James Warren Rutherford
Toronto Daily Star, February 1 1929
James Warren Rutherford (1875-1939) was not only a successful surgeon at the time of this photo: he was also the Liberal MP for Kent, a position he won in the 1926 general election after losing in his first try in 1925. While he survived whatever made him sick in 1929, he suffered a spinal cord injury in a 1935 automobile accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down.
Although he was eventually able to sit in a chair, he was not able to continue his medical practice. He did remain in Parliament, however, as he was re-elected late in 1935. In 1939, his condition deteriorated and he died while still an MP.
The Chatham-Kent Physician Tribute website has a detailed biography of Rutherford.
Created October 15, 2025.