IN MEDICINE. The Medicine Man

IN order to help look after the general health, advise and encourage good physical conditions and thereby save and prolong the lives of the several million Colored people residing in the United States, and to assist in easing the pains and sufferings of all humanity; there are between four and five thousand Colored physicians today practicing medicine in America. While the majority of these professional men are located in parts of this country where they do business exclusively among their own people, there are hundreds of Colored doctors residing in many other states where the number of their white patients is as large as among their own race.

In 1767 there was born in Philadelphia, Pa., a slave by the name of Jas. Derham, who in his early life was taught medicine by his white owner, a practicing physician. After Derham had saved enough money to set himself up in business and had secured his freedom, he moved to New Orleans, La., where in a few years he built up both a large practice and an independent fortune. It is said that Dr. Derham was the first Negro in the United States to be recognized as a practicing physician.

Dr. Daniel H. Williams of Chicago, Ill., not only is spoken of as being in the front rank of the foremost physicians and surgeons of the Negro race but he is also classed with the first medical men of any race or nation. He is the founder of the celebrated Provident Hospital and Training School of Chicago and was Surgeon-in-Chief of the famous Freedman’s Hospital, Washington, D.C., under President Cleveland’s administration. His medical ability became so widely known that he has been called to nearly every important part of the United States for consultation. His skill in being the first surgeon to make a successful operation on the human heart has won him world-wide reputation. As a result of his deep medical studies and most delicate surgical operations he has been honored with the first Negro membership in the American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Algernon B. Jackson, Phila., Pa., has the distinction of receiving a Fellowship in the American College of Physicians, as a result of his great all-around medical skill and especially his first discovery of a cure for articular rheumatism. He is Head of the Mercy Hospital, which is one of the most practically and beautifully located Colored institutions of its kind not only in Philadelphia but in the United States. The results of Dr. Jackson’s medical experiments and discoveries have been published in leading medical journals and have won a name for him here and abroad.

Aside from teaching as a professor in one of the leading white medical schools in Boston, Mass., Dr. S. C. Fuller, a Neuropathologist of nationwide fame, is also serving as a member on the medical staff of the Massachusetts Hospital (white) for the insane. In this capacity he has from time to time made some very valuable discoveries and suggestions that have been accepted and put into practical and beneficial uses for the treatment and care of the insane.

The honor of being the first Colored physician to be accepted as an interne in the Bellevue Hospital, a New York City white institution of world-wide renown, rests upon the capable shoulders of Dr. U. G. Vincent. A few years ago he graduated with such high honors from the University of Pa., that he was not compelled (as is usually the case) to take the interne entrance examination when admitted to the Bellevue Hospital.

Dr. Louis T. Wright, of Atlanta, Ga., now of New York, graduated from Harvard University among the brainiest men of his class. As a young physician both in age and practice, he is making wonderful strides along medical paths and has already discovered a new method of vaccination that has been tested and used by the United States Government.

On account of some extra special and greatly beneficial medical efforts having been spent in their unusually successful careers, the following names have been handed to the writer as belonging to a few of the Colored physicians who are recognized as standing among the very highest in their profession. E. A. Balloch, Washington, D.C., H. R. Butler, Atlanta, Ga., J. E. Cannady, Charleston, W. Va., A. M. Curtis, Washington, D.C., U. G. Dailey, Chicago, Ill., J. J. France, Portsmouth, Va., S. A. Furniss, Indianapolis, Ind., J. H. Hale, Nashville, Tenn., Geo. C. Hall., Chicago, Ill., J. A. Kenney, Tuskegee, Ala., N. F. Mossell, Phila., Pa., H. M. Murray, Wilmington, Del., W. L. Perry, St. Louis, Mo., C. V. Roman, Nashville, Tenn., E. P. Roberts, New York City, N. Y., H. A. Royster, Raleigh N. C., York Russell, New York City, N. Y., W. A. Warfield, Washington, D.C., and A. Wilberforce Williams, Chicago, Ill.

As the result of often handicapped and hurried researches in the hundred or more following named cities, the writer was only able to secure the few names listed below from among the thousands of doctors unlocated but who are just as skilled in the healing powers and just as learned in the medical science whereever they may be practicing:

