GUILBERT, Edward A.

GUILBERT, Dr. Edward A. (Watertown, NY, June 12, 1826--Dubuque, IA, Mar. 4, 1900). Guilbert, a prominent Midwestern physician, came to Dubuque in 1856. He had graduated from the Rush Medical College of Chicago in 1847 and begun his medical practice in Ottawa, Illinois and then Waukegan where he remained until 1852. During this time, he experimented with homeopathy and adopted it to his practice. (1)

Guilbert recognized for his treatment of diseases with medicated and electric baths. He aided in the organization of the St. Louis Homeopathic College and was one of the organizers of the Illinois Homeopathic Medical Society. In the CIVIL WAR, he was appointed Surgeon of the Board of Enrollment for the Third Congressional District of Iowa from 1862 to 1865. During the war, he gave his influence to encourage enlistments for the volunteer service, and was chosen Captain of Co. A, of the 46th I.V.I. In that capacity he passed five months in the military field service.

In 1870-1871 he established a practice on the west side of Locust between 8th and 9th. The 1875-1876 Dubuque City Directory gave the address as the southeast corner of 9th and Locust.

In 1876 Guilbert published one volume of the "Northwestern Annalist," a paper supporting homeopathy at the time it was introduced into the program of Iowa State University. (2) He established the NORTHWESTERN SANITARIUM in Dubuque for low-income patients unable to afford medical care from local physicians. Guilbert was a member of the Hahnemann Medical Association of Iowa and the State Board of Health being appointed in 1890 by Governor Boies. (3)

Guilbert's political interests began in 1872 with the Liberal Republican movement. At the first Liberal Republican Convention held in Iowa, Guilbert was unanimously chosen permanent chairman. He was an unsuccessful nominee for congressional candidate in 1874. Guilbert was nominated, in his absence, as a candidate for governor in 1875 on the Anti-Monopoly ticket, but declined. (4) In February 1863, Dr. Guilbert aided in founding the UNION LEAGUE and served as president of the state organization and also of the local order.

Guilbert was an active member of MASONIC LODGE serving the Grand Lodge of Iowa from 1863 to 1866 as Grand Master. He was the Grand High Priest from 1872-1874 and in 1874 as Grand Commander. For three years, he also published the Evergreen, an Iowa Masonic paper, at Dubuque. (5)

See: V. A. S. FRATERNITY

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Source:

1. King, William Harvey. The History of Homoeopathy and its Institutions in America, Vol. 1, Lewis Publishing Company, 1905, p. 387

2. Ibid.

3. 'Dr. Guilbert on the State Board of Health," The Herald, April 15, 1890, p. 4

4. Oldt, Franklin. The History of Dubuque County, Iowa. Chicago: Western Historical Company, p. 797-798.

5. Ibid.