns Hopkins.

On graduating, she went to New York and took a course in the Post Graduate Hospital, paying especial attention to diseases of the eye.

She finally located in her home place, Canton, and took up general practice but still kept up her special work on the eye.

On December twenty-seventh, 1894, she was married to Oliver Case, of Canton, one child, a daughter, being born April third, 1896. As the marriage was unhappy, she obtained a divorce.

66

It is the usual custom in obituaries to speak only of the pleasant and beautiful characteristics of the deceased. Dr. Gridley detested this and the writer has often heard her say: I hope if anyone ever writes my obituary they will tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth." This being her desire, the writ er has tried to respect her wishes.

Professionally, Dr. Gridley was qualified to fill a much larger field than the sphere in which her lot was cast. A close, conscientious and deep student, well-read and "up to date," she at times surprised her professional brothers by the depth and thoroughness of her knowledge. Well does the writer remember the astonishment of one eminent gentleman who came in consultation from a distant city, to find that all had been done, nothing was at fault, and that the line of procedure for future treatment was what he was compelled to advise. Turning to the family, he informed them that he thought they were to be congratulated on their physician and that in the future he should decline to come when she was in attendance as he was sure he should find nothing to do.

Dr. Gridley had many oddities and peculiarities. On some she rather prided herself. She was exceedingly blunt and plain spoken at times and no one, high or low, ever had any doubt as to her opinion. This many times made her misunderstood and in some cases alienated friends and patients, but, to use her own expression, she "could not soft-soap' people," and she pursued her own way, confident that in time right, truth, and justice would prevail. But with it all she was a good, true, womanly woman, valued as a friend by many, and beloved by the poor, to whom she was more than kind. The Bible 66 says let not your left hand know what your right hand doeth," and she followed this injunction to the letter. No one but those benefited know of the many acts of kindness of this noble woman. To be poor, to be in trouble, was sufficient to command her services, both