Dr.Rush

=Dr.Rush-= Dr. Benjamin Rush was born December 24, 1745 in Byberry, a town northeast of Philadelphia. His father died when Benjamin was 6, leaving behind Rush's mother and his 6 brothers and sisters. His mother provided education for them, and when Rush was of age, sent him to an academy in Rising Sun, Maryland. The conductor of the academy was a Reverend by the name of Dr. Finley. Rush spent 5 years at the academy, learning Greek and Latin. He went on to study at The College of New Jersey, (now called Princeton University) and graduated in 1760 at the age of 14. A year later he became apprentice to Dr. John Redman. In 1766 Rush took off for Edinburgh University and got his degree in medicine two years later. He came back to Philidelphia and became the first professor of chemistry in the country at the College of Philidelphia AND wrote the first textbook on chemistry. The College of Philidelphia later became the College of Pennsylvania and Rush was appointed professor of institutes, practice of medicine, clinical practice and practice of physics. So in the College he was a very important man. Dr. Rush also built up public practices and was involved with the politics of his time. He was far ahead of his time and spoke freely about matters on slavery, public schools, sending girls to school and slavery. He founded the first anti-slavery society in America. He was friends with several famous people we all know, like Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. He urged Thomas Paine to write Common Sense and even supplied the name. He was elected into Continental Congress and was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He was appointed Surgeon General of the Continental Congress but had some complaints about the hospital. After alot of fuss on the matter Congress ruled his complaints unjustified and he retired. Rush came back to Philadelphia to teach and practice medicine again. He taught over three thousands students in his lifetime. During the Yellow Fever epidemic in 1793 he treated a hundred patients a day and mistakenly used a healing technique that killed more of his patients than it saved. He believed that all disease came from fever and liked to use bloodletting and purging as a healing method. In 1813, after living a full life, Benjamin Rush died during a Typhus epidemic and was buried in the graveyard of Christ Church in Philadelphia.