James Derham
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James Derham was the first African-American to formally practice medicine in the U.S., though he never received an M.D. degree.[1]
He was born into slavery in Philadelphia in 1757. He was "owned" by several doctors, and one of his owners, a physician named Dr. Robert Love, encouraged him to go into medicine.[1]
By working as a nurse, he bought his freedom by 1783.[2] He opened a medical practice, by age 26 he was earning over $2000 annually.[1]
Derham met with a doctor named Benjamin Rush, the father of American medicine, and Rush was so impressed by Derham that he encouraged him to move to Philadelpia. There he became an expert in throat diseases and in the relationship between climate and disease.[1]
[edit] See also
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ a b c d "First 3 African American Physicians", Essortment
- ^ Quarles, Benjamin. "James Dernam"
