American Medical Biographies/Pope, Charles Alexander
Pope, Charles Alexander (1818–1870)
Charles A. Pope, surgeon of St. Louis, was born in Huntsville, Alabama, March 15, 1818. He was educated at Greene Academy, in his native town and at the University of Alabama, then beginning the study of law. Finding that the sedentary life of a lawyer did not suit his delicate constitution he began the study of medicine under Dr. Fearn and Dr. Erskine of Huntsville. After attending lectures at the Cincinnati Medical College under Dr. Drake, he enrolled as a student in the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania and received his degree in medicine from that institution in 1839, his thesis being "Pathology of the Arteries."
Dr. Pope went abroad and spent nearly two years, studying surgery in Paris, settling in St. Louis, Missouri, January 1, 1842. The following year he was chosen professor of anatomy and physiology in the medical department of St. Louis University. In 1841 he again visited Europe and sent from there communications to the St. Louis Medical and Surgical Journal. In 1847 he was transferred to the chair of surgery and the next year was dean of the faculty. He was visiting surgeon to the St. Louis Hospital and to the City Hospital and devoted himself exclusively to teaching and to the practice of surgery. His devotion to St. Louis University did much to build up the medical department. He had a gift of rapid, clear and concise delivery as a lecturer and left a deep impression on the minds of the students of the Mississippi Valley. His writings were not numerous, there being only seven in the catalogue of the Surgeon General's Library, his reputation resting rather on his work as a skilful surgeon and a teacher. In 1853 he was president of the American Medical Association. He died in Paris, Missouri, July 6, 1870.