John Ordronaux (doctor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Ordronaux
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| Born | August 3, 1830 New York City, United States
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| Died | January 20, 1908 (aged 77) Roslyn, New York, United States
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| Citizenship | American |
| Alma mater | Dartmouth College Harvard Law School National Medical School |
| Occupation | U.S. Army surgeon, Professor of medical jurisprudence, mental health Commissioner |
| Employer | Columbia Law School Dartmouth College The University of Vermont Boston University U.S. Army New York State |
| Known for | Expertise in medical jurisprudence, mental healthcare, United States constitutional law. Civil War surgery, donating $1 million to charity |
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John Ordronaux (born August 3, 1830 – died January 20, 1908) was an important American. He was an army surgeon during the American Civil War. He also taught about medical law and was a leader in mental health care. John Ordronaux was also very generous. He gave a lot of money to universities.
Between 1859 and 1901, he wrote many books and articles. These covered topics like American history, military medicine, medical law, and mental health. When he died, he left a large amount of money. He donated much of it to several US universities and other groups.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Ordronaux was born in New York City on August 3, 1830. He was the only son of Captain John Ordronaux. His father was a famous privateer during the War of 1812. His mother was Jean Marie Elizabeth Ordronaux.
John Ordronaux went to several top universities. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1850. Then he went to Harvard Law School and finished in 1852. Finally, he graduated from the National Medical School in 1859.
In 1859, he published his first book. It was about the life of Rev. Zachariah Greene. Greene had fought in the American Revolution at age seventeen. In 1860, Ordronaux became a professor. He taught medical law at Columbia Law School until 1887. He also taught at Dartmouth College, The University of Vermont, and Boston University.
Serving in the Civil War
During the American Civil War, John Ordronaux was an army surgeon. He was stationed in New York. He also advised the military on medical matters. Between 1861 and 1863, he wrote two textbooks. These books were about keeping armies healthy. He also wrote a guide for examining new recruits.
In one of his guides, he wrote about the importance of health in armies. He said that everyone, not just surgeons, must help keep soldiers healthy. Officers and soldiers needed to understand basic health rules. This would help them prevent diseases. He wrote his manual to give them this important information.
In 1863, he wrote a historical paper in French. It was about trade and politics between the Roman Empire and Asian countries. In 1864, he wrote another report. This one was about pensions for wounded soldiers. It suggested ways to help disabled soldiers affordably.
After the War: Medical Law and History
After the war, Ordronaux returned to Columbia Law School. He continued his writing. Between 1867 and 1871, he wrote a book on preventing diseases. He also wrote two textbooks on medical law.
He also translated an old Latin medical text into English poetry. This text was from the Scuola Medica Salernitana. This school in Salerno, Italy, was a very important medical school. Ordronaux wanted to make an accurate translation. He did this to honor past medical professionals. He believed the original text was very important. He said it was like a "medical Bible" for Western Europe for many years.
Improving Mental Health Care
John Ordronaux became very interested in mental health. From 1872 to 1882, he was part of the New York State Commission in Lunacy. This group worked on mental health issues. He wrote two books on the topic.
In one book, he talked about a new mental hospital. He explained that mental health affects people's rights. He wanted to gather all the laws about mental illness into one book. This would help courts make fair decisions. He believed that understanding mental health was key to understanding human responsibility.
Ordronaux's work as a Commissioner was often in the news. In 1875, he helped decide if a man accused of murder was insane. In 1876, he found that a mental asylum was being poorly managed. He also investigated complaints from patients. He found that staff were treating patients badly. He recommended that the staff be fired. His strong opinions sometimes made him unpopular. In 1882, there was a debate about his salary.
Understanding the U.S. Constitution
Ordronaux's work on New York State law led him to study how it connected with Federal law. In 1891, he published a very important book. It was about the powers of the U.S. Congress and State legislatures. This book was over 600 pages long.
In his book, Ordronaux wanted to explain how laws work in the United States. He focused on the powers of the Federal and State governments. He said that the U.S. Constitution is like a "political grammar." All laws must follow its rules to be valid. He believed that understanding the Constitution was key to understanding American government.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1898, Ordronaux wrote a biography of Leonice Sampson Moulton. She was born in 1811 and was a descendant of the original Mayflower settlers. She went on a secret mission to Argentina. She was to find out about a dispute over the Falkland Islands. Ordronaux found her detailed diary very interesting.
On June 27, 1901, Ordronaux spoke to students at The University of Vermont. He talked about how much the world had changed. He noted how science, industry, education, and trade had grown. He also mentioned that the United States had added nine new states. He spoke about how the U.S. Constitution had been strengthened. He even noted that the name "United States" had changed meaning. It now meant one nation, not just a group of states.
John Ordronaux died on January 20, 1908, at his home in Roslyn, New York. He died from a stroke. His estate was first thought to be worth about $1,000,000. He left a lot of this money to hospitals, universities, and churches. This included $30,000 to Dartmouth College. He also gave $10,000 each to Trinity College, The University of Vermont, and the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island. Later, it was reported that his total estate was worth over $2,757,000. Most of this money went to his three surviving sisters.
