Note Type
Historical NoteNote
Richard Wistar
WISTAR, Richard, merchant, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 20 July, 1756; died there, 6 June, 1821. He was the grandson of Caspar Wistar, who came to this country from Germany in 1717 and established near Salem, New Jersey, what is believed to have been the first glass-factory in the colonies, in the management of which his son was also associated.
In early life Richard turned his attention to commerce, in which he was eminently successful. He built a large four-storied store in 1790, where he conducted an iron and hardware business, and with the profits of this undertaking purchased lands and houses in the vicinity of Philadelphia, which became exceedingly valuable. During the Revolutionary war he advocated the defense of his property by arms, which resulted in his being disowned by the Society of Friends. He was an inspector of prisons, and was one of the early friends and supporters of the Philadelphia library company and the Pennsylvania hospital.
--His brother, Caspar Wistar, physician, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 13 September, 1761; died there, 22 January, 1818, was educated at the Friends' School in his native city, where he received a thorough classical training. His interest in medicine began while he was aiding in the care of the wounded after the battle of Germantown, and he made his first studies under the direction of Dr. John Redman. He attended lectures at the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, and received the degree of bachelor of medicine in 1782.Note Type
Historical NoteNote
Dr. John Fothergill had his practice based in London, but was still instrumental in Pennsylvania Hospital history. A benevolent friend of Benjamin Franklin, he took great interest in assisting the hospital, and he helped Franklin to advance the new institution's interests in England. In 1762 he sent seven cases of anatomical drawings by Jan Van Rymsdyk (considered to be the best anatomical artist of his day) and three anatomical casts of a pregnant woman (on display along the south wall of the Historic Library) to Pennsylvania Hospital. The drawings and plaster casts were greatly valued by medical students and lay public alike, who attended anatomy lectures with Dr. William Shippen, Jr. for a small fee. The text of Dr. Fothergill's letter to Pennsylvania Hospital's Managers appears below (in the writing style of the day), as well as an excerpt from the Minutes of the meeting of the Board of Managers at which they received the gift.
Dr. Fothergill also donated the first book to the library: Experimental History of the Materia Medica by William Lewis (H. Baldwin, London: 1761). Dr. Fothergill's own investigations and writings covered the subjects of natural philosophy, therapeutics, pharmacy and botany - many of which are included in his collection of Works (Charles Dilly, London: 1784), also in the library's collection. Franklin said of his friend: "I can hardly conceive that a better man ever existed."
From Dr. Fothergill to James Pemberton, fourth secretary to the Board of Managers, April 7, 1762:
....I purpose to send by Docr Shippen a present to it of some intrinsic Value tho' not probably of immediate Benefitt, I need not tell thee that the Knowledge of Anatomy is of exceeding great use to Practitioners in Physic & Surgery & that the means of procuring Subjects with you are not easy, some pretty accurate anatomical Drawings about half as big as the Life have fallen into my hands & Which I purpose to send to your Hospital to be under the care of the Physicians & to be by some of them explained to the Students or pupils who may attend the Hospital.
In the want of real Subjects these will have their Use & I have recommended it to Dr. Shippen to give a Course of Anatomical Lectures to such as may attend, he is very well qualified for the Subject & will soon be followed by an able Assistant Dr. Morgan both of whom I apprehend will not only be useful to the Province in their Employments but if suitably countenanced by the Legislature will be able to erect a School for Physic amongst you that may draw many students from various parts of America & the West Indies & at least furnish them with a better Idea of the Rudiments of their Profession than they have at present the Means of acquiring on your Side of the Water.
Should the Managers of the Hospital think proper I could wish that if the Drawings & Casts I shall send P. the next Convoy come safe that they might be lodged in some low Apartment of the Hospital not to be seen by every Person but with the Permission of a Trustee & for some small Gratuity for the Benefitt of the House. The Drawings are in Crayons & should therefore not be kept in too dry a place nor shaked about too much."
From the Minutes of the Managers Meeting, November 9, 1762:
(The managers) Open'd three Cases containing Eighteen different curious Views of various parts of the Human Body in Crayons framed and glaized; three Cases of Anatomical Castings & one Case containing a Skeleton & Foetus...
if any Professor of Anatomy is desirous to exhibit Lectures he is to apply to them for Liberty.
