George Cook, M.D., a prominent physician of Concord, was born at Dover, this State, November 16, 1848, son of Solomon and Susan Ann (Hayes) Cook. His early education was obtained in the Concord High School and in Franklin Academy. In 1865 he began to read medicine with Drs. Charles P. Gage and Granville P. Conn, of Concord. Also he attended a course of lectures on medicine at Burlington, Vt., and two courses at the School of Medicine of Dartmouth College. After graduating from the last-named school in 1869, he immediately began the practice of his profession in Henniker, N.H., where he remained for a year. During the next five years, from 1870 to 1875, he was at Hillsborough, this State, and while there won for himself wide recognition as an able and skilful practitioner. In 1872 he had charge of seventeen cases of small-pox. He was made Superintendent of Schools at Hillsborough in 1874. In May of the following year he came to Concord, where he has since resided.
Dr. Cook is a member of the Centre District Medical Society, and in 1882 was its president. He is also a member of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, of the American Medical Association, and of the New Hampshire State Medical Society. In 1890 he was senior delegate of the last-named society to Dartmouth College, and delivered an address before the graduating class on “The Physician as an Educator.” During the small-pox epidemic in Montreal in 1885 Dr. Cook was appointed Inspector for the State Board of Health of New Hampshire. He had charge of the small-pox epidemic in May and June, 1895, when he was engaged for six weeks, attending twenty-six cases. He was a member of the City Board of Health from 1878 to 1884, from 1889 to 1893 he was examining surgeon for pensions, while at present he is surgeon to the Margaret Pillsbury General Hospital and physician to the Odd Fellows Home in Concord. He is also president of the New Hampshire Association of Boards of Health, and president of the State Board of Medical Examiners, representing the New Hampshire Medical Society under the medical registration law.
In politics Dr. Cook is a Republican; and he was sent as Representative to the State legislature in 1883-84, serving during his term as chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs. In 1879 he was commissioned Assistant Surgeon of the New Hampshire National Guard. In 1882 he was promoted to the post of Surgeon. Two years later he 1893 and 1894 was Surgeon-general.
Dr. Cook has given especial attention to the treatment and prevention of small-pox and to the questions which confront the army physician. He is the author of a paper entitled “Small-pox,” published in the Transactions of the New Hampshire Medical Society in 1873, and of another, “Hygiene of the Camp,” General Orders, Adjutant-general’s office, 1884. Fraternally, he is a member of Eureka Lodge, No. 70, F. & A. M.; of Valley Lodge, No. 43, I. O. O. F., of Hillsborough; of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and of the Sons of Veterans Camp, Thomas Leaver, No. 4, of Concord.