He was born on July 19, 1835 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, a descendant of Quakers from Yorkshire who settled in Pennsylvania in 1685. He was the youngest of seven children of Moses B. and Rachel (Coate) Smith, his father being a prominent physician.
He was educated at the Friends' school at Westtown and in private schools in Philadelphia. Although he passed the entrance examinations of the University of Pennsylvania at the age of thirteen years, he did not enter at once; he was graduated with the degree of A. B. in 1853 and of M. D. in 1856, his preceptor being Prof. George Bacon Wood.
He was assistant physician in the Frankford Asylum for eighteen months, and then an interne in the Pennsylvania Hospital for an equal period of time; in 1859, after finishing his term there, he began practice.
Appointed in 1859 assistant physician to the Philadelphia Lying-in Charity, he was promoted in 1862 to be attending physician, a position he held for over twenty years. For a short time he was obstetrician to the Philadelphia Hospital. In 1867 he became consulting physician to the Woman's Hospital of Philadelphia. He was also a manager of the Wills Ophthalmic Hospital, 1863-71.
His writings dealt almost entirely with obstetrical and gynecological subjects. He was a president of the Philadelphia Obstetrical Society 1874-76; a president of the American Gynaecological Society in 1884; president of the Philadelphia County Medical Society, 1880-81.
His acceptance of the post of consulting physician to the Woman's Hospital exposed him to much criticism and alienated some of his friends; the feeling was so strong that it was even suggested that he be expelled from the College of Physicians. A particularly bitter controversy arose over the proposal to admit women physicians to membership in the county medical society, for which Smith carried on an active but unsuccessful campaign.
He taught for many years in the Lying-in Charity, which students of both sexes attended, and the statements of his contemporaries bear testimony to the soundness and value of his instruction. His death occurred from malignant disease of the prostate after an illness of several years, during part of which he carried on his work despite the handicaps of pain and weakness.
Albert Holmes Smith invented various instruments in obstetrics and modified the others, among them a pessary that bears his name. His modification of the Hodge pessary, known as the Smith-Hodge pessary, probably did more to extend his reputation than his writings; among other inventions were a uterine speculum, urethral dilators, and modifications of obstetrical forceps. He played a prominent part in advocating the recognition of women in medicine. He also was a founder of the Philadelphia Obstetrical Society, American Gynaecological Society.
He was a honorary member of the British Gynaecological Society and a member of the American Philosophical Society.
He seems to have gained his eminence rather by patient study and hard work than by brilliance or genius; he was evidently a safe reliable man in all that he did.
In 1860 he married Emily Kaighn, daughter of Charles Kaighn of Camden, New Jersey; they had seven children, five of whom survived him.
