GEORGE BANCROFT. 355 



Rice, abolished the corrupt and inefficient coroners' system, and 

 substituted therefor a carefully selected corps of skilled medical 

 examiners, appointed by the Governor for a long term, and, hap- 

 pily, continued in office in most instances by reappointment; 

 so that the State, the judicial authorities, and the people retain 

 the advantage of experience as well as of ability in these chosen 

 experts. No event in our time has contributed so largely to the 

 honor of medicine and to the safety of the community as the crea- 

 tion of this body of skilled and trained officials, which has worked 

 so intelligently and faithfully for the promotion of justice in the 

 protection of the innocent and the disclosure of guilt. Great 

 credit was due the Governor for his just appreciation of the im- 

 portance of the proposed innovation, and for his judicious selection 

 of the appointees, on which its success would so largely dej^end. 

 Dr. Hosmer was appointed Medical Examiner for the District of 

 Middlesex County, in which he resided ; and upon the organiza- 

 tion of the Massachusetts Medical Legal Society, composed of the 

 seventy or more Examiners of the Districts of the Commonwealth, 

 he was elected its first President, and by his zeal and executive 

 ability greatly promoted the triumphant issue of this eventful 

 experiment. Thanks to the high character and talents of Dr. 

 Hosmer and his associate examiners, Legal Medicine has been re- 

 created in Massachusetts, and the new system has been adopted 

 in other States, as a long desired efficient auxiliary of public 

 justice. 



On the 29th of December, 1888, in returning from professional 

 visits. Dr. Hosmer had an attack of cerebral hemorrhage. From 

 this he largely recovered, although he continued to have some dis- 

 ability to find the desired words when conversing; but on May 14, 

 1891, after a few days' illness, he suddenly expired from rupture 

 of the thoracic aorta, which, as well as the entire arterial system, 

 was found at the autopsy to be extensively degenerated. 



ASSOCIATE FELLOWS. 



GEORGE BANCROFT. 



George Bancroft was born at Worcester, October 3, 1800. 

 He was the son of Aaron and Lucretia (Chandler) Bancroft. His 

 father was the leading clergyman of the Unitarian denomination 



