It would seem that he had remarkable power in physiognomic and phrenologic delineations. He was often consulted by parents, as an oracle, to advise them with their children. Phrenology was then in its stage of scientific curiosity, and his skill was several times put to the test in regard to convicts in prison. He passed these experiments very successfully. When visiting the penitentiary in Georgia a prisoner was submitted to his inspection. He declared the man to be of a timid disposition, with the moral nature well developed, and that he possessed a high sense of character. After the prisoner had been removed from the room the officers told Mr. Anton that the man had been convicted of murder, but that later evidence had been obtained showing him to be innocent.

On his arrival at New Orleans Mr. Anton engaged a passage for Scotland to visit his mother. He had borne away her confidence as well as her blessing, and thus far had fully justified her predictions. There was no repenting prodigal returning for the meager pittance of a minion, but a grateful son returning, to whom she could give the maternal welcome with exultation that he was achieving the career that she had promised.

"Professor Anton," as he was now styled, made the tour of the Highlands, visiting the principal cities. He also waited upon George Combe, the distinguished author and phrenologist, who gave him a flattering reception. He was conducted through the museum of the Phrenological Society, in which were collected skulls, busts and likenesses of individuals of all races and countries, from the most depraved and degraded idiots and criminals up to persons of the highest character and development. The correspondence of cach individual's history and physical conformation was most remarkable; and Mr. Anton felt that he had been abundantly repaid for all his expense and trouble.

He next visited England, and finally sailed from Liverpool to New Orleans. Fixed in his faith of phrenology, he insisted upon an examination of the head of the captain of the vessel before he would engage a passage. It proved a crucial test. The voyage was protracted and full of peril. The vessel had been becalmed when coming out, prolonging the time to six weeks; and now the return journey was extended by storms, which carried the ship

out of its course, to a similar period. One day the vessel was scudding six miles an hour, apparently at the mercy of the tempest. The captain asked his passenger whether he still had confidence in his seamanship.

"I have all that I ever had," was the answer.

The result justified the expectation. Other vessels were damaged during the storm and lost men overboard, but that ship rode into port uninjured with all the crew and passengers.

The next five years were chiefly spent in the Southern States. He went from place to place lecturing, and was everywhere well received. He became familiar with the leading public men, and studied carefully the social condition of the different classes. His health was now firmly established, and he proceeded to engage, as he had long contemplated, in professional life.

In the spring of 1852 he married Miss Rebecca Van Cleve, of Wayne county, Ohio, and the two became students the next winter and attended lectures at the Eclectic Medical Institute of Cincinnati. Dr. Joseph R. Buchanan was then dean and the representative man of the institution. Dr. Anton received his degree at the close of the term; but Mrs. Anton did not till a later period, and afterward attended a course at the Eclectic Medical College of the City of New York, taking its degree in 1877. Matters at Cincinnati were at that time in a disturbed condition, and much scandal and bitter feeling were predominant.

The Doctors Anton spent a year in travel, and then established their home at Russellville, in Illinois. It was the period of violent controversy between the Old School and Thomsonian physicians. Each party was vehement in the traducing of the other. The appearance of an Eclectic in the field seemed, however, to bring the belligerents to an agreement. "That same day Pilate and Herod were made friends." They united their efforts to drive Dr. Anton from the region. He quietly let them do all the quarrelling. The fact transpired that he was employing novel procedures with his patients. He administered water freely, let them have free access to fresh air, allowed good food, and required bathing. The physicians vociferously denounced this as malpractice, and even the patients were hard to convince that they might recover without the usual tortures of bleeding, thirst, blistering

and salivation. But they recovered in vastly greater numbers than had been the case; and that, too, without the common sequellæ of ulcerated legs and chronic ailments. Thus the new practice triumphed.

Once a Thomsonian physician consulted him. Various advisers, one of them an Old-School practitioner, had dealt with the case. Dr. Anton required a change of diet, and that the patient's sleeping apartment, which was directly over a damp cellar, should be abandoned for another that was dry and exposed to the sun. To his latest day Dr. Anton insisted strongly on these points. Gentle medication was sufficient. The man promptly acknowledged his ability.

"I had supposed that I knew how to cure disease by medicine alone," said he; "but your methods are better. I am old, and will quit practice and attend to my farm. You may have my saddle-bags."

Four years later, however, Dr. Anton removed to Patoka, in Indiana. The region was "malarious," and he found abundant employment. The roads, however, were always bad, often overflowed, and almost impassable, making the condition of things intolerable. He removed the next year, 1859, transferring his residence to Lebanon, Ohio. It was a temeritous venture. The city abounded with practitioners, who had lived there many years and were of the strictest 66 regularity."

