Eustis, Allan Chotard

Submitted by Mike Miller

Eustis, Allan Chotard, eminent physician and writer on medical subjects, was born in New Orleans, La., Dec. 23, 1876. His parents were Cartwright and Laura (Buckner) Eustis, the former of whom was born at Natchez, Miss., Nov., 1842, and the latter, of a prominent Louisiana family, is still living. The father, a cousin of former Ambassador Eustis, was a son of Horatio Sprague and Catherine (Chotard) Eustis. His preliminary education was acquired in the common schools and in a preparatory school at Cambridge, Mass. In 1859 he entered Harvard university, but, visiting Mississippi in 1861, the outbreak of the Civil war prevented a return to his studies at Harvard.

After some months spent at his home near Natchez, in 1862, he enlisted as a Confederate soldier, going to the front as a member of the Natchez Southerns under Capt. Inge, this command later becoming attached to the 10th Mississippi regiment. Shortly after the battle of Shiloh, while engaged in a skirmish, he received a severe cannister wound in the leg and was subsequently confined in hospital quarters 4 months. He rejoined his command 3 days before the battle of Murfreesboro, at which he received a second wound in the same leg that had formerly been injured, and only 3 inches from the first wound. This again incapacitated him for a time, but on reporting for duty, he was promoted to sergeant, and following the battle of Chickamauga was assigned to the 20th Louisiana as a lieutenant, soon thereafter being made captain. Attached to the command of Gen. Randall L. Gibson, he participated in the noted operations of the army about Atlanta, and in July, 1864, became aide to that general, where he served until the surrender.

Coming to New Orleans in Sept., 1865, he found employment as cashier for C. H. Slocum, later Slocum, Baldwin & Co. In 1873, after the death of Mr. Slocum, the firm became A. Baldwin & Co., to which Capt. Eustis was admitted to partnership, and in 1889 he became secretary and treasurer of the corporation. Mr. Eustis served as one of the first members of the board of administration of Tulane university, the only public post he ever felt that his business activities would permit him to occupy. He left to his children the unsullied name of a gallant soldier and honorable business man.

Allan Chotard Eustis received his early education in private schools in New Orleans. In 1896 he graduated from Tulane university with the degree of B. S., and in 1898 graduated from Yale college with the degree of Ph. D. While at the latter school he made a special study of physiological chemistry, and following his graduation was appointed assistant in physiological chemistry, and following his graduation, was appointed assistant in physiological chemistry at Columbia university, New York, for the school year of 1898-99. In Oct., 1899, he entered the medical department of Tulane university, and graduated in 1903, having served 2 years as interne in Charity hospital. Shortly thereafter he became assistant city chemist, and also a teacher in physiological chemistry at Tulane, remaining in this connection until 1906, at the same time doing a general practice in the city. During the yellow fever epidemic in New Orleans in 1905, he was acting assistant surgeon in the United States marine hospital and public health service, having charge of the Eighth ward. While busied with his later studies and tutorial duties at Tulane, Dr. Eustis also conducted a commercial laboratory, in which he was associated with Prof. A. L. Metz, under the firm name of Metz & Eustis.

Dr. Eustis perfected and improved a process for extracting oil from cotton seed, by which both a larger percentage and better grade could be produced. As a result of this discovery, he organized in 1906, The Nutriline Feed & Oil Co., to engage in extracting oil from cotton seed under the improved method. This business promised large success, but during the financial disturbance of 1907-08, when numbers of corporations and individuals alike found their collateral unavailing for the needs of commerce, the company was forced into the hands of a receiver and Dr. Eustis lost all he had previously made. He then moved to Abbeville, La., and there remained in the practice of medicine until 1911, in which year he went to Vienna as assistant to Prof. Von Noorden, specializing in dietetics and nutrition. He returned to New Orleans and resumed practice, being immediately called to the place of clinical assistant in medicines at Tulane university, and in June, 1913, he was appointed assistant professor of dietetics. Dr. Eustis has been a frequent contributor to the technical literature of his profession, and is the author of the following published works: "The Decomposition Products of Neurokeratin,'' "The Etiology of Pemphigus,'' ''Rectal Alimentation," "Volvulus of Intestines Complicating Typhoid Fever," "A New Method as an Aid to the Diagnosis of Renal Impairment, Based Upon the Nitrogen Content of the Blood," "A Case of Pemphigus Vulgaris, with Some Observations on its Bacteriology," "Acute Spasmodic Asthma as Evidence of Autointoxication,'' "Distribution of Uncinariasis in Louisiana," "The Importance of Regulating the Diet in the Treatment of Diseases," "Splauchnoptosis,'' "Report of a Case of Traumatic Aneurism of Brachial Artery, Endoaneurismorrhaphy," "The Dietetic Treatment of High Blood Pressure," "Further Evidence in Support of the Toxic Pathogenesis of Bronchial Asthma, Based Upon Experimental Research,'' "The Determination of the Functional Activity of the Liver as Indicated by the Presence of Urobilinogen in the Urine," "On the Toxicity of Guinea Pig Urine and its Relation to Anaphylaxis," "On the Physiological Action of some of the Amines produced by Intestinal Putrefaction,'' "Solubilities and Action of Betaimidazolylethylamin and its Relation to Asthma and Anaphylaxis," "Biochemical Reasons Why Free Purgation is Necessary in Combating Acidosis of Diabetes; Results of Clinicochemical Observations," ''Acidosis: Two Types Demonstrable--An Ednogenous and an Exogenous," "The Proper Diet in the Tropics, With Some Pertinent Remarks on the Use of Alcohol," "Improved Technic for Blood-Counts: Rapid Method for Securing Exact Amount of Suspension," "The Medical Aspects of Intestinal Stasis," "Diabetes Mellitus and its Differentiation from Alimentary Clycosuria," "Investigation of Louisiana Rice with Reference to the Etiology of Beriberi," "Malta Fever in Louisiana: Report of a Positive Case in a Series of Forty-six Agglutination Tests with Microbacillus Melitensis," "Report of a Case of Long-standing Amebic Abscess of Liver and Lung: Cured by the Intramuscular Injection of Emetine Hydrochloride."

Dr. Eustis has been a member of the Alpha Tau Omega and Phi Chi fraternities. He is a Republican and a member of the Protestant Episcopal church. Oct. 27, 1903, Dr. Allan Eustis was married to Miss Adele Brittin. They have 2 children, Allan Chotard, Jr., born August 28, 1904, and Brittin Cartright, born Nov. 30, 1905. Mrs. Eustis is a daughter of Abe and Emma (Shaw) Brittin, of New Orleans.

Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 156-58. Edited by Alcee Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.