Obituary

Abstract

On May 9th, John Meyer, M.D. Heidelberg, F.R.C.P. Lond., Superintendent of Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum. Dr. Meyer was born in the year 1814, at Norwood, near London. He studied medicine at Heidelberg, where he graduated M.D. in 1886, and after a short residence in England, he left this country for Australia. In 1844 he was appointed Colonial Surgeon, and shortly after this he was placed in charge of the Hospital and Convict Lunatic Asylum at New Norfolk, in Tasmania. Returning to England on leave of absence during the Crimean war he was employed by the Government on matters connected with the hospital arrangements necessitated by that war, and eventually he was placed in charge of the Civil Hospital established in Smyrna, where he remained until the conclusion of hostilities. In 1858 he was appointed Chief Resident Physician of the Surrey County Lunatic Asylum, and on the establishment of the Criminal Asylum at Broadmoor, he was in 1862 appointed its superintendent. In the spring of 1866 he received from a patient a severe injury over the left temple, and from the effects of this injury he never completely rallied. A rapid journey on May 3rd to the West of England, undertaken at a moment's notice, in consequence of the sudden illness of a near relative, still further enfeebled a constitution already much shaken Symptoms which were considered to be the precursors of an attack of fever shewed themselves on the day after this journey, and although on Saturday, May 7th, the attempt to return home was made, Dr. Meyer was unable to proceed farther than Exeter. There he received the kindest attention from Dr. Drake and Mr. Cumming, of that city, but throughout Sunday life slowly ebbed, and on Monday morning, May 9th, far away from home and family, he breathed his last.