Isaac Hays
Encyclopedia
Isaac Hays was an ophthalmologist, editor, and medical ethicist.
. Hays's wealthy Philadelphia family was involved in the East India trade. After earning his Bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania
in 1816, Hays briefly joined the family business, then opted to enter the Medical School of the University of Pennsylvania. Nathaniel Chapman
mentored Hays during his training, beginning a decades-long friendship and professional collaboration.
. He remained at Wills until 1854, when he resigned due to "the pressure of literary work."
During his stint at the Pennsylvania Infirmary, Hays wrote medical articles and contributed a chapter to William Potts Dewees
's textbook Practice of Medicine (1833). At Wills, Hays published the first study of noncongenital color blindness
, reported the first case of astigmatism
in America, and devised a needle-knife for cataract surgery
.
He spent fifty-two years as editor or co-editor of The American Journal of the Medical Sciences
. He joined Chapman's staff in 1820 (then called the Philadelphia Journal of Medical and Physical Sciences), became the sole editor in 1841, and upon his retirement passed the editorial duties to his son, I. Minis Hays. Hays took particular care to include ophthalmology articles (the specialty did not have its own journal until 1862) and "Hays' journal" was very well-regarded.
Hays edited American editions of various books, including Sir William Lawrence
's A Treatise on Diseases of the Eye (1843) and T. Wharton Jones's Principles and Practice of Ophthalmic Medicine and Surgery (1849), and supplemented the original material with his own.
Hays argued that his name (Saurodon
) for a New Jersey specimen should replace Richard Harlan
's Saurocephalus
, on the grounds that Harlan's 1924 description of a specimen from Iowa was inaccurate. Today, Saurodon and Saurocephalus are both genera belonging to the subfamily Saurodontinae.
In 1830, John D. Godman described a fossil specimen from Orange County, NY as a new type of elephant, dubbing it Tetracaulodon. Harlan (whom Godman disliked and had accused of plagiarism) argued it was a juvenile mastodon
. Hays took Godman's part, publishing a paper on the subject, Descriptions of the inferior maxillary bones of mastodons (1833). Across the Atlantic, Richard Owen
initially joined Godman's camp and English transplant George Featherstonhaugh
vocally subscribed to the juvenile mastodon theory, which eventually prevailed.
, serving as its first treasurer and chairman of the Committee on Publications. He is also credited with the authorship of the AMA's first Code of Ethics.
Hays was an honorary member of the American Ophthalmological Society (founded in 1864) and the first president of the Philadelphia Ophthalmological Society (1870). He took an active role in non-medical organizations, including the Academy of Natural Sciences
, the Boston Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society
, and the Franklin Institute.
Isaac and Sarah Hays had seven children: Joseph Gratz, William Dewees, Henrietta Minis, Theodore Minis, Frank, Isaac Minis, and Robert Griffin. All but Theodore and Robert survived to adulthood. Isaac Minis Hays followed in his father's footsteps, training as an ophthalmologist, writing on medical subjects, joining learned societies, and editing The American Journal of the Medical Sciences.
Isaac Hays died in 1879 during an influenza epidemic in Philadelphia. He left his first and only book, American Cyclopedia of Practical Medicine and Surgery, unfinished.
Early life and education
Isaac Hays was born on July 5, 1796, the second child and eldest son of Samuel and Richea (Gratz) Hays, and a nephew of educator and philanthropist Rebecca GratzRebecca Gratz
Rebecca Gratz was a preeminent Jewish American educator and philanthropist.Gratz was the seventh of twelve children born to Miriam Simon and Michael Gratz...
. Hays's wealthy Philadelphia family was involved in the East India trade. After earning his Bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
in 1816, Hays briefly joined the family business, then opted to enter the Medical School of the University of Pennsylvania. Nathaniel Chapman
Nathaniel Chapman
Nathaniel Chapman was a well-known early American physician.Chapman was born in Summer Hill, Fairfax County, Virginia. He received his early education in six years at the classical academy of Alexandria...
mentored Hays during his training, beginning a decades-long friendship and professional collaboration.
Ophthalmologist
Hays practiced ophthalmology for three and a half decades. Soon after graduating from the Medical School in 1820, Hays was appointed to the staff of McClellan's Institution for Diseases of the Eye and Ear. He later moved to the Pennsylvania Infirmary for Diseases of the Eye and Ear, and upon its opening in 1834 joined the staff of the Wills Hospital for the Relief of the Indigent Blind and LameWills Eye Institute
Wills Eye Institute is a non-profit eye clinic and hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was established in 1832 and is the oldest continually operating eye-care facility in the United States...
. He remained at Wills until 1854, when he resigned due to "the pressure of literary work."
During his stint at the Pennsylvania Infirmary, Hays wrote medical articles and contributed a chapter to William Potts Dewees
William Potts Dewees
William Potts Dewees was an American physician, best known for his work in obstetrics.Dewees received a Bachelor of Medicine and in 1806 an M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, where he would become Professor of Obstetrics, and Chair of Obstetrics from 1834 to 1841...
's textbook Practice of Medicine (1833). At Wills, Hays published the first study of noncongenital color blindness
Color blindness
Color blindness or color vision deficiency is the inability or decreased ability to see color, or perceive color differences, under lighting conditions when color vision is not normally impaired...