Atlanta, Ga. Dr. R. A. Carter, Drs. J. W. Burney, H. R. Bulter, C. H. Johnson, H. E. Nash, J. A. Slater. Atlantic City, N. J. Drs. R. E. Harris, C. McGuire. Augusta, Ga. Drs. T. W. Josey, G. N. Stoney. Baltimore, Md. Drs. H. F. Brown, J. C. Brown, D. E. Campbell, H. White, W. H. Wright. Birmingham, Ala. Drs. J. W. Anderson, H. C. Bryant, U. G. Mason, J. B. Clayton, E. R. Dudley. Boley, Okla. Drs. J. D. Nelson, W. A. Paxton, J. W. Young. Boston, Mass. Drs. C. Garland, C. Harrison, I. L. Roberts, B. Robinson. Buffalo, N. Y. Drs. M. A. Allen, H. Lewis. Brooklyn, N. Y. Drs. R. Birnie, F. M. Jacobs, R. Johnson, O. M. Waller. Camden, N. J. Drs. C. T. Branch, I. Wilson. Charleston, S. C., Drs. M. M. Edwards, W. H. Johnson, J. M. Thompson, W. H. Miller Charleston, W. Va. Drs. J. E. Cannady, H. F. Gamble, R. L. Jones. Charlotte, N. C. E. F. Tyson, J. T. Williams. Chattanooga, Tenn. Drs. T. A. Key, W. A. Thompson. Chester, Pa. Dr. J. H. Miller, K. L. Kurd, E. E. Raven. Chicago, Ill. Drs. U. G. Dailey, S. C. Dickson, W. S. Grant, G. C. Hall, E. B. Ramsey, A. Wilberforce Williams, Daniel H. Williams. Cincinnati, O. Drs. E. B. Gray, F. W. Johnson. Cleveland, O. Drs. E. A. Bailey, C. H. Garvin, E. J. Gregg, O. A. Taylor, J. T. Sykes. Columbia, S.C. N. A. Jenkins, F. B. Johnson. Columbus, O. W. W. Cooper, W. A. Method, W. R. Morrison, W. Woodlin. Danville, Va. F. W. James, A. L. Winslow. Dayton, O. L. H. Cox, B. A. Rose. Denver, Col. S. A. Huff, J. H. Westbrook. Des Moines, Iowa. Drs. A. J. Booker, A. Jefferson. Detroit, Mich. Drs. Northcross and Turner. Durham, N. C. Drs. C. Donnell, A. M. Moore. Evansville, Ind. G. W. Buckner, H. Thompson. Fort Smith, Ark. Drs. S. W. Harrison, N. H. Lockhart. Fort Worth, Texas. Drs. A. B. Borders, J. W. Tildon. Gary, Ind. Drs. Baskett and Blackwell, C. E. Hawkins. Greenville, S.C. Dr. A. E. Boyd. Hampton, Va. Drs. W. E. Atkins, C. S. Bassette, Burl Bassette, J. J. Jones. Harrisburg, Pa. C. L. Carter, C. H. Crampton, M. H. Layton, A. L. Marshall, J. T. Warrick. Hartford, Conn. Dr. H. W. Furniss. Helena, Ark. Drs. A. D. Beacly, S. H. Horgoods. Hopkinsville, Ky. Dr. B. O. Moore. Houston, Texas. B. J. Covington, H. E. Lee. Indianapolis, Ind. Drs. H. W. Armistead, S. A. Furniss, J. H. Ward, H. L. Hummonds. Jackson, Miss. Dr. R. S. Johnson. Jacksonville, Fla. Drs. C. F. Duncan, M. F. McCleary, J. S. Hills, A. H. Kennibrew. Jersey City, N.J. Drs. G. E. Cannon, P. F. Ghee. Kansas City, Kan. Drs. J. N. Sohns, S. H. Thompson. Kansas City, Mo. Drs. E. C. Bunch, T. C. Brown, C. M. Kane, J. E. Perry, J. F. Shannon, W. J. Tompkins, T. C. Unthank. Knoxville, Tenn. Drs. D. W. Crawford, S. M. Clark, H. M. Green. Leavenworth. Kan. Drs. C. M. Moates, Silas Jackson. Little Rock, Ark. Drs. J. T. Clowers, G. W. S. Ish, J. G. Thornton. Los Angeles, Cal. Drs. C. Ballard, Anna Leggett, J. S. Outlaw, L. Stovall. Lexington, Ky. Dr. J. E. Hunter. Louisville, Ky. Drs. J. M. Hammons, A. C. McIntyre, E. D. Wedbee, W. H. Pickett. Memphis, Tenn. Drs. A. N. Townsend, C. A. Terrell, J. T. Wilson Milwaukee, Wis. Drs. F. Boget, H. B. Stokes. Mobile, Ala. Drs. T. N. Harris, H. R. Williams. Montgomery, Ala. Drs. R. T. Adair, F. D. Boswell, H. P. Dawson, F. C. Cuffey, J. A. Deramiur, Wm. Washington. Mound Bayou, Miss. Dr. D. H. Broomfield. Muskogee, Okla. Drs. H. L. Meckelroy, R. H. Watterford. Nashville, Tenn. Drs. L. A. Fisher, J. H. Hale, A. L. Herron, J. T. Phillips, C. V. Roman, J. N. Holman, F. A. Stewart. Newark, N.J. Drs. S. S. Bruington, Green and Wolfe. New Orleans, La. Drs. A. W. Braizer, L. T. Burbridge, R. Fredricks. Newport News, Va. Drs. W. P. Dickerson, C. A. Easton, W. T. Foreman, J. H. Robinson, C. W. Scott, P. S. Scott. New York City, N.Y. Drs. E. P. Roberts, York Russell, U. G. Vincent, L. T. Wright, W. M. Wilson, A. S. Reed. Norfolk, Va. Drs. P. L. Barber, J. D. Jackson. Omaha, Neb. Drs. L. E. Britt, J. H. Hutten. Philadelphia, Pa. Drs. F. C. Antoine, Eugene Hinson, Chas. Lewis, A. B. Jackson, N. F. Mossell, P. J. Taylor, J. D. Turner, Minton, Lennon, McDougall, Sinclair. Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. W. C. Hackett. Pine Bluff, Ark. Drs. H. L. Jordan, J. W. Parker. Pittsburgh, Pa. Drs. F. F. Bishop, J. T. Allen, J. B. Shepard, G. G. Terfley, A. C. Kyles. Portland, Oregon. Dr. J. A. Merriman. Portland, Me. Dr. Herndon White. Portsmouth, N. H. Dr. C. A. Randolph. Portsmouth, Va. Dr. J. J. France, W. T. Jones. Providence, R. I. Drs. W. H. Higgins, J. Robinson, J. Birch. Raleigh, N.C. Drs. C. A. Dunston, L. E. McConley, J. O. Plumber, H. A. Royster, P. F. Roberts, J. T. Northam. Richmond, Va. Drs. H. A. Allen, W. H. Hughes, M. B. Jones, J. H. Blackwell. Roanoke, Va. Drs. J. B. Claytor, J. H. Roberts. San Antonio, Texas. Drs. W. M. Drake, C. A. Whitten. San Francisco, Cal. Drs. R. N. Arthurton, W. W. Purnell. Savannah, Ga. Drs. O. C. Clayborne, F. S. Belcher, W. C. Blackman, W. A. Harris, G. W. Smith. Seattle, Wash. Drs. D. T. Cardwell, C. F. Maxwell. Shreveport, La. Drs. E. B. Liddel, D. A. Smith. St. Louis, Mo. Drs. W. P. Curtis, J. T. Caston, R. C. Haskell, W. L. Perry, S. P. Stafford, D. Weaver, J. A. Grossland, C. L. Thomas. St. Paul, Minn. Drs. W. D. Bloom, V. Turner. Tampa, Fla. Dr. J. A. White. Terre Haute, Ind. Drs. A. L. Cabell, D. A. Bethea. Washington, D.C. Drs. S. L. Carson, E. A. Balloch, A. M. Curtis, W. A. Warfield, E. D. Williston, R. A. Burton. Wichita, Kanin. Drs. J. E. Farmer, F. O. Miller. Wilmington, Del. Drs. C. Banston, S. G. Elbert, H. Murray. Wilmington, N. C. Drs. F. F. Burnett, S. M. Key.

