Benjamin Rush

Benjamin Rush
Grayce Owens

Benjamin Rush (1746-1813) was a physician, teacher and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He was enraged with slavery and capital punishment and supporter of better education for women and of free public schools.

His views on cleaning the environment were unwanted during the yellow fever outbreak in Philadelphia in 1793. In his view, the advance the physical health of the world would improve mental health as well. He is remembered for improving the condition of psychiatric patients and influencing improvement in all asylums.

Even though he contributed a great deal to early American society, he is best known for renewing the friendship of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams by encouraging them to write each other.

Today, we know that his methods during the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia were, not to mention useless, but also dangerous. During the worst of the outbreak, Benjamin Rush was serving one hundred and twenty patients a day. He caught the fever himself, but survived.

Benjamin served the people during the epidemic and didn’t give up hope. Dr. Benjamin Rush died at the age of sixty eight in 1813. He is considered to this day one of the greatest doctors of America.
-Grayce, South Carolina