Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 December 1903 — DR. WASHBURN DEAD. [ARTICLE]

DR. WASHBURN DEAD.

Carelessness of Chicago burgeons Is Cause—Had Left Forceps In Body From Former Operation. Rensselaer people were shocked Saturday morning to learn that Dr. I. B. Washburn had died the night before at Valparaiso, where ho had the day previous underwent a surgical operation at the private hospital of Dr. Loring. The doctor had attended the meeting of the Kankakee Valley Medical Association at Hammond and from there accompanied Dr. Loring, an old friend of his, to Valparaiso to be operated on. Dr. Washburn underwent two operations, about two and three years ago, respectively, at the Presbyterian hospital in Chicago, for what proved t4be an ailment of the liver. He recovered from these operations except for the past year he had complained of considerable pain id the region of the back, and later this shifted to the front of the body and an abscess formed fallow and to one side of the W 1 * This abcess .refused to heal and it was for 'the purpose of determining the nature of the trouble that the operation Turediy was determined upon. The operation developed the fact that a pair of steel forceps, some 5$ inches long and two inohes wide, such as are used by surgeons in catching up arteries, had been left in his body from the former operation at Chioago, and had imbedded themselves in the tissues of the liver and had caused all his trouble and suffering of the past year or more. But for this he would probably have been a well man and alive to-day. The forceps were considerably corroded from their long presence in the doctor’s body. He is said to have rallied from the operation but the shock in his weakened state was too great, and about 7 o’clock Friday evening he passed away. The remains were brought here on the 10:55 a. m., train Saturday and brief funeral service was held Sunday afternoon from the Christian church, by Revs. Elam of this city and A. L. Ward of Arcadia, a former pastor of the church here, after which those who desired to see the remains repaired to the residence and took a farewell look at their neighbor, friend and family doctor. The interment was in Weston cemetery and was in charge of Rensselaer Post No. 84, G. A. R., and the I. O. O. F. of which orders deceased was an honored member. [Dr. Israel B. Washburn was born July 9, 1838, near Royal Center, Cass county, Indiana; died Dec. u, 1903, aged 66 years, 4 months and 2 days. He was the oldest son of Moses L. Washburn, and the grandson of Isaac Washburn, who located in Indiana in 1835. Another ancestor is Col. Emanuel Washburn, who fought under Braddock and Washington at that terrible defeat near where Pittsburg, Pa., now is, in the French and Indian war.

He was brought up on a farm, educated in the country schools, in a seminary at Logansport, and took a scientific course in Franklin college. - He graduated at Rush Medical College, Chicago, at the age of 22, and soon after enlisted as a private in the 46th Indiana regiment, and served three years. He was soon made an assistant surgeon, and later promoted to be the surgeon of the regiment. He was married July 5, 1864, while still in the country’s service, to Miss Martha A. Moore, who survives him, as do also four of the eight children born to them, namely: Mary S. Washburn of Chicago, Warren W. of Goodland, Dr. Ira M. and Helena E. of Rensselaer, all of adult age. The four that preceeded him in death were Lulu May Hawkins, born May 15, 1865, died in 1891; Essie Augusta, bom Aug. 18, 1869, died Oct. 11, 1871; Ellis Moore, born Jan. 9, 1876, died Aug. 2, 1876; Donald, born Nov. 11, 1885, died Jan. 18, 1888. At the close of the war he located at Star City, Pulaski county, in the practice of his profession. In 1870, he represented Jasper, Pulaski and White counties in the state legislature. He later practiced medicine and also conducted a drug store in Logausport. In 1877 he moved to Rensselaer, and was a continuous resident here until bis death. While a resident here he has served as county treasurer, as county health officer, town councilman and member and first president of the county council.]