Albert Vander Veer
Encyclopedia
Albert Vander Veer was a pioneering American
surgeon
, credited with performing the first thyroidectomy
.
, the son of Abraham Harris Vander Veer and Sarah Martin. After attending Union Free School, Palatine
, and the Canajoharie Academy, he began to study medicine under the direction of Dr. Simeon Snow, of Currytown, New York, and later under Dr. John Swinburne, a physician and surgeon of renown in Albany
.
In 1861 he attended a full course of lectures at Albany Medical College
, and in 1862 a second course at the National Medical College
, medical department, Columbian University, now the George Washington University
, from which he was graduated on December 23, 1862.
In May 1862, he enlisted in the United States Medical Corps, one of the original One Hundred Medical Cadets called to service by the Surgeon General of the United States
army, they having studied medicine two years and attended one full course of lectures and passing a satisfactory examination, to act as interns in the military hospitals. After taking the examination he was assigned to Columbia College Hospital, and was soon informed by Dr. Crosby, surgeon-in-charge, that if they (he and two or three other cadets) would arise early and attend to all their dressings they could have from 2 to 8 in which to attend lectures, graduate, and get their diplomas.
After passing a New York state examination he was commissioned in December, 1862, assistant surgeon of the Sixty-sixth Regiment New York Volunteers, and ordered to join his regiment at Falmouth, Virginia
. Soon after he was detailed as assistant to one of the chief operators at brigade hospital, Third Brigade, First Division, Second Army Corps, Army of the Potomac. In June 1864, on the recommendation of every officer in the regiment, he was appointed by Surgeon-General Quackenbush and New York Governor
Horatio Seymour
, surgeon in charge of the regiment, with the rank of major. Soon after he was appointed one of the surgeons of the First Division Hospital, Second Army Corps, and placed in charge of an operating table. Here he gained his first actual experience in operative surgery that was henceforth to be his specialty. He was with his regiment in all their battles after the first Fredericksburg
except Ream's Station, when ill, up to the surrender at Appomattox. At that historic event he had the pleasure of witnessing the meeting between General Ulysses S. Grant
and General Robert E. Lee
. He was mustered out of the service in September 1865.
After attending a full course of lectures at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York, he returned to Albany in May 1866 and entered upon the practice of his profession.
He served as member and president of the Albany County Medical Society, the Medical Society of the State of New York the American Association of Obstetricians
and Gynecologists
, and was a member of the American Medical Association
. He was a delegate to the International Medical Congress, held at Copenhagen
in 1884, and was elected honorary president of the Fifteenth International Medical Congress held at Lisbon
in 1906, having been appointed one of the commissioners from the United States government.
In July 1905, he was elected president of the American Surgical Association
, having been a fellow since 1882, a member of the nominating committee, of the council, and twice president. In 1909 he was appointed by the United States government delegate to the International Medical Congress meeting at Budapest
, but was unable to attend owing to the illness of his wife.
He is the author of:
as well as numerous articles in the leading medical journals at home and abroad.
In 1867 he was attending surgeon to the Albany Hospital Dispensary as assistant to Dr. Alden March; 1869, attending surgeon (with exception 1874-75, while abroad studying) until 1904, when appointed surgeon-in-chief; 1873 to 1903, attending surgeon St. Peter's Hospital; 1898 onward, attending surgeon South End Dispensary; consulting surgeon New York State Hospital for Crippled and Ruptured Children, West Haverstraw, New York
; consulting surgeon Benedictine Hospital, Kingston, New York
; consulting surgeon Champlain Valley Hospital, Plattsburgh, New York.
He always manifested the deepest interest in the Albany Medical College, where he listened to his first course of medical lectures. He filled the following important chairs in that institution: 1869-1874, chair of general and special anatomy
; 1875–1882, chair of didactic, abdominal and clinical surgery; 1882 onward, chair of surgery; dean from 1896 to 1904. Dr. Vander Veer applied in Albany the first plaster of paris jacket for curvature of the spine; performed the first Bigelow's operation for litholapaxy; first Kernochan's operation for removal of infra orbital nerve and Meckel's ganglia, reporting a number of cases.