All such Pupils as attend the said Lectures intended to be exhibited by Dr. Shippen or any other Person should pay a Pistole each.
And such Persons who from Curiosity may apply to view the said Paintings &c. should pay a Dollar each except the Managers and Physicians of the House. Which Gratuities shall be applied to the use of the Hospital.Note Type
Historical NoteNote
The Surgeon and the Abolitionist: William Chancellor and Anthony Benezet
Author(s): David L. Crosby Source: The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography , Vol. 137, No. 2 (April 2013), pp. 125-145 Published by: The Historical Society of Pennsylvania; University of Pennsylvania Press
In March 1761 the following advertisement appeared in the Pennsylvania Gazette : “William Chancellor, intending for England in three months, desires all persons indebted to him to make speedy payment; and those that have any demands against him to bring in their accounts that they may be settled. All sorts of drugs, chemical and galenical medicines, will continue to be sold at the lowest rates at his house, sign of the Pestle and Mortar.” 34 This settling of debts was a fairly common practice among colonists who were preparing for a sea voyage; it was good manners to let your creditors know you were not sneaking out of town to avoid paying your notes. Chancellor most likely sailed with the veteran captain Richard Budden, now commanding the Philadelphia Packet, which cleared the Philadelphia Custom House on July 23 as it headed for London. A standard six-week passage would have put him there on or about September 3, just in time for him to write the following note to Benezet’s good friends Israel and James Pemberton on September 6:
Much Esteemed friends/ The Civilities I have received from Doctor Fothergill, tho’ arrived but a few days, demand from me the utmost return of thanks, as they cou’d have proceeded, from nothing but your warm recommendation of me, to him. It will be my constant study, to prove worthy your Esteem, and acknowledge how much I amYour obliged FriendWm Chancellor.
This letter—the only other manuscript document by Chancellor known still to exist—raises many questions. Did Chancellor approach the Pembertons for a letter of introduction to John Fothergill, a devout Friend and one of the richest and most respected medical practitioners in England, or did the Pembertons send Chancellor to London on an errand for them? What business did Chancellor have in London, and did it involve Fothergill in a major way, or was Chancellor merely paying his respects to a renowned surgeon and physician? Fortunately, a letter written by Fothergill to James Pemberton some seven months later and carried back to Philadelphia by James Logan’s son William helps to answer some of the questions. Pemberton appears to have sent Fothergill some books along with a request that he help raise money for the newly proposed Pennsylvania Hospital for the Sick Poor. Fothergill responded that the request “came at an unlucky juncture,” since “money is wanted here for many purposes, and men part with fifty pounds with reluctance.” Instead of immediate support, Fothergill promised to send a present of some anatomical drawings that would be useful in courses in anatomy, which is “of exceedingly great use to practitioners in Physic and Surgery.” He further proposed that Dr. William Shippen the younger, with whom he would be sending his gift, be permitted to use the drawings in offering private courses in anatomy “to students who may attend the new hospital.” 37 Fothergill even looked forward to the day that Shippen and John Morgan, who would receive his MD from Edinburgh in 1763, “will be able to erect a school of Physick amongst you that may draw many students from various parts of America and the West Indies.” 38 Fothergill then offered his opinion on the thirty-two-year-old William Chancellor: “though perhaps not qualified to take any considerable share in an undertaking of this nature, yet [he] has spent his time here to considerable advantage. I esteem him much, and have no doubt but his diligence and care, improved by the opportunities of seeing a great deal of practice, will render him a very useful member of society.”39
Another purpose of Chancellor’s visit was to purchase supplies in London to restock his shop on Market Street. In this he succeeded, announcing in the Pennsylvania Gazette for June 10, 1762, that he had new merchandise “imported from the original warehouses in London on the Philadelphia Packet” and another ship. The Packet had made entry to Philadelphia two weeks earlier, and it is likely that Chancellor arrived on it as well, perhaps along with William Logan and the letter he was carrying from John Fothergill to James Pemberton.