"On asking Dr. Batchelder (then eighty-one years of age), if he had to
live over his eventful life, if he would again be a doctor, he replied,--
"Yes, sir;" most positively.
Dr. Hosack's favorite branch of practice has been general surgery. On
asking him the question if he would again be a surgeon, his reply was
condensed into a comprehensive
"Never!"
Dr. Hosack was present as examining physician to Colt, who committed
suicide in the city prison. It is believed to this day, in certain
circles, that Colt escaped, leaving another body smuggled into prison over
night to represent him. The writer was induced once in Hartford to believe
this to be true, as persons stated that they had really seen Colt in
California. Dr. Hosack's testimony makes the case clear. Colt did not
escape. "It seems that when the prisoner found, at the last moment, that
there was neither possibility of escaping nor the least probability of a
reprieve, he induced some friend to send him a coffee-pot of hot coffee in
which the dagger was concealed, and which he drove into his heart even
_beyond the handle_."
Dr. Hosack (Alex. Eddy) was also physician to Aaron Burr.
[Illustration: FRANKLIN'S EXPERIMENTS WITH ETHER.]
"Do you never experience any contrition, at times, for the deed?" (viz.,
shooting Hamilton), asked Dr. H. of his patient.
"No, sir; I could not regret it. Twice he crossed my path. He brought it
upon himself," was Burr's reply.
Mrs. H., the doctor's mother, not unfrequently took tea and played chess
of an evening with Benjamin Franklin. Franklin was a funny old gentleman.
He used to amuse himself by giving ether to the children of the
neighborhood and letting them out under its influence to laugh at their
fellow-playmates.