Hospitals and Nurses

Although American Negroes own and conduct over one hundred modernly equipped hospitals, even that number of buildings does not afford space enough to properly house the three thousand Colored graduate nurses now practicing in the United States, should all those angels of mercy at the same time apply for accommodations in the above institutions.

The writer regrets that as hard and patiently as he researched he was unable to secure a list of names of the Colored women doctors who are to-day practicing medicine in the United States. It, therefore, affords him great pleasure, at the very last moment on the eve of this publication coming from the press, to be able to rush in his book from the September 24, 1921, issue of the Chicago Defender, the following article regarding the distinguished abilities and works of one of the numerous Negro women physicians to-day following their profession in America:

“WOMAN DOCTOR RECEIVES FRENCH MEDAL OF HONOR.”

“Newport, R. I., Sept., 23.—Dr. Harriet A. Rice, prominent in Newport circles, received from the French government this week the Reconnaissance Francaise, a bronze medal, awarded her in July 1919, for her work overseas during the war. The medal reached her through the French Embassy at Washington.

“Dr. Rice is a graduate of Wellesley College and of the Women’s Medical College of New York. She served in the French military hospital during the greater part of the war from 1915 to the signing of the armistice, and it is for these services that she is decorated. The medal was presented her by Prince de Bearn, charge d’affaires of the French embassy.

“According to the citation which accompanied the medal, the woman is honored by the French government because of “her devotion and ability in caring for the French wounded during the war.”