In 1895 he was elected a regent
of the University of the State of New York
, serving for six years; then by act of legislature the board was changed, he drawing the shortest period of one year; re-elected in 1902 a third time for a full term, the first regent to be elected three times by the legislature. At the expiration of this term he was elected for a full term of twelve years, being the only instance of any regent being elected a fourth time. In 1915 he was elected vice-chancellor
of the board. On May 27, 1921, he was elected chancellor
, but by reason of impaired hearing, resigned on September 22, 1921.
He was a trustee of the National Savings Bank many years; resigning January 1, 1910; trustee of Albany Cemetery Association, and president of the Holland Society of New York. While vice-president of the latter society he, with other members of Albany, entertained the officers of the "Van Speyk" when visiting this country, received from Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
the order and decoration of Oranje Nassau. He was a life member of the New York Historical Society. Through his own military service as an officer in the Civil War
he became a companion of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion and Grand Army of the Republic
.
He was a member of Philip Livingston Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution
, the Albany Institute and Historical and Art Society, and of Albany social clubs — Fort Orange and University. In his nearly fifty years of professional life Dr. Vander Veer received proof of the esteem in which he was held by his peers:
Abraham Harris Vander Veer Sarah Martin Simeon Snow Margaret Dievendorf
(1804–1888) │ (1803–1865) (1811–1884)
└───────────┬───────────┘ └┬──────────────────────┘
│ ┌─────────┴──────────┐
│ Norman Leslie Snow │
│ (1838–1885) │
Albert Vander Veer Margaret E Snow
(1841–1929) (1845–1914)
└──────────────────────┬──────────────────────┘
┌────────────────────────────────────────┴────────────────────────────────────────┐
Charles Anson Margaret Snow Edgar Albert James Newell Albert Jr. Garrett
(1868–1883) (1869–1873) (1885–1900)
Drawn after
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
surgeon
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
, credited with performing the first thyroidectomy
Thyroidectomy
A thyroidectomy is an operation that involves the surgical removal of all or part of the thyroid gland. Surgeons often perform a thyroidectomy when a patient has thyroid cancer or some other condition of the thyroid gland...
.
Biography
He was born in Root, New YorkRoot, New York
Root is a town in Montgomery County, New York, United States. The population was 1,715 at the 2010 census.The Town of Root is in the south-central part of the county and is southwest of Amsterdam.The Erie Canal passes the north part of Root....
, the son of Abraham Harris Vander Veer and Sarah Martin. After attending Union Free School, Palatine
Palatine, New York
Palatine is a town in Montgomery County, New York, United States. The population was 3,240 at the 2010 census. The named is derived from the Palatinate in the Rhineland, the homeland of the early settlers of this region....
, and the Canajoharie Academy, he began to study medicine under the direction of Dr. Simeon Snow, of Currytown, New York, and later under Dr. John Swinburne, a physician and surgeon of renown in Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
.
In 1861 he attended a full course of lectures at Albany Medical College
Albany Medical College
Albany Medical College is a medical school located in Albany, New York, United States. It was founded in 1839 by Amos Dean, Dr. Thomas Hun and others, and is one of the oldest medical schools in the nation...
, and in 1862 a second course at the National Medical College
George Washington University Medical School
The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences was established in 1824 due to the need for doctors in the District of Columbia but formally opened its doors a year later in 1825. It is the eleventh oldest medical school in the country and the first medical school...
, medical department, Columbian University, now the George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
, from which he was graduated on December 23, 1862.
