went
hand in hand. Fearless and original, ready in expedients and ingenious
in their use, he observed, he resolved, and he acted.

"In the first year of his study he accompanied his father to a
consultation in the case of a man whose leg had been frozen, and whose
condition was most critical. It was agreed by the older physicians
that amputation at an earlier stage might have saved the patient's
life, but that it was now too late to attempt it. Young Crosby urged
that the operation be performed, but the elders shook their heads. He
even proposed to attempt it himself; but this was received with a
storm of disapproval, in which even his father joined, and the thing
was pronounced impossible. The doctors then departed, leaving the
student to watch with the patient during the few hours which
apparently remained of life. During the night young Crosby succeeded
in reviving the courage of the man to make a last effort for life. The
limb was removed, and the man recovered.

"His second year of study developed still further the growing
resources of the young surgeon. Upon one occasion both father and son,
while visiting a patient at night, in a distant village, were suddenly
called to a case of extensive laceration of the leg, with profuse
hemorrhage. The case was urgent, and the patient was sinking. No
instruments were at hand. He called for a carving-knife, which he
sharpened on a grindstone and finished on a razor-strap, filed a
hand-saw, amputated the limb, dressed the stump, left the patient in
safety, and drove home with his father to breakfast. The man
recovered.

"Before a nature so fearless, and so fertile in expedients, obstacles
speedily vanish, and young Crosby found himself in possession of a
large and responsible practice, even before taking his medical degree,
and at the early age of twenty-three years. The following year (1824)
he graduated in Medicine at Dartmouth (having passed his examination
in November preceding), and for ten years remained in Gilmanton, in
practice with his father. He then removed to Meredith Bridge, now
Laconia, N. H., where he practiced for three years; and in 1838 was
called to the chair of Surgery in Dartmouth College, then recently
made vacant by the resignation of the late Dr. Mussey. In this field
Dr. Crosby found at once full exercise for all his large resources of
head and heart and hand. As an instructor he was clear, direct, and
definite,--imparting, to his pupils his own ze