Grissom, Eugene (1831–1902)
Eugene Grissom, alienist and medico-legal expert, was a descendant of Oliver Wolcott, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He was born in Granville County, North Carolina, May 8, 1831. His mother, a person of great vitality, lived to a most extraordinary age and bore seventeen children, of whom Eugene was the sixteenth.
In his youth Eugene studied law; later he taught in the public schools, and at the age of twenty-two was elected clerk of the superior court by a large majority. In spite, however, of his flattering prospects in the direction of law, he soon began to turn his attention to natural science and finally to medicine, taking his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1858; then settling in his native county, he soon had an extensive practice.
Dr. Grissom took a fighting part in the war of the Rebellion. In 1861 he was elected captain of Company D, thirtieth North Carolina Troops. In the "Seven Days Fight" around Richmond he was terribly wounded in the right shoulder. Before he left the hospital, however, he was elected a member of the House of Commons of the State of North Carolina. In 1864 he was re-elected. During the time of his service in this capacity he was appointed by Gov. Vance assistant surgeon-general of North Carolina.
In 1868 he became superintendent of the Raleigh Insane Asylum—a position held till 1889. He was a member of numerous medical and other learned societies and was once vice-president of the Medico-Legal Society of New York. The degree of LL. D. was given him by Rutherford College in 1877.
He wrote much and well on insanity and other medico-legal subjects; perhaps among the most important of his papers is "Mechanical Protection from the Violent Insane" and "True and False Experts"—a controversy with William A. Hammond (q. v.), surgeon-general, United States Army.
Dr. Grissom married, January, 1866, Maria Anna Bryan, of Brunswick, North Carolina, and had two sons and three daughters.
Dr. Grissom was a heavy man, of fine physique, tall and well-proportioned, extremely strong and active. His complexion was dark; his hair, jet black; his eyes, steel-gray, clear, and penetrating. His manner was quick and animated, except when deciding important questions. Then he became extremely slow, thoughtful, and methodical. He was a noted entertainer and converser, and made many friends. He was a man of varied interests, and widely read in history, philosophy, poetry, fiction, and in general as well as medical science and an incessant student of the Bible.
He was one of those who "toil terribly," and mental breakdown was the inevitable result. The wonder was that this came to him so late. Not long before the close of his life he presented, at times, certain symptoms of paresis. In this enfeebled mental condition he betook himself to cocaine, morphine, and various other drugs. On a Sunday morning (July 27, 1902) when the church-bells, which he had always very much loved to hear, were ringing, he died as the result of his own act. At the time he was sitting on the front porch at the house of his namesake son, in Washington, District of Columbia. Before the unsuspecting relatives could intervene the doctor had drawn a pistol, placed it to his head a little above the right ear, and fired. He was hurried to the Casualty Hospital, but died inside of an hour.