We regret to state that Dr Mill, who has been relieving doctor for the Alexandra Medical Association, is seriously ill at present, and quite confined to bed. -Dunstan Times, 2/7/1897.
We regret to have to record the death of Dr Mill, who on Tuesday night last succumbed to the sickness from which he has been ailing for some time. During his stay in Alexandra, Dr Mill has won the esteem of all with whom he came in contract, and the sincerest sympathy is felt throughout the district for the bereaved relatives. -Dunstan Times, 13/8/1897.
Death.
Mill —At Alexandra, on the 10th August, 1897, William Mill, B.A., Edin., eldest son of William Mill, London Street, Dunedin ; aged, 31 years. Deeply regretted. -Dunstan Times, 13/8/1897.
Much regret has been experienced throughout the Kurow, Hakataramea, and Duntroon districts from the sad news of the death of Dr W. Mill. During Dr Mill's six month residence and practice at Kurow he endeared himself to everyone by his kindness, the careful treatment of his patients, and his uniform assiduity for their welfare, although suffering much himself at all times. Dr Mill was the locum tenens of Dr Stevens during the absence of the latter from the district. -North Otago Times, 17/8/1897.
The death of Dr W. Mill, which occurred at Alexandra last' week, occasioned general regret not only in that district but also throughout the Kurow, Duntroon, and Hakateramua districts, and at Kaitangata, where the deceased practitioner had resided and endeared himself to everybody by his kindness and careful treatment of patients and his assiduity for their welfare, although suffering much at all times himself. Dr Mill was one of the most brilliant scholars who has passed through the University of Otago, a contemporary of his — Dr J. Fitzgerald — going so far, in referring to his death at a farewell banquet tendered to himself at Kaitangata last week, as to describe his as one of the brightest intellects in the medical profession in the colony. The funeral of Dr Mill took place in Dunedin on Saturday. -Otago Witness, 19/8/1897.
OBITUARY.
DR WILLIAM MILL.
It is with feelings of great regret that we have to record the death of Dr William Mill, which occurred at Alexandra South on August 10.
Dr Mill was born at Waikouaiti in 1866, so that at the time of his death he was but 31 years of age. He was educated at the public school, and gaining one of the Education Board's senior scholarships. He proceeded to the High School in Dunedin. At the High School he soon made himself respected for his scholarship, his originality, and his independent views. He gained honours in French and took a very high place in English and Latin. His High School course being completed, he went through the ordinary course at the university, taking his B.A degree. During his arts course, although not tilting prizes, he was always a man to be reckoned with, and his abilities were recognised and respected by both professors and students alike. The outstanding feature in Mill's character at the university was his utter hatred of slumming and of slovenly ways of thinking and of humbug generally. Heaswm endowed with a clearness of intellect not often met with, and he was able to get a grasp of principles and eliminate fallacies and contingencies more easily than most students, and it was not an uncommon thing of Mill to put posers even to the professor himself. In the class of mental science and logic he more especially made his mark. After graduating he determined to devote himself to the medical profession. He studied for two years at the Otago Medical School and Dunedin Hospital, gaining honours and the surgery prize. He was regarded by the surgery lecturer as the brightest man of his year. It was the custom at this time for the lecturer at the close of the lecture to invite questions from the students, and it was sometimes the case that he had to reply: "Mill, I will answer your question tomorrow."
While in Edinburgh Mill's health failed him, but in spite of his poor health he had no difficulty in taking the M.B.C.M. of that university. At Edinburgh he soon made his ability felt, and more especially in surgery was his genius recognised. In a class of several hundreds Professor Chiene could always rely on getting his answer from the New Zealander when no one else could satisfy him. Failing health made it necessary for him to return to New Zealand. In New Zealand he was appointed, house surgeon to the Ross Hospital, and when leaving Ross to take up the position of assistant physician at the Porirua Asylum he was presented with tin illuminated address by the citizens of Ross. He filled the post of physician at Porirua Asylum for some time with credit to himself and with the confidence of his superiors. Failing health, however, compelled him to resign his position, and latterly he contented himself with acting as locum tenens. In this capacity he acted in Dunedin, Kaitangata, the Kurow district, and at Alexandra, and it was at the latter place, whilst acting as locum tenens, he met with a buggy accident, which I aggravated the disease he was suffering from and eventually carried him off.
Wherever Mill practised he made himself respected and loved for his skill, his gentlemanly character, his attention, and his kindness, and often he has been known to go miles and attend cases when he was physically unfit to do so and should have been in his bed. Had he enjoyed robust health and been spared there is no doubt that he would have been in the first rank in his profession. But it is an old saying that "whom the gods love die young," and Dr Mill has been cut off in the prime of his life at the early age of 31. Had be determined to devote himself to literature or journalism he would have scored, for he possessed literary genius far above the average, and he was known among his friends at college as "The Humourist." His death will cause a blank among his friends that will not easily be filled, and the medical profession can ill afford to lose one of its, number who was so thoroughly master of his profession and had literary attainments of such a high order as are not given to the majority of practitioners. We may be allowed to quote in full some lines written by Mill in memory of the lamented Mainwaring Brown, English professor in the Otago University.
IN MEMORIAM.
Comrade, farewell! Thy day of life is ended.
The night is come;
Death, chilly Death, his icy hand extended,
And brought thee home.
Breathless and still, away from friends thou'rt lying
Deep in the snow,
Around thy bed the biting winds are sighing,
Plaintive and low.
The rushing mountain streams are loudly singing
Requiem to thee;
The tall green pines, in wavy motions swinging,
Make melody.
No sound is heard save the lone weka's calling,
Mournful and shrill,
From out the gorge when evening's cloak is fulling
Around each bill.
Across the snow the Christmas bells are ringing,
But not foe thee;
Thy Christmas came not, all its pleasures bringing,
Ere thou wert free.
Comrade, farewell! Thy day of life is ended,
The night is come;
Death, chilly Death, his icy hand extended,
And thou art home. -Otago Witness, 26/8/1897.
Northern Cemetery, Dunedin.
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