American Medical Biographies/Mussey, Reuben Dimond
Mussey, Reuben Dimond (1780–1866)
As a surgeon some of Mussey's surgical exploits have become historical and gained approval not only in the United States, but in Europe. The ligature of both carotids in the same patient for the cure of an immense nevus in the scalp, also removal of the scapula with a portion of the clavicle after previous amputation at the shoulder-joint were achievements of a high order. He also antedated Sims in the successful surgical treatment of vesico-vaginal fistula and performed lithotomy forty-nine times with four deaths.
The son of Dr. John Mussey, of Pelham Township, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, he was born June 23, 1780. The story of his youth resembled that of many other doctors, short means, long hours of work on a farm or in teaching to get money for tuition fees, and a brave uphill fight through Amherst, New Hampshire, academy into the junior class at Dartmouth College, whence he graduated in 1803, and studied medicine under Dr. Nathan Smith (q. v.) He took his M. B. in 1805, and in the same year began practice in Ipswich, now a part of Essex, Massachusetts, but after three years went on to his M. D. (University of Pennsylvania) in 1809, receiving also an M. D. from Dartmouth in 1812. While in Ipswich he married Miss Sewall, who survived the marriage only three years. On his return from Philadelphia he settled in Salem, Massachusetts, and in his six years there attained a large practice, chiefly obstetrical, but he had already distinguished himself as a surgeon, and from 1812 to 1838 held the chair of anatomy and surgery and in 1814 also the chair of medical theory and practice at Dartmouth. He was professor of anatomy and surgery at Bowdoin College from 1831 to 1835, and the next year lectured at the Fairfield (N. Y.) Medical College. From three professorships offered him in 1837 he accepted that of the Medical College of Ohio at Cincinnati and lectured there fourteen years. When the Miami Medical College, founded by him, was opened he lectured on surgery there for six years, resigning in 1857 and going to Boston, where he spent the remainder of his life and died on June 21, 1866. His second wife was Hetty, daughter of Dr. Osgood, army surgeon. Besides some daughters he had four sons—Charles, Reuben B., Francis B., and William H. (q. v.), the last two becoming physicians.
As a man of science he was diligent and deliberate with the most conscientious attention to details. As an operator he was slow and cautious and according to Samuel Gross admitted the human side by praying with and for his patients. He was at issue with Benjamin Rush concerning the non-absorptiveness of the skin and to prove his theory immersed himself in a strong solution of madder for three hours. He had the satisfaction of detecting madder in the urine for two days, the addition of an alcohol rendering it red. But this bold experimenter nearly killed himself in trying to see whether he could not pass ink by immersing himself in a solution of nutgall and subsequently in sulphate of iron. In 1830 and before that Sir Astley Cooper had taught there could be no union after intracapsular fracture, so Mussey set out for England with a specimen showing such a possibility.
Harvard gave him her Hon. A. M. in 1806 and Dartmouth her LL. D. in 1854. Dr. Mussey was president of the New Hampshire Medical Society from 1824 to 1834.
He was fond of music and played on the bass viol and on one occasion played to the New Hampshire Medical Society.
His valuable library is now in the Cincinnati Public Library. His writings included: "Experiments and Observations on Cutaneous Absorption," Philadelphia, 1809; "Animalcula in the Atmosphere of Cholera," Cincinnati, 1849; "Aneurysmal Tumours on the Ear Successfully Treated by Ligation of both Carotids," 1853, and various pamphlets on the subjects of "Drink and Tobacco."