HISTORY OF MEDICINE: Benjamin Franklin and Medicine

Benjamin Franklin, called Dr. Franklin after receiving an honorary degree in 1759 for his contributions to understanding electricity, was not formally trained as a physician. Nevertheless, he had numerous interests in medicine, including experimentation, shrewd observations about health and disease...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inAnnals of internal medicine Vol. 143; no. 11; p. 830
Main Author Hirschmann, J V
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Philadelphia American College of Physicians 06.12.2005
Subjects
Catheters
Electricity
Electroconvulsive therapy
Franklin, Benjamin (1706-90)
History of medicine
Hospitals
Medical equipment
Patients
Placebo effect
Scientists
Philadelphia Pennsylvania
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:Benjamin Franklin, called Dr. Franklin after receiving an honorary degree in 1759 for his contributions to understanding electricity, was not formally trained as a physician. Nevertheless, he had numerous interests in medicine, including experimentation, shrewd observations about health and disease in himself and others, civic activities, and inventions of medical devices. These achievements show his capacity for detailed, perceptive insights; his fastidiousness in recording his observations; and his thoughtful analyses of scientific phenomena and human conduct. In medicine, perhaps uniquely in his life, his major interests intersected: scientific pursuits, civic activities, amused scrutiny of human behavior, and the desire to improve the lot of his fellow man. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:0003-4819
1539-3704