When it was learned that Dr. Anton was an Eclectic, rejecting Mercury and blood-letting, they all with one accord vehemently denounced his procedures by their favorite slang epithet"quackery." This served him as well as the best advertising, and his practice soon became as remunerative as that of any of his rivals. Several tried the experiment of underbidding him in charges, but without success. The matter was taken into politics, and the effort made to defeat several of his patrons who were candidates for office. He was proclaimed a sceptic in religion, and many were displeased at his activity in behalf of temperance. All these things came to nought. Dr. Anton stood deservedly high as a physician; his reputation for skill was generally admitted, and his character as a man was without a blemish. rivals were constrained to acknowledge this, and in due time the

His

jealousy and animosity entertained toward him appear to have ceased.

Dr. Anton was never an Eclectic from motives of policy. It was with him a matter of conviction. Considerations of high interest never made him swerve. He was always consistent in his actions. He was himself honest, and he loved honest men. Believing in the importance of organization for the prosperity of the Eclectic school of medicine, he united promptly with all the societies, local, state and national. He joined the Indiana Eclectic Medical Association in 1858, when it was formed. On removing into Ohio he united with the Miami Valley Eclectic Medical Society, and became its president. He also affiliated with the present Ohio State Eclectic Medical Association at its first meeting; and in 1872 he joined the National Eclectic Medical Association. In 1875 he was elected treasurer of the latter body at Springfield, in Illinois, and the duty was imposed upon him to provide for the next meeting at the City of Washington. It was a critical period in the history of that body, and its dissolution was contemplated. A few true men were left, and the association lived anew.

Dr. Anton continued as treasurer till 1891, when his peremptory resignation, enforced by bodily infirmity, virtually obliged the choosing of a successor. The association then dismissed him with the following testimonial:

Resolved, That JAMES ANTON, M.D., for sixteen years the treasurer of this National Association, has won our heartiest esteem for his energy, zealous performance of his duties, his hearty interest in the Eclectic cause, his patience and unswerving probity; that we miss his presence as a characteristic figure at our meetings; and that we now assure him that so long as he may live his name will be held in grateful and affectionate memory by his fellow-members of this Association.

The full meaning of this resolution will be readily appreciated by the men then in the habit of attending the annual meetings. The gleaming eye, the prominent features and expressive countenance of the "darksome man" who presided at the exchequer, fixed the sense of his individuality too deeply to permit him to be soon lost out of mind. The impression was always made a pleasant one by his jocund manner and unfailing courtesy, tempered

by his vivid sentiment of right. Whoever transacted business with him must be very morose or cold-hearted not to be afterward his candid friend. He was a typical Eclectic.

The latter years of his life were marked by additional infirmity. In 1880 he contracted erysipelas from a patient, and only his previous good habits, strong physical constitution and indomitable Scotch willfulness enabled him to resist the dangerous illness which supervened. The fingers of the right hand became ankylosed, and only by persisting in the use of them did he become able to wield a pen. Locomotion was also rendered more difficult. He had never walked except with a crutch and staff, but before this he had hardly seemed to himself as actually crippled. Again, in June, 1887, he had the misfortune, when leaving the breakfast-table, to fall from his chair. This time his right leg, which had been his mainstay, was broken. He ceased from this time to go out, except on errands of business, and then only in his own city. In 1892 he addressed a letter to the writer, remarking that he had voted for President probably for the last time. He had been for some time suffering from paralysis. He lingered on, however, apparently gaining ground a little and then losing, but with the inevitable end before him.

We continued to exchange letters with the stalwart veteran so long as he was able to reply to them. He was cared for assiduously by his most faithful daughter, who spared no effort or sacrifice for his comfort or enjoyment. Some who read this may remember her as she sat by him at the meetings of the National Association, attending to his work and helping in other respects, for no other remuneration but thanks. getic and persevering, she dropped all for these many years to perform the pious offices of a child.

Herself ambitious, ener

If this were the proper

place, a greater praise should be awarded her.

For the year past the general breaking-up became more distinctly marked. He lingered through a tedious spring; then the paralyzed limbs exhausted the energy that remained. As October arrived he was weaker still, and on the 11th became unable to leave his bed. Before he had found solace in reading, for he could not hold discourse; this was now denied him. His suffering became intense, wearing out both himself and his attendants.