In May 1862, he enlisted in the United States Medical Corps, one of the original One Hundred Medical Cadets called to service by the Surgeon General of the United States
Surgeon General of the United States
The Surgeon General of the United States is the operational head of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and thus the leading spokesperson on matters of public health in the federal government...
army, they having studied medicine two years and attended one full course of lectures and passing a satisfactory examination, to act as interns in the military hospitals. After taking the examination he was assigned to Columbia College Hospital, and was soon informed by Dr. Crosby, surgeon-in-charge, that if they (he and two or three other cadets) would arise early and attend to all their dressings they could have from 2 to 8 in which to attend lectures, graduate, and get their diplomas.
After passing a New York state examination he was commissioned in December, 1862, assistant surgeon of the Sixty-sixth Regiment New York Volunteers, and ordered to join his regiment at Falmouth, Virginia
Falmouth, Virginia
Falmouth is an unincorporated community in Stafford County, Virginia, United States. Situated on the north bank of the Rappahannock River at the falls, the community is north of and opposite the city of Fredericksburg. Recognized by the U.S...
. Soon after he was detailed as assistant to one of the chief operators at brigade hospital, Third Brigade, First Division, Second Army Corps, Army of the Potomac. In June 1864, on the recommendation of every officer in the regiment, he was appointed by Surgeon-General Quackenbush and New York Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Horatio Seymour
Horatio Seymour
Horatio Seymour was an American politician. He was the 18th Governor of New York from 1853 to 1854 and from 1863 to 1864. He was the Democratic Party nominee for president of the United States in the presidential election of 1868, but lost the election to Republican and former Union General of...
, surgeon in charge of the regiment, with the rank of major. Soon after he was appointed one of the surgeons of the First Division Hospital, Second Army Corps, and placed in charge of an operating table. Here he gained his first actual experience in operative surgery that was henceforth to be his specialty. He was with his regiment in all their battles after the first Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
except Ream's Station, when ill, up to the surrender at Appomattox. At that historic event he had the pleasure of witnessing the meeting between General Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
and General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
. He was mustered out of the service in September 1865.
After attending a full course of lectures at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York, he returned to Albany in May 1866 and entered upon the practice of his profession.
He served as member and president of the Albany County Medical Society, the Medical Society of the State of New York the American Association of Obstetricians
Obstetrics
Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
and Gynecologists
Gynaecology
Gynaecology or gynecology is the medical practice dealing with the health of the female reproductive system . Literally, outside medicine, it means "the science of women"...
, and was a member of the American Medical Association
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
. He was a delegate to the International Medical Congress, held at Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
in 1884, and was elected honorary president of the Fifteenth International Medical Congress held at Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
in 1906, having been appointed one of the commissioners from the United States government.
In July 1905, he was elected president of the American Surgical Association
American Surgical Association
The American Surgical Association is the nation's "oldest and most prestigious surgical organization".-History:It was founded in 1880. Their publication, Annals of Surgery, was started in 1885.- Heads :*Edward Mott Moore...
, having been a fellow since 1882, a member of the nominating committee, of the council, and twice president. In 1909 he was appointed by the United States government delegate to the International Medical Congress meeting at Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, but was unable to attend owing to the illness of his wife.
He is the author of:
- "Cleft Palate and Hair Lip" in Wood's Reference Hand Book of Medical Science
- "History of General Surgery" in Encyclopedia Americana
- "Injuries and Diseases of AbdomenAbdomenIn vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...
" in International Encyclopedia of Surgery
as well as numerous articles in the leading medical journals at home and abroad.
In 1867 he was attending surgeon to the Albany Hospital Dispensary as assistant to Dr. Alden March; 1869, attending surgeon (with exception 1874-75, while abroad studying) until 1904, when appointed surgeon-in-chief; 1873 to 1903, attending surgeon St. Peter's Hospital; 1898 onward, attending surgeon South End Dispensary; consulting surgeon New York State Hospital for Crippled and Ruptured Children, West Haverstraw, New York
West Haverstraw, New York
West Haverstraw is a village in the Town of Haverstraw Rockland County, New York, United States located northwest of the Village of Haverstraw; east of Thiells; south of the Hamlet of Stony Point and west of the Hudson River. The population was 10,295 at the 2000 census...
