DR DAVID WALDIE.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 November 1923, Page 4

DR DAVID WALDIE.

Hi,STOK's OF CIiLOHoFURM. illy Alexander Spence). Tile anaesthetic properties ot ehloiuPji'iii are if.)tv st) well know u. and fit-' product i- so widely employed, that wo m the present generation camml even dimly coueeiie the stir which tta-eau-ed l>v it- introduction l" anno--llietie practice. .Many there were who rai-eil loud \ t tiers HI cnmlrUi it;: nun oi its UM* on i: !i .lions ».*;roun<l>. To Sir dames Y. Simpson belongs the merit of having introduced the practice of using chloroform as a surj gieal aiuu -t bet ie. and he was Ireipienl[but he v.a- tp.iife jtislilied. anil (ptoied tile ! 1 bI,• a- Ids authority—(lene.-is. ! bapier 11. \b r.-e 2.1. "Hod eau.-ed a deep sleep i.i fail upon Adam. lie too!; one ol In- rib- an I close, l up l lie !| ".!l ! hereof." Tbe extensive and -ucce:--fill emplayI iii. ui ol' i form by So' dames Y. Simp-on l"d to tbe popular beltel that be we- tlie :><■: ii:i! discoverer of the mse-i let b- prop wiles of till's 11)111p: and. Tbe H.-H.-t. It- ."ever, i- emit!ciiis. 'I be . i I'giiitii discovery ua- made ! t ill' Date! Wa.ldie. win, luouglil tic m.o t,w : > Simp- >u'-; noth e. !V Id,ti l tVablie tills, a native of I.: n I it.!".'otv . S, oil; mil, bating t.-een I,:.in in i|;ai i .’.,ii on February Isl.'i. lie studied niedieille at Kd ill ini ini i. and. liavsng graduated Licentiate in Surgery of the Loyal ( ollcg.’ of soil'"; Edinburgh, practised i"i some lime a- an apothecary in his native town. lie had. however. a ■d i linger leaning U, rliemistry I Sinn to niedleine or surgery. He performed numerous experiments of a dangerous nature that gave the t"itlp-de-graee to the then lingering theories of lomhuslmu and eomimst ibl,--. ilelerence- to t!ii■ experiments can be -ecu in Cm- . .din's Otis, it , lie lac r tfi at to India, u 1 1 "n’ b" Sounded a ( hemieal Hr Waltlie In -I. discovered the an :■■-!!;, in ;. rti.-s of eidoroiorm in I!b-1 -j;; a; bi-, -boo in l.inlit iigotv. ait; r i nmel'oii- exta'l'inieuland perso:,.led Sir dame- V. Si -on io try It ; I -If. lai.-i" tin, l’y l.d,| hi Ibe lale .11, dean Aimour lb hi n in a roinmiin iea I ion ;e the "Sent . I-ic A liierienu" ol November. 1!"C the latly then H me. ;-l y-; r- a age. Her i- loliotls: Ml David Wablie. Oi laidilbgott, Sen' late!. tli- ovt i'i t! tbe properties ot i’m, ■■ r Simps,,n n -eil i.i di it e o::i fi'oiu Edinburgh !,, tt aieh In - progres,. ft' ■ Inti.. .' an ! Hr Wed lie were gr, at l riiouls : fa I her n I i o liorrow tbe ba.u medicine,., he being In'vet. Ole liigi.r. i n tailing ibem Hu,!; no --iii g. On lea ring lie sa id ; ' I cold: m, lutie taodaoid came with

'■e i Ii" v. r - lying • t ill. Fa i lev -ail: -HI, David. I'e i- omul!' The ■ I -Oh no. hi. hear. ! wi! , ,'l 'tli e "I rough, ; |;e hr, ■ l.’eu - nulling I lee -ae.' • r I put i Imre lor e am . .. II von cut him to pieces be tfnttld tad

Icaie ami pul him ui bis bed ■ ior he " ill bo a very sick dog when bo i omes t > rim- dii ! e "111 lie ai! right in tii • morning ; I will bad; in ami ~ c him.' I!c told my -isow ii.si morning !i ■ sia.-ek, I:::i •Eelo' (the ■!.■: i bad damn him a great kindness, and bad given' him courage to kn,.w that he was on the right track.” In l!'|s a movetnelit was -tailed bv -Mr Alexander Spence. .M.P., a native of l.mlit hgow. and an cx-magi-ti ato and sheriff of that burgh, to place a. j memorial tablet over the premises in | which lie discovery of the iinac.stholfe J properiie- of chloroform was made, to I ciminieiuoral e the cuiti-uniy of Wal-j die's birth. A eomiuiltee was formed. I Mr *Ioi; j i McWhirter trea-urer. and!

■-iihsci iptiou.s v.ere appealed for from j .* H persons likely to be interested j Subscription- were ioitiieomtng from all parts oi the world, end iron: all | das-es of people, and the correspond- J cnee threw some intimate -id, light- on the character of Or Waldie. I

As a re lilt ol ti:e apneal for sub-! seiipti,,ns a sum was raised whielt on-! aided the promoters oi the 'movement to affix a handsome bronze portrait'! memorial tablet over tlie dc,f-tor J s old . promises at ii 7 Migh-streel. f.iidith j gow. This tablet was the work of the!

ij well-known sculptor. 11. Ji. Untie-1 ! Pinker, Kensington. T.ouibiti. Master j J of the Art-workers' Guild. The art-; | i-t’- inspiration was a particularlv j happy one. a- it produces Dr Waliln; j | ni the very atm l-phere one would a-- 1 I -neiate with him. The wording below j

j Waldie, Surgeon. 1.8.C.5... ami ('!>. -j | mist. .Member of Asiatic Society. Ben-! j gal. It. I.inlitligow. I-I.'l: D. C alcutta, j I I's!" A Pioneer in Anaesthetic il -! ! scar- h. To htm hel-jiigs .he Dialing-! • i ion oi having been the li;-t to re-:

■: commend and make practicable the is.- •| ot ('lilorolorm in the .Alleviation . fj j Human Sutl'eriiig." j I he clay cast of this memorial ha-'; j been placed in "Th.- lli-torieal .Modi - j j f 'al Exhibit inn. London.’' as another I ! permanent memorial. | A brass tablet to Waldie'- memory j has also been placed on the wall at the; top of the main -tairca.se oi the rooms ! of th" Asiatic Society. Bengal, hearing! the following inscription:—"la ne-ni-j oiy ol David Widdio. horn in Unlit!:- I gow. Scotland, Feb. 27th. 1-13. David j Waldie was a ssociatc-d with tlie di- ! covery, in l c !7. of Anaesthetic pro i pertic- of Chloroform. Arriving >'n' C alcutta in 1' : 53, he became the Pio : neer of Chemical Manufactui'e in In j dia.. He was an active member of j this society or 25 years, -and served on j < the Council for 10 years. Died hi ! i Calcutta, ISS9,” !

Or AvTilJif; 'loops, a deeper sleep virtu that induced by chloroform, in Calcutta, and a tombstone may he

seen in the Scottish cemetery there, bearing tlm following inscription:— ".Snered to the memory of David Wed die, eldest son of Alexander Waldie. and his wile, Agnes Ford, Hinlitiigow. Scotland, horn t?7th February, ISK!. Died -did dune, iN'TI. Aged 7ii years. Chloroform one of (tod's best gifts to His suffering children.”