John Call Dalton

Eastman Johnson's portrait of John Call Dalton, 1886

John Call Dalton^[1] (February 2, 1825 – February 12, 1889) was an American physiologist and the first full-time professor for physiology in the United States. Dalton was born in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. He studied under Claude Bernard, who was also a physiologist. He had two understudies: John Green Curtis and William Stewart Halsted. John Call Dalton and John Green Curtis had some type of association with the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York. Dalton was a professor of physiology at the college; however, it is unclear whether his son was as well.^[2] John Call Dalton received his undergraduate and medical degrees from Harvard University.^[3] The anatomy of the brain was primarily drawn by Europeans prior to Dalton's more detailed and precise sketches of the brain.^[4] Dalton received an award from the American Medical Association in 1851 for his essay "Corpus Luteum". He was a professor at the University of Buffalo for a brief time, but resigned in 1854. Dalton had several stints as a professor or chairperson at colleges such as Vermont medical college, and the Long Island College hospital.^[5] John became the president of the College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1884, when Dr. Alonso Clark resigned.^[5]

He served as a surgeon in the national service from 1861 to 1864. Prior to his resignation in 1864, Dalton was a prominent member in the medicals corps of the national service. He served in the 7th New York regiment in 1861.^[5] Dalton joined the national services as soon as the civil commenced. He was primarily a surgeon during this time, and spent a lot of time treating the wounded. John was originally in the navy, with the rank of medical officer. However, he spent time as well in the army corps, where he served as the medical inspector in the 6th army corps. He was transferred to the Army of the Potomac where he was made chief medical inspector of the field-hospitals. Once Dalton resigned in 1865, he was promoted to brevet lieutenant colonel as well as colonel of volunteers.^[5] He wrote much different literature in regards to physiology, one of which would be his book known as The Treatise on Human Physiology. Another book he contributed to the field of physiology is Topographical Anatomy of the Brain. The Academy of Sciences elected Dalton as a member in 1864.^[5]

Dalton became the sanitary superintendent of the New York metropolitan board of health in March 1866. During the same year in which he resigned from that position, Dalton implemented the ambulance system that is used today to transport the ill. He died of tuberculosis in 1889.^[5]

Works

• A Treatise on Physiology and Hygiene : for Schools, Families, and Colleges. – New York : London : Harper & Bros. ; Sampson Low, Son & Marston, 1869
• A treatise on human physiology : designed for the use of students and practitioners of medicine. – Philadelphia: Blanchard and Lea, 1861
• The Experimental Method of Medicine – Philadelphia, 1882
• Doctrines of the circulation : a history of physiological opinion and discovery, in regard to the circulation of the blood. – Philadelphia : Henry C. Lea’s Son & Co., 1884
• Topographical anatomy of the brain. – Philadelphia, Lea brothers & Co., 1885

Speech

• Vivisection; what it is, and what it has accomplished. - Read before New York Academy of Medicine. Dec 13, 1866

Script : University of Michigan, University Library

Autobiography

• John Call Dalton, M.D., U.S.V.. – [Cambridge: Riverside Press], 1892 ( regarding his brief service in the 7th New York Infantry , National Guard)

References

Sources

• S. Weir Mitchell: Memoir of John Call Dalton, 1825–1889. In: National Academy of Sciences : Biographical Memoirs. – Washington, DC: National Academy of Sciences, 1985, Band III, S. 177–185.

External links

• National Academy of Sciences Biographical Memoir
• Autobiography at Project Gutenberg