; consulting surgeon Benedictine Hospital, Kingston, New York
Kingston, New York
Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga...
; consulting surgeon Champlain Valley Hospital, Plattsburgh, New York.
He always manifested the deepest interest in the Albany Medical College, where he listened to his first course of medical lectures. He filled the following important chairs in that institution: 1869-1874, chair of general and special anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
; 1875–1882, chair of didactic, abdominal and clinical surgery; 1882 onward, chair of surgery; dean from 1896 to 1904. Dr. Vander Veer applied in Albany the first plaster of paris jacket for curvature of the spine; performed the first Bigelow's operation for litholapaxy; first Kernochan's operation for removal of infra orbital nerve and Meckel's ganglia, reporting a number of cases.
In 1895 he was elected a regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of the University of the State of New York
University of the State of New York
The University of the State of New York is the State of New York's governmental umbrella organization responsible for most institutions and people in any way connected with formal educational functions, public and private, in New York State...
, serving for six years; then by act of legislature the board was changed, he drawing the shortest period of one year; re-elected in 1902 a third time for a full term, the first regent to be elected three times by the legislature. At the expiration of this term he was elected for a full term of twelve years, being the only instance of any regent being elected a fourth time. In 1915 he was elected vice-chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
of the board. On May 27, 1921, he was elected chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
, but by reason of impaired hearing, resigned on September 22, 1921.
He was a trustee of the National Savings Bank many years; resigning January 1, 1910; trustee of Albany Cemetery Association, and president of the Holland Society of New York. While vice-president of the latter society he, with other members of Albany, entertained the officers of the "Van Speyk" when visiting this country, received from Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
Wilhelmina was Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 1890 to 1948. She ruled the Netherlands for fifty-eight years, longer than any other Dutch monarch. Her reign saw World War I and World War II, the economic crisis of 1933, and the decline of the Netherlands as a major colonial...
the order and decoration of Oranje Nassau. He was a life member of the New York Historical Society. Through his own military service as an officer in the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
he became a companion of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion and Grand Army of the Republic
Grand Army of the Republic
The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died...
.
He was a member of Philip Livingston Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution
Sons of the American Revolution
The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution is a Louisville, Kentucky-based fraternal organization in the United States...
, the Albany Institute and Historical and Art Society, and of Albany social clubs — Fort Orange and University. In his nearly fifty years of professional life Dr. Vander Veer received proof of the esteem in which he was held by his peers:
- Albany Medical CollegeAlbany Medical CollegeAlbany Medical College is a medical school located in Albany, New York, United States. It was founded in 1839 by Amos Dean, Dr. Thomas Hun and others, and is one of the oldest medical schools in the nation...
conferred an honorary degree of M.D. - Williams and Hamilton College conferred an A.M. (1882)
- Union CollegeUnion CollegeUnion College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
(now University) Ph.D. (1883) - Columbian University (now George Washington UniversityGeorge Washington UniversityThe George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
, Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
) in 1904 conferred LL.D.
Marriage/family
He married Margaret E. Snow (September 1845 – March 24, 1914) on June 5, 1867, a daughter of Dr. Simeon Snow and Mrs. Margaret Dievendorf Snow. They had six children, three of whom survived into adulthood and became doctors. His brother-in-law, Norman Snow, was also a doctor.Abraham Harris Vander Veer Sarah Martin Simeon Snow Margaret Dievendorf
(1804–1888) │ (1803–1865) (1811–1884)
└───────────┬───────────┘ └┬──────────────────────┘
│ ┌─────────┴──────────┐
│ Norman Leslie Snow │
│ (1838–1885) │
Albert Vander Veer Margaret E Snow
(1841–1929) (1845–1914)
└──────────────────────┬──────────────────────┘
┌────────────────────────────────────────┴────────────────────────────────────────┐
Charles Anson Margaret Snow Edgar Albert James Newell Albert Jr. Garrett
(1868–1883) (1869–1873) (1885–1900)
Drawn after