Black, John Janvier, 1837-1909

John Janvier Black, United States surgeon and resident physician to Blockley Hospital, was born in Delaware City, Delaware, November 6, 1837, the son of Charles H. Black and Anne Janvier Black.

His early education was received in the local schools after which he studied at Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned his medical degree in 1862. He began practice in New Castle, Delaware, and early manifested special interest in anti-tuberculosis crusades and care of the insane. He was president of the Delaware Insane Asylum and helped greatly in the formation of the Delaware State Hospital. In 1872 he married Jeanie Groome Black.

Dr. Black eagerly studied all the new methods and earned a fine reputation as an obstetrician in the country around New Castle. He performed many successful operations and once in a case of extreme urgency, diagnosis having revealed the need for Caesarian section upon a rachitic dwarf, improvised an operating table from chairs and boards and used a piece of sterilized fishing line as ligatures. The patient died several weeks later but the child lived.

Because of his outstanding success in the duties of a country physician, Dr. Black was elected to membership in the College of Physicians, Philadelphia, and the State Medical Society. He died in New Castle, September 27, 1909, leaving two children, Elizabeth Groome and Armytage Middleton.

Bibliographic information derived from the collection.

From the guide to the John Janvier Black papers, 1860–1909, (University of Delaware Library - Special Collections)