Sacramento
County
Biographies
JOSEPH MILLER FREY, M.D.
(1818-1888)
Dr. J. M. Frey, charter member of the
Sacramento Society for Medical Improvement, is historically honored, having
been the first member to present an original paper before that medical
group. “What connection exists between
Diphtheria, Erysipelas and Scarlet Fever as Epidemics, both as regards the
causes of the disease, its treatment, and its modification by Malaria,” was the
subject chosen. The Doctor suggested 'a
close relation between the causes of the series of different phenomena to which
Nosologists have given the names of diphtheria,
erysipelas and scarlet fever. Taking a
case of the most complete saturation of the system with the septic poison as a typical
case (where the result was quickly fatal), he intimated that if the patient
survived the violence of the first portion of the attack it was possible that
some cause might produce the rash of scarlet fever or erysipelas or sore
throat, the termination seeming to depend upon the prevalence of one or the
other of these diseases as an epidemic.'¹
Fifty-seven years later Dr. Wallace A Briggs
writing on Dr. Frey's paper said: 'The baptismal paper of the Society, entitled
“What Connection Exists between Erysipelas, Diphtheria and Scarlet Fever,”
espoused the thesis of their consanguinity and suggested that, if the patient
survived the initial shock of either disease, the ultimate diagnosis might
depend upon the prevailing epidemic influence.
Dr. Fin de Siecle, forego thy condescending
smile: what may the better part of a century do to thy fine-spun theories of
Gossamer. And haven't we just discovered
the near affinity of erysipelas and scarlet fever more than fifty years behind
Dr. Frey? But, like other prophets, Dr.
Frey was without honor in his own country.
His ingenious theory was vigorously assailed and the doctor himself soon
retired to the obscurity of the metropolis.'
To Dr. Frey, too, must be given credit for mentioning, as early as June
2, 1868, the fact deafness in some cases followed use of quinine.
Joseph Miller Frey was born in New York
City, December, 1818, and graduated in medicine from the New York University,
April, 1841. He was a California Pioneer
in the true sense. He joined the early
caravan of gold seekers and so far as known first mined at Rattle Snake Bar on
the American River, about six miles from Newcastle. Since he was not fortunate in mining
endeavors he remained to practice medicine.
Sometime in 1856 Dr. Frey removed to Sacramento and opened offices in
the Heywoods Building at the corner of Second and J
streets. In 1859-60, Dr. Frey and Dr. Harkness were co-partners, and in 1869 Dr. Frey and Samuel
P. Thomas were associated together, a partnership that remained until 1872 when
Dr. Frey left Sacramento.
The Sacramento Directories give the
following listings of Dr. Frey during fifteen years of practice I Sacramento:
1857-58 Frey, Dr. J. M., off. Cor. 2D and J, Heywoods Bldg.
1858 Frey, Dr. Jos. M., Heywoods
block; res. 5th and L sts; s; N.Y.
1859-60 Frey, Dr. J.M., of H and F, 46 K st; bds at Mrs. Nevett's;s; N.Y.
1861-62 Frey, Jos. M., physician and surgeon, off
and res 72 4th, boards at Perrin House cor
L and 4th.
1863-64 Frey, J.M., physician, 94 K st.
1869 Frey, Dr. Jos. (Frey and Thomas),
office n.e.cor . J and 3d sts;
res. n.e.er. H and 7th sts.
1870 Frey, J.M. (same)
1871 Frey, J.M. (same)
1872 Frey, Dr. Joseph M. (Frey and Thomas),
cor.3d and J sts, res same.
On March 30, 1869, Dr. S.
P. Thomas, Dr. Frey's partner, tendered
his resignation as a member of the medical society 'and assigned his reasons
for such action.'² No
course was taken until the next meeting.
In April, on motion, 'the paper was returned to the sender without
remarks.' The Minutes of the Society gave
no cause for Dr. Thomas' grievance.
Whatever it might have been Dr. Frey was apparently sympathetic to Dr.
Thomas' attitude. Never again did Dr.
Frey attend a meeting of the Sacramento Society for Medical Improvement. On January 17, 1871 'the name of Drs. Frey,
Thomas and Logan were dropped from the list of membership on account of
nonattendance.'
