A Day in the Life of a Colonial Doctor

Benjamin Rush was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and a doctor in Philadelphia. In colonial days, there were few medical schools and a young man could become a Doctor by becoming an apprentice. Benjamin Rush was an apprentice who also studied medicine in Scotland, returning home to practice and teach others. A Day In The Life of a Colonial Doctor outlines the attitudes toward disease in that day and how a lack of knowledge of germs caused many to die from infection after surgery. Eighteenth century remedies from the apothecary, as well as remedies taught to the colonists by the Indians are explained. After treating soldiers in the battlefield during the American Revolution, Dr. Rush observed a connection between sanitation and health, developing new ideas in treating patients. Both a humanitarian and a Patriot, Benjamin Rush earned his place in American history.