CARPENTER 197 CARPENTER in the schools of Lancaster and afterwards under a tutor. In 1836 he began the study of medicine under Dr. Samuel Humes with whom he remained for five years, going in 1839 to Philadelphia to attend lectures, but undecided which col- lege to enter, he finally settled on that of Pennsylvania. He finished his studies in February, 1841, returned to Lancaster and began practice in the office previously occupied by his father as a scrivener. Henry Carpenter was one of the founders of the Lancaster County Medical Society in 1844, and its president in 1855, also secretary and vice-president of the Pennsyl- vania State Medical Society. He was a man of mechanical genius, constructed his own apparatus and drew plans for his instruments, and invented an obstetric forceps manufactured in Philadelphia by Gemrig which he used for forty-four years, and with which it is said he never failed to effect delivery. His obstetric experience covered nearly 5,500 cases, and his experience in gynecology was equally large. He responded to the special call from the surgeon-general during the war of the re- bellion on two different occasions, being first placed in charge of the "Eckington Hospital" at Washington, and at another time he went to Hagerstown, Maryland, for duty. He at- tended President James Buchanan and Thad- deus Stevens, for many years and in their last illnesses. Dr. Carpenter did not permit his profes- sional duties to overshadow his influence as a citizen, for he took a large interest in all public affairs. He was three times married, but the only children were by his first wife, Anna Louise, daughter of Mayor John Mathiot, and named Mary, Katherine M., and Sarah P. George Noble Kreider. History of the Carpenter Family, S. D. Carpenter, ,1907. History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Rupp, 1843. Biographical History of Lancaster County, Penn- sylvania, Harris, 1870. Carpenter, Walter (1808-1892) Walter Carpenter was born in Walpole, New Hampshire, January 12, 1808. His father, a farmer and tavern keeper, was Sylvester Carpenter; his mother, Lydia, daughter of Benjamin Rowker. Walter was an only child and had his early education in Halsted and at the academy at Chesterfield, beginning the study of medicine under his uncle. Dr. Davis Carpenter in Brockport, New York. Many years later in life. Dr. Carpenter was accus- tomed to enliven his lectures in the medical school at Burlington with stories apt and entertaining. One of these had to do with his early experience in Western New York with his uncle. He was accustomed to vary the monotony of office and stable boy by occa- sionally stealing a glimpse of some interesting case. His curiosity was aroused by a gather- ing of physicians, among whom was his uncle. On this occasion he managed to gain admit- tance to the sick-room with the older men and after due examination of the case, they all adjourned for consultation to another room. The young student, called on to express his views in regard to the case, was obliged to confess that it was an interesting one and likewise that he was not prepared to give a positive diagnosis. Some moments later in the course of the discussion by the others present, he discovered that the case was con- sidered by them as one of small-pox. Without waiting for further consultation, the student Carpenter hurried back to his preceptor's office, took down the scab carefully wrapped in beeswax, which was used in those days for inoculation, and inoculated himself in both arms and legs. Dr. Carpenter in later years was accustomed to tell this story to his stu- dents and described his feelings as he lay some days later in the "pest-house," sur- rounded by small-pox cases and picturing to himself the green hills of Vermont. Later he studied at the Medical College in Fairfield, New York, where Dr. Amos Twitchell of Keene, New Hampshire was an instructor, and finally graduated from Dart- mouth Medical School in 1829, settling at once in Bethel, Vermont, where he remained a year and a half, when, being requested by a com- mittee of citizens from Randolph on behalf of their community, he changed his home accord- ingly and practised there for twenty-eight years. In 1853 he became interested with Dr. S. W. Thayer, then a practitioner in Northfield, in the re-establishment of the medical depart- ment in the University of Vermont. These two men, together with Dr. Orin Smith, started the old school on a new career of success and honor. They met many discouragements, but Dr. Carpenter's unflagging energy and perseverance did much to tide over the early years of adversity, and finally make this school conspicuous among the medical centers of New England. Dr. Carpenter was for many years professor of theory and practice of medicine in the medical department of the University of Vermont and by his homely common sense and apt illustrations in the form of stories, made a deep impression on all the classes.