Dr. Frey commanded an excellent practice in
Sacramento though he was not too busy to give time and interest to general
education. In 1859 he became president
of the Board of Education.
About 1872 the Doctor 'sold to the State the
fine mineral collection which was placed in the State Library.'³ Later this collection was transferred to the
Crocker Art Gallery for display.
Because of weight danger the minerals were sent to the State Capitol
Building and there stored in the basement.
Some of this collection is now at the State Division of Mines, Ferry
building, San Francisco. About 1935, the
larger portion remaining was sent to the Sacramento Junior College. 'Some fourteen (16 in 1872) years ago his
health failed and he concluded the air of the foothills would be more
congenial.'4
Disposing
of his Sacramento property he moved to Newcastle to live. There he purchased unimproved rolling land,
of approximately twelve acres, which he cleared, using the rock for fence. On the highest knoll of his land, now in the
little city of Newcastle, he built a very nice two-story home of nine rooms. The house included space for a library and
billiard room, a home office and apothecary shop. At the foot of the hill was built a large
barn to house two horses and five cows.
At long last he was able to do things he
wanted most to do---to give part time to the practice of medicine, and study
and experiment with horticulture. Both
he loved. Neither could be done on a
large scale without neglecting one or other.
He chose the possible, and by accomplishment of the ambition spent the
happiest fifteen years of his life.
At the front of the home was planted a large
circle of lawn, with flower gardens on its border and flowers and shrubs
extending back along two sides of the house.
He planted rose bushes, shrubs, trees.
Over his back porch Concord grapevines ran. Vines and fruit trees from this and foreign
countries were planted. On those twelve
acres grew the orange tree (St. Michaels and Mediterranean Sweets), the lemon,
olive, pear, quince, chestnut, almond, English and black walnut, loquat, plum
and wild plum, fig, apricot, including three kinds of currants---red, black and
white---and a large patch of goose berries . . . the magnolia, white oak,
camphor tree, cedar, pomegranate, madrona, holly
tree, umbrella tree and Scotch broom took root, with the rest, in a virgin soil
and there they were fostered in a salubrious climate.
Ere many years passed products of his labors
were taking prizes at the Citrus Fair of Northern and Central California. He was adjudged5 'a
gentleman of scientific attainments, and has applied them to the production of
the highest possible results in the culture of the soil.' He displayed a lemon tree that 'had attained
the marvelous height of fourteen feet in one year.' and exhibited 'a vial of
olive oil, made by simply squeezing Mission berries in his hands, straining the
juice and pouring off the oil after it had risen to the surface.'6
There the Doctor basked in enjoyment of
flower-laden and fruitful acres; there he spent evenings, in a large leather
chair with swinging book-rest, smoking a large meerschaum pipe, reading,
reviewing his paradise, or admiring the Sierra Nevada mountains or watching
lights of his Sacramento city flicker reminiscent messages. There this indulgent doctor---of short
stature, medium weight and long flowing beard---attended office patients and
traveled the miles around in horse and buggy to succor the bed-sick. There, in the arms of nature he completed
life's span on July 12, 1888, when 69 years and 8 months aged. He returned for final rest among his Pioneer
friends in the old Sacramento City Cemetery.
Dr. Frey never married, but a legend is
recited of Cupid's visitation in earlier years; however, the Goddess of Discord
had intervened.
Now, after sixty years, the once “happy
acres” have become “the dead and gone.”
Homes have risen, expansiveness is loss, and though many trees, vines
and bushes stand sentinel of Yesterday, inattention, rust and decay grants them
but a dying existence. True to the
master they expired with him. At his
passing the were “thrown on the rubbishheap
of time.”
1
Minutes of the Society.
2
Minutes of the Society.
3
Record Union, July 13, 1888, p.3, col.2.
4
Ibid.
5
Record-Union, December 21, 1886, p.25-26.
6
The Newcastle Fruit District, by J. F. Maddern,
p.23 and 24.
Transcribed
3-6-17 Marilyn
R. Pankey.
Source: “Memories,
Men and Medicine A History of Medicine In Sacramento, California by J. Roy
Jones, M.D., Pages 358-362. Publ. Sacramento Society for
Medical Improvement, 1950.
Golden Nugget
Library's Sacramento County