William Shippen, Jr / [P.M. Ashburn].

  • P. M. Ashburn
Date:
[1930]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: William Shippen, Jr / [P.M. Ashburn]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Reprint from SURGERY, GYNECOLOGY AND OBSTETRICS January, 1930, pages 120-122 ROY MOODIE COLLECTION. MASTER SURGEONS OF AMERICA WILLIAM SHIPPEN, JUNIOR P. M. ASHBURN, M.D., F.A.C.S., Washington, D. C. WILLIAM SHIPPEN, Junior, was born in Philadelphia in 1736, the son of Dr. William Shippen, who was the grandson of that Edward Shippen who emigrated from Massachusetts to assist William Penn in founding Pennsylvania, of which colony “he filled, successively, almost all the important offices of the government.” William Shippen, senior, studied medicine in America under a preceptor only, but he attained success and eminence in his profession. Always a friend of learning, he was one of the founders of the College of New Jersey (Princeton) and long a trustee; was a trustee in the College of Philadelphia (Univ. of Penna.) vice president of the Philosophical Society, and the first physician appointed to the Pennsylvania hospital. He saw to it that his son received the best educa¬ tional opportunities. That son was sent to Nottingham Academy where he came under the instruction of Reverend Mr. Finlay, who gave him solid grounding in the classics. Later he attended the College of New Jersey, where he shone in classical learning and in oratory and became valedictorian for his class, that of 1757. Upon this occasion his Latin oration was delivered with such eloquence that the famous preacher Whitefield, who was present, was moved to praise the young man extravagantly and to urge him to enter the ministry. Instead, he returned to Philadelphia and for three years studied medicine with his father. At the conclusion of that period he went to London, where he lived in the family of John Hunter and studied anatomy and midwifery under William Hunter. Later he went to Edinburgh, where he graduated in 1761, his thesis being entitled “ Dissertatio anatomico-medica de Placenta cum Utero NexuP In 1762 he returned to Philadelphia and took up practice and teaching. His return was preceded by a gift to the Pennsylvania Hospital from Dr. John Fothergill, of a set of handsome anatomical paintings and a letter which indi¬ cated that Fothergill expected Shippen to explain these pictures and use them in teaching. He also spoke of the probability that Shippen would establish a medical school, and spoke of Dr. John Morgan as Shippen’s able young assistant in the project. Shippen began to teach anatomy at once, and in his opening lecture he pro¬ posed the establishment of a medical school. He also lectured on midwifery. 1930, by Surgical Pub. Co. of Chicago
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