Excerpt from The Canadian Medical Quarterly, Vol. 4
"A never-to-be-forgotten name" in the early history of medicine in Toronto is that of Christopher Widmer. Dr. Widmer was born at High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. May 13, 1780. He came to Canada towards the close of the war of 1812-15 as Staff Surgeon In the Fourteenth Light Dragoons: and after the war settled at Toronto, or as it was then called, York. Previous to his coming the residents had to depend for medical attendance upon the surgeons attached to the regiments stationed at the various posts. It was therefore, a great blessing to the people when such a man as Widmer decided to remain in the country.
Before coming to Canada Dr. Widmer had seen a great deal of active service in the Peninsular War. lie served with marked distinction in the live battles (great in those days) of Victoria. Busaeo. Salamanea. Fuentes d'Onuro, and Talavera; for this service he was entitled to wear the medal with five clasps.
Dr. Widmer's fame as a surgeon and physician soon spread throughout the province, and residents from distant parts came to York to be under his care. His professional duties sometimes took him far afield, as in one case when he was called to Kingston to attend Lord Sydenham. The road to Kingston, in those days, commenced at King Street, going slightly north and then straight, crossing the Don by a bridge. Dr. Widmer accomplished this long ride of one hundred and sixty miles without stopping, save to exchange horses. Arrangements were made for him so that horses were in waiting at short distances along the road. It was a wild John Gilpin ride.
For ten years lie was the only qualified medical man in settled practice in York, years of arduous devoted work which won for him the hearts of the people. Wonderful, successful and delicate operations were performed at his surgery on King Street, next to the "York House." His enthusiastic admirers compared him as an operating surgeon to Sir Astley Cooper. He was one of the first in Upper Canada to recognize the value of vaccination, and many children of the poor were vaccinated free by him.
Dr. Widmer's practice became so extensive that in 1828 he took as a partner Dr. Diehl, who had lately come from Montreal. This partnership lasted for six and a half years, and was then dissolved. Perhaps the deepest impression on Widmer's mind in these early days was made by the building in 1820 of the long-wished-for and at last realized hospital - a hospital of which he became the life and soul. One of bis many devoted pupils writing about him later, says: "It was always a treat to follow him around the wards, for whatever he said or did relating to a patient was worth hearing and seeing. In the operating room he was most brilliant.
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