Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Mosher, Jacob Simmons

MOSHER, Jacob Simmons, physician, b. in Coeyman's, Albany co., N. Y., 19 March, 1834; d. in Albany, N. Y., 13 Aug., 1883. He removed with his parents to New Brunswick, N. J., and in 1853 entered Rutgers college, but left it near the close of his junior year. Soon afterward he came to Albany and for a time was principal of a public school there. He was graduated at Albany medical college in 1863, appointed instructor in chemistry and experimental philosophy in Albany academy, and in 1865 made professor of chemistry in that institution, serving until 1870. In 1864 he was commissioned a volunteer surgeon, and subsequently he was appointed assistant medical director for the state of New York. In July, 1864, he had been appointed lecturer on chemistry in the Albany medical college, and in December following he was appointed professor of chemistry and medical jurisprudence, serving also as registrar and librarian of the college from 1865. In 1870 he resigned his professorship, having been appointed deputy health and executive officer of the port of New York, but he resigned in 1876 and returned to Albany and again entered on the practice of his profession. In January of that year he had been appointed professor of medical jurisprudence and hygiene in Albany medical college, and re-elected registrar, and in 1881 he was made professor of pathology, practice, clinical medicine, and hygiene, which post he held till his death. In 1878 he served as a member of the commission of experts, appointed by President Hayes, to study the origin and cause of the yellow-fever epidemic of that year, and the effectual work of this board, though their report was not published by the government, resulted in the creation of the National board of health. He was one of the founders, trustees, and professors of Albany college of pharmacy, which was established in 1881, and the president of its faculty. He was a member of many medical societies, a fellow of the New York academy of medicine, and president of the Albany county medical society in 1882. Rutgers gave him the degree of Ph. D. in 1878. He was a member of the Albany board of health, and its chairman at the time of his death.