James Read Chadwick (November 2, 1844 – September 23, 1905) was an American

gynecologist Gynaecology or gynecology (see American and British English spelling differences) is the area of medicine concerned with conditions affecting the female reproductive system. It is often paired with the field of obstetrics, which focuses on pre ...

and medical librarian remembered for describing the Chadwick sign of early

pregnancy Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring gestation, gestates inside a woman's uterus. A multiple birth, multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins. Conception (biology), Conception usually occurs ...

in 1887.

Early life and education

Chadwick was born in Boston on November 2, 1844. He was a son of Christopher Chamberlain Chadwick (1821–1871), a Boston merchant, and Louisa (

née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...

Read) Chadwick (1821–1913). His sister, Elizabeth (née Chadwick) Whittier, was married to Brig. Gen. Charles A. Whittier. He received a

B.A. A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree ...

Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher lear ...

in 1865, an

M.D. A Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated MD, from the Latin ) is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the ''MD'' denotes a professional degree of physician. This ge ...

from

Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is the third oldest medical school in the Un ...

in 1871, studied obstetrics in

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

from 1871 to 1873, and then worked as a gynecologist in Boston.

Career

From 1874 he worked at the

Boston City Hospital The Boston City Hospital (1864–1996), in Boston, Massachusetts, was a public hospital located in the South End. It was "intended for the use and comfort of poor patients, to whom medical care will be provided at the expense of the city, and ...

, helping to found the gynecological department, and taught at Harvard Medical School. He helped to found, and became secretary and president of the American Gynaecological Society. He was a founder of the

Boston Medical Library The Boston Medical Library, founded in 1875 in Boston, Massachusetts, was originally organized to alleviate the problem of scattered distribution of medical texts throughout Boston. It has since evolved into the "largest academic medical library ...

Association in 1875, and worked as the librarian until his death. He was voted president of the Association of Medical Librarians in 1904. He was the first president of the Harvard Medical Alumni Association in 1891. He was a supporter of women in the practice of medicine, writing a report which cited the contributions of women in medicine. A strong advocate of cremation, he was president of the Massachusetts Cremation Society from 1894 until his sudden death in 1905.James Read Chadwick. In Memoriam: A Brief Sketch of His Life. ''Medical Library and Historical Journal''. 1906 March; 4(1): 112.2–114
Full text
Accessed on 24 March 2009. He contributed many articles on his specialty to the ''Transactions'' of the American Gynecological Association, the '' Boston Medical and Surgical Journal'', the ''American Journal of Obstetrics'', among others.

Personal life

On May 11, 1871, Chadwick was married to Katherine Maria Lyman (1848–1889) in Boston. Maria was the daughter of Dr. George Hinckley Lyman and his wife, Maria Cornelia Ritchie Austin. Her younger brother was George H. Lyman, chairman of the Massachusetts Republican state committee and Collector of Customs for the Port of Boston, and her great-grandfather was

Elbridge Gerry Elbridge Gerry ( ; July 17, 1744 – November 23, 1814) was an American Founding Father, merchant, politician, and diplomat who served as the fifth vice president of the United States under President James Madison from 1813 until his death i ...

, a signer of the

Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another state or failed state, or are breaka ...

and

Vice President of the United States The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest ranking office in the Executive branch of the United States government, executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks f ...

(under President

James Madison James Madison (June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison was popularly acclaimed as the ...

). Together, they were the parents of three daughters and two sons, including: * Nora Chadwick (1873–1961), who married Julian Codman, a grandson of merchant

Russell Sturgis Russell Sturgis (; October 16, 1836 – February 11, 1909) was an American architect and art critic of the 19th and early 20th centuries. He was one of the founders of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1870. Sturgis was born in Baltimore Count ...

and nephew of architect

John Hubbard Sturgis John Hubbard Sturgis (August 5, 1834 – February 14, 1888)Boit, Robert Apthorp p. 207 was an American architect and builder who was active in the New England area during the late 19th century. His most prominent works included Codman House, Lin ...

. * Margaret Chadwick * Elizabeth Lyman "Bessie" Chadwick (1875–1912), who married Douglas H. Thomas (1872–1915) in 1901. * James Read Chadwick Jr. (1877–1879), who died young. * Elbridge Gerry Chadwick (1881–1945), who married Dorothy Curtis Jordan, a granddaughter of

Eben Dyer Jordan Eben Dyer Jordan Sr. (October 13, 1822 − November 15, 1895) was an American business executive, best remembered as the co-founder of the department store chain Jordan, Marsh & Co. with Benjamin L. Marsh in 1841. Early life Jordan was born in ...

(co-founder of the department store chain

Jordan Marsh Jordan Marsh was an American department store chain founded in 1841 by Eben Dyer Jordan and Benjamin L. Marsh. It was headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, and operated throughout New England. The destruction of the historical flagship store o ...

). His wife died on July 13, 1889, in

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. Chadwick died from a fall from a piazza roof at his summer home in

Chocorua, New Hampshire Chocorua is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community within the New England town, town of Tamworth, New Hampshire, Tamworth in Carroll County, New Hampshire, Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. It is located in the general area ...

, on September 23, 1905. He was buried at

Mount Auburn Cemetery Mount Auburn Cemetery, located in Cambridge and Watertown, Massachusetts, is the first rural or garden cemetery in the United States. It is the burial site of many prominent Boston Brahmins, and is a National Historic Landmark. Dedicated in ...

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Chadwick, James Read 1844 births 1905 deaths American gynecologists Librarians from Massachusetts Harvard Medical School alumni