, reported the first case of astigmatism
Astigmatism (eye)
Astigmatism is an optical defect in which vision is blurred due to the inability of the optics of the eye to focus a point object into a sharp focused image on the retina. This may be due to an irregular or toric curvature of the cornea or lens. There are two types of astigmatism: regular and...
in America, and devised a needle-knife for cataract surgery
Cataract surgery
Cataract surgery is the removal of the natural lens of the eye that has developed an opacification, which is referred to as a cataract. Metabolic changes of the crystalline lens fibers over time lead to the development of the cataract and loss of transparency, causing impairment or loss of vision...
.
Editor
Hubbell deemed Hays "fitted by Nature and by training for literary work" and Hays's output would seem to confirm that judgment. More significant than his articles on medical and scientific topics, however, was his work as an editor.He spent fifty-two years as editor or co-editor of The American Journal of the Medical Sciences
The American Journal of the Medical Sciences
The American Journal of the Medical Sciences is a peer-reviewed medical journal.- History :The journal was established in 1820 as the Philadelphia Journal of the Medical and Physical Sciences by Nathaniel Chapman. A new series was started in 1825 under the editorship of Chapman along with William...
. He joined Chapman's staff in 1820 (then called the Philadelphia Journal of Medical and Physical Sciences), became the sole editor in 1841, and upon his retirement passed the editorial duties to his son, I. Minis Hays. Hays took particular care to include ophthalmology articles (the specialty did not have its own journal until 1862) and "Hays' journal" was very well-regarded.
Hays edited American editions of various books, including Sir William Lawrence
Sir William Lawrence, 1st Baronet
Sir William Lawrence, 1st Baronet FRCS FRS was an English surgeon who became President of the Royal College of Surgeons of London and Serjeant Surgeon to the Queen....
's A Treatise on Diseases of the Eye (1843) and T. Wharton Jones's Principles and Practice of Ophthalmic Medicine and Surgery (1849), and supplemented the original material with his own.
Natural Scientist
Hays was among the "extremely quarrelsome" Philadelphians who described fossil vertebrates in the 1830s and 40s.Hays argued that his name (Saurodon
Saurodon
Saurodon is an extinct genus of Ichthyodectid fish from the Cretaceous.Saurodon leanus is known to occur as early as the late Coniacian through the Santonian, in the Late Cretaceous.- Species :...
) for a New Jersey specimen should replace Richard Harlan
Richard Harlan
Richard Harlan was an American naturalist, zoologist, physicist and paleontologist....
's Saurocephalus
Saurocephalus
Saurocephalus is an extinct genus of fishes within the family Saurodontidae Cope, 1871.Members of this family were teleostean fishes restricted to the upper Cretaceous...
, on the grounds that Harlan's 1924 description of a specimen from Iowa was inaccurate. Today, Saurodon and Saurocephalus are both genera belonging to the subfamily Saurodontinae.
In 1830, John D. Godman described a fossil specimen from Orange County, NY as a new type of elephant, dubbing it Tetracaulodon. Harlan (whom Godman disliked and had accused of plagiarism) argued it was a juvenile mastodon
Mastodon
Mastodons were large tusked mammal species of the extinct genus Mammut which inhabited Asia, Africa, Europe, North America and Central America from the Oligocene through Pleistocene, 33.9 mya to 11,000 years ago. The American mastodon is the most recent and best known species of the group...
. Hays took Godman's part, publishing a paper on the subject, Descriptions of the inferior maxillary bones of mastodons (1833). Across the Atlantic, Richard Owen
Richard Owen
Sir Richard Owen, FRS KCB was an English biologist, comparative anatomist and palaeontologist.Owen is probably best remembered today for coining the word Dinosauria and for his outspoken opposition to Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection...
initially joined Godman's camp and English transplant George Featherstonhaugh
George William Featherstonhaugh
George William Featherstonhaugh FRS was a British geologist and geographer who initiated the Albany and Schenectady Railroad and was a surveyor of the Louisiana Purchase for the US Government....
vocally subscribed to the juvenile mastodon theory, which eventually prevailed.
Organizations
Hays was among the founders of the American Medical AssociationAmerican 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:...
, serving as its first treasurer and chairman of the Committee on Publications. He is also credited with the authorship of the AMA's first Code of Ethics.
Hays was an honorary member of the American Ophthalmological Society (founded in 1864) and the first president of the Philadelphia Ophthalmological Society (1870). He took an active role in non-medical organizations, including the Academy of Natural Sciences
Academy of Natural Sciences
The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, formerly Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, is the oldest natural science research institution and museum in the New World...
, the Boston Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society
American Philosophical Society
The American Philosophical Society, founded in 1743, and located in Philadelphia, Pa., is an eminent scholarly organization of international reputation, that promotes useful knowledge in the sciences and humanities through excellence in scholarly research, professional meetings, publications,...
, and the Franklin Institute.
Family
Hays married Sarah Ann Minis in Savannah on May 7, 1834. Sarah (affectionately called Sally) was the daughter of Isaac and Divinah (Cohen) Minis. An old Savannah family, the Minises were among forty-one Jewish settlers who departed England in 1733 and Philip Minis (Sarah's paternal grandfather) had the distinction of being the first white child born in Georgia.Isaac and Sarah Hays had seven children: Joseph Gratz, William Dewees, Henrietta Minis, Theodore Minis, Frank, Isaac Minis, and Robert Griffin. All but Theodore and Robert survived to adulthood. Isaac Minis Hays followed in his father's footsteps, training as an ophthalmologist, writing on medical subjects, joining learned societies, and editing The American Journal of the Medical Sciences.
Isaac Hays died in 1879 during an influenza epidemic in Philadelphia. He left his first and only book, American Cyclopedia of Practical Medicine and Surgery, unfinished.