James Sinclair Tait (March 4, 1849 – July 5, 1928) was a physician, author and political figure in

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...

. He represented Burin in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 1889 to as a Liberal. Tait was born in

Wallace, Nova Scotia Wallace is a rural community in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, Canada. History Originally called Remsheg (or Ramshag), meaning "the place between" in the Mi'kmaq language. The homes of the Acadians who lived in the village were burned as part ...

, the son of James Tait and Catherine Sinclair, and was educated in Wallace,

Amherst Amherst may refer to: People * Amherst (surname), including a list of people with the name * Earl Amherst of Arracan in the East Indies, a title in the British Peerage; formerly ''Baron Amherst'' * Baron Amherst of Hackney of the City of London, ...

and at the Mount Allison Wesleyan College. He received a teaching certificate from the

normal school A normal school or normal college is an institution created to Teacher education, train teachers by educating them in the norms of pedagogy and curriculum. In the 19th century in the United States, instruction in normal schools was at the high s ...

in Truro and taught school in

Brigus Brigus is a small fishing community located in Conception Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Brigus was home to Captain Bob Bartlett and the location of his residence Hawthorne Cottage.Canada travel guide. Lonely Planet 14th Edition (2020). ...

. He studied medicine with a doctor in Brigus and went on to receive a

M.D. Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a professional degree. T ...

from the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...

. In 1882, Tait married Sarah Elizabeth Calkin. After practising in Brigus for several years, He continued his medical studies at the Royal College of Physicians in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

and the

Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) is a professional organisation of surgeons. The College has seven active faculties, covering a broad spectrum of surgical, dental, and other medical practices. Its main campus is located on ...

. He was reelected in 1893 but his election was overturned in 1894 after an appeal was launched by the Conservatives. He ran unsuccessfully for reelection in 1897. From 1894 to 1909 he served as secretary and registrar for the Newfoundland Medical Board, and as a member of the St. John's Board of Health from 1904 to 1909. Tait also served as medical superintendent and resident physician at the Hospital for the Insane in Waterford. In 1896, he became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. During his time as superintendent and resident physician, it was discovered that he had unprofessional misconduct allegations made against him with the St. John's Medical Society and was turned out but the Liberal Government refused to remove him from the position. He was a member of the municipal council for St. John's from 1916 to 1920. Tait died in St. John's at the age of 79. He contributed medical articles and poetry to various local periodicals and published a pamphlet ''Tuberculosis'' in 1916. His ballad "Allan Lee" appeared in ''Songs of Newfoundland'' published in 1917.

References

* *O'Brien, Patricia (1989). "Out of Mind, Out of Sight" Members of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly 1849 births 1928 deaths Newfoundland Colony people {{Newfoundland-politician-stub