FENGER
FENGER
these indicate a man of strong charac-
ter, actively devoted to the cause of
his adopted country, learned and skill-
ful in medicine with high ideals for the
betterment of his profession. He took
an active part in the stirring events
of the Revolution, and on July 13,
1778, was appointed first lieutenant,
South Carolina Regiment. He was tak-
en prisoner at Charleston on May 12,
1780, and was sent to St. Augustine,
Florida, where he endured his "captiv-
ity with patience and exile with resigna-
tion." In the following year, on May
15, he received the appointment of
chief physician and surgeon of hos-
pital, southern department, which posi-
tion he held until the close of the war.
His public service, however, did not
end with the advent of peace, for in
1786 we find him a member of the
Legislature, acting "with independence
and firmness of character." He was also
a member of the Privy Council.
Dr. Fayssoux seems to have been the initiator of the movement to organize the Medical Society of South Carolina, for it was at his house in December, 1789, that Dr. David Ramsay and Dr. Alexander Barron met with him to carry out this project. He was elect- ed the first president.
He married Mrs. Ann Johnson, nee Smith, on March 29, 1777, and had six children, none of whom studied medi- cine.
He died suddenly of apoplexy, Feb- ruary 2, 1795. R. W., Jr.
Private Family Record.
Minutes of the Medical Society of South
Carolina, March 20, 1777.
Minutes of the Medical Society of South
Carolina, Feb. 3, 1795.
Fenger, Christian (1840-1902).
Christian Fenger, Chicago's success- ful surgeon and first teacher of modern pathology, was the son of Kammerraad Fritz and Matilda Fjelstrup Fenger. From his birth, November 3, 1840, in Copenhagen, until his graduation from the medical department of the
University of Copenhagen in 1867,
little is known of him. After gradua-
tion he served Prof. Meyer as as-
sistant for two years, and then gave
another two years as interne of the
Royal Frederick Hospital. His service
in the City Hospital from 1871 to 1S74,
was first as prosector then as privat-do-
cent. From the beginning of his ca-
reer Dr. Fenger wished to be a teacher
but failed in being appointed to the
chair of pathology for which he had
passed the required examination. Per-
haps it was owing to this failure that
he went to Egypt where he became a
member of the Sanitary Council and
surgeon to the Khalifa in the District
of Cairo. Here he made the most of
his opportunities in studying tropical
disease and mastering the Arabic lan-
guage. The Danish-Schleswig-Holstein
and Franco-Prussian wars further added
to his knowledge by giving him training
in military surgery. With all this ex-
perience he quickly made his reputation
as a teacher and surgeon when he came
to the United States in 1877 and settled
in Chicago. His medical confreres first
recognized his worth by the work he did
in the morgue of the Cook County Hos-
pital. His profound knowledge of path-
ology was appreciated by all who attend-
ed his postmortems. Dr. Fenger was
also well versed in bacteriology, keeping
pace with all its new developements.
The School of Modern Pathology of
Chicago counts him as one of its found-
ers. The County Hospital gave him
the position of attending and consult-
ing surgeon, which post he held for
twenty years; and the internes profited
by his ability as a teacher and his
kindness as a host, for he cordially wel-
comed them at his house every week,
the evening being spent in discussion
and study.
Dr. Fenger taught surgery for eight- een years in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Northwestern Univer- sity Medical School, and Rush Medical College.
An acknowledgment of his work
