Olliphant, S. R., MD [Samuel Rutherford]

Submitted by Mike Miller

Dr. S. R. Olliphant, president of the board of health, and a young physician whose reputation is second to none in the city, owes his nativity to Mississippi, his birth occurring in Holmes county, January, 1855. His father, Dr. S. R. Olliphant Sr., now of Mobile, Ala., was a graduate of the University of Louisiana, and a prominent man in his profession. He was a surgeon in the confederate army and is now a member of the board of health of Mobile. He was at one time an extensive planter. Dr. S. R. Olliphant Jr. is the third in order of birth of six sons. He was reared at Enterprise, Miss., received his education in the primary schools and at Spring Hill college, that state, and began the study of his profession in the office of his father at Enterprise. He graduated from the Medical college, of Mobile, Ala., in 1876, and the following year from the University of Louisiana. He practiced his profession at Augusta, Perry county, Miss., two years prior to graduating and one year afterward, and then practiced at Whistler, Ala., during l878, having an extensive practice during the yellow-fever epidemic. He was very poorly compensated, as nearly all business was suspended and the railroads were shut down.

His next move in his profession was locating on Belloin plantation, lower coast, for one year, and in the fall of 1879 he located in New Orleans, La., where he now has an extensive and lucrative practice. He was for some time visiting physician for Charity hospital. On coming to this city he decided to locate in the heart of the city, thinking he could build himself up a practice here as well as in the suburbs. His success was assured from the beginning and he rose rapidly in his profession to a prominent position in the first rank of physicians and has maintained it up to the present. His first position of any prominence was quarantine physician at Rigolets, at Lake Pontchartrain, which he filled one season. The following year he occupied a position as medical inspector under national board of health, his duties being to issue certificates for vessel passengers. During the epidemic of small pox in New Orleans he was employed as one of the doctors to vaccinate. By this time he had become quite well acquainted, had a large practice, and his prominence as a medical man brought him before the public. On the reorganization of the board of health in 1884 he was elected a member of the board with Dr. Holt as president and himself as vice-president, acting at times as president. In 1890 he was appointed by the governor as a member of the board, and upon its organization he was elected its president, which position he now fills. His board thus far has been successful, he has a fine practice, and he deserves great credit for his integrity and enterprise. His administration has been to forward the progress of the system of health and quarantine. He is a member of the Orleans Parish Medical society, and an honorary member of Mobile Medical society. His office is at 114 Common street, and his residence at the corner of Partania and Euterpe streets. He represented the board of health at Washington City in 1886 and 1891.

Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 2), pp. 291-292. Published by the Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.