Fisher, Arthur (1816 – 1913)

Arthur Fisher L.R.C.S. (2 March 1816 – 3 December 1913) was a Canadian orthodox physician who converted to homeopathy and who lived and practiced in Montreal. Fisher was a life governor and consulting physician to the Montreal Homeopathic Hospital. He was a founder member of the Montreal Medico-Chirurgical Society in 1843. In 1901, Fisher became a member of the American Institute of Homeopathy.

He was the one of the very first homeopaths to practice in North America, after Constantine Hering, Jacob Jeanes, and Walter Williamson in Philadelphia.

Fisher was a friend and colleague of John James Drysdale, John Rutherfurd Russell, and many others.

Arthur Fisher graduated from McGill University in his home town of Montreal. He then studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh and, in August 1842, he was granted his licence from the Edinburgh Royal College of Surgeons.

While at Edinburgh, in 1838-9 Fisher traveled to Europe for further medical training. In Vienna, he met two friends from Edinburgh, John James Drysdale and John Rutherfurd Russell. Intrigued by their interest in homeopathy, Fisher accompanied them to observe the treatment of pneumonia cases by Dr. Fleischmann at the Gumpendorf Homoeopathic Hospital. The astonishing curative results helped convince Fisher to convert, and he returned to Montreal as a confirmed homeopath.

In 1843, Fisher married Susan Corse (1822 – 1908). They had two sons, attorney Roswell Corse Fisher (1844 – 1910) and Canadian Minister of Agriculture, Sydney Arthur Fisher (1850 – 1921).

Fisher was avowedly opposed to vaccination:

“I am strongly opposed to vaccination. It is responsible for many of the diseases we hear of. As we all know, every disease is introduced into the system by means of the blood and I believe that cancer, consumption, lockjaw and numerous other diseases are due entirely to the practice of vaccination. You can say for me that I am an anti-vaccination advocate.”

Dr. Arthur Fisher died early in December, at his home, in Montreal, Canada. Dr. Fisher joined the Institute in 1901. He studied homoeopathic therapeutics in Vienna in 1838-1839 and was ever a consistent practitioner. His philosophy made him cheerful and contented. His long life of 98 years was filled with active service and gentle deeds.”

Dr. Arthur Fisher, of Montreal, died December 3rd, in the ninety-eighth year of his age. Born in Montreal on March 2nd, 1816, it was fitting the close of a long and useful life should come in his native city, where indeed most of that life had been spent. Dr. Fisher was educated in Montreal and in Edinburgh, where he took his degree in medicine: he was a licentiate of the Edinburgh Royal College of Surgeons. On his return to Montreal, Dr. Fisher took up the practice of medicine and became one of the first advocates of homeopathy, which he subsequently practised. He was a man of great intellectual power and a theorist in many respects in advance of his time. An exceptional man from many points of view, Dr. Fisher enjoyed the distinction of living under six different sovereigns. In politics he was an ardent Liberal, and as a citizen he was loyal and far-seeing. For some years he was blind and at the age of ninety-two regained his sight after an operation for cataract.

He was 98 years old when he died on 3 December 1913. He was laid to rest at Cimetière Mont-Royal, Outremont, Montreal.

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Of Interest:

Sydney Arthur Fisher (1850 – 1921), son of Arthur Fisher, was a Canadian politician, agronomist and philanthropist.

Charles Edmund Fisher M.D. (1863 – 1932) [no relation] was an American homeopathic physician. Fisher was the editor of the Medical Century: The National Journal of Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery.

John Hayes Fisher M.D. (1880 – 1929) [no relation] was a Sacramento homeopathic physician. He was a graduate of the Hahnemann Medical College of the Pacific at San Francisco in May 1905, a founder and secretary of the Sacramento Valley Homeopathic Medical Association, and a member of the California State Homeopathic Medical Society.

Carl F. Fischer M.D. (1821 – 1893) [no relation] was a German-born, British homeopathic physician, who later practiced in Auckland, New Zealand and Sydney, Australia.

Carl Fischer (1902 – 1989) [no relation] was an American orthodox physician, professor, and president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, who trained at the Hahnemann Medical College in Philadelphia.