The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1837-11-22

Sometime about the year l747, Abra-
ham Redwood, Esq, judicious and oru-
lent gentleman of the Society of Friends,
founded the " RedwOOd Library" and gave
FIVE hundred pounds sterling for books to be
purchased in London; which commission
was judiciously and faithfully executed.
The medical part of them were excellent
They were amply sufficient to give the med.
cal student competent information of all
that was then known in the English Ian
guage, on AnatOmy, Surgery, Chemistry
and Botany, together with the history of
drugs, and of their various preparations and
uses, with the history of the progress of
Physic from Hippocrates TO Boerhaave. At
that time there were more and completer
chemical laboratories in Rhode-Island, than
to be found any where in Massachusetts,
prior to 10 years ago. The British plum
dered the Redwood Library of the English
Classics, and all the light reading.
IL it be asked-what were they doing in
Philadelphia all this time : we answer,
nothing, five except Franklin's exhibitions
Of electricity. There was then no consid-
siderable Library, public or private cycep-
ting one owned by William Logan, Esq.
another wealthy and generous patron of
literature among the Quakers-thc Abra-
ham RedpOod of Pennsylvania. lie it ask
ed-what were they doing in the medical
and philosophical line in Boston, at that
time l-~Pehing DR.. ZABDlEL BoYLsroN
10Th stones as he passed the streets IN the
day, and breaking his windo,os by night for
Introducing incubation for Small i-por"
What were they doing ut Cambridge, be-
tween 1921 and 1854 ASK your grand
fathers.-And what were they doing a.
Rhode-I Islal.dl Reading the best collec-
ton of books then to be found in any town
in New-England Cambridge alone ex-
cepted) which gave to Newport literary
the Revolutionary war, that is till their dis
tnguished men were dispersed.
About 1850, Thomas Moffat, NJ. ID. a
learned Scotch physician, settled on Rhode
Island. He was often consulted and ap-
pealcd to, but had no relish for general and
promiscuous practice. He incurred popu-
lar odium for his political opinions and
was driven from the country in l772.
Contemporary with him, was Judge Robert
Lightfoot, an Englishman and graduate of
Oxford, eminent for his learning aud knowl-
edge of books, automatically well read
in pbysick. He was the most learned
member of political club, which were dis
persed in l775.
About the year 1856 DIR. William Hunter
-edrvmet venerable nOmen," gave at New
port, (R. I.,) the FIRST Anatomical and
Surgical Lectures ever delivered in the
twelve colonies, They we're delivered in
the Court House two seasons in succession
by cards Of invitation, and to great satisfac-
ton. His collection of instruments was
much larger than any Professor exhibits at
this day. DR.. Hunter was a man of tai
ents, well educated a, Edinburgh, aud a
gentleman of taste in the fine arts.
In l772 DR.. John Halliburton, another
ScotchmaE, Quilted the British service, and
prac,ised with great reputation especially in
Surgery, to 1850. We doub, whether Bos.
ton, New-York or Philadelphia, ever had,
at the same time, two practitioners Of phys
ick and surgery, better educated and more
skiiful than these two gentlemen.
To them succeeded the late DR.. Isaac
Senter, whose character is too well known
for me to dwell upon, since he is quoted
with appreciation in Europe. Nor ought
we to pass over in silence the name Of DIR.
Charles Antonio Wigneron, of German
origin, who practised full thirty years on
Rhode-lsand, and was there, what DR..
Kast was in Boston.
From these historical facts. the reader
will be able to Judge whether the Rhode
Island Physicians had not once as good a
right to the title Of leaders in the art, as
they have now to that Of imitatOrs 4 for it
should be borne 10 mind, that when DIR.
William Hunter taugh, publickIy Anatomy
and Surgery at Rhode-Island, the medical
School at Philadelphia was not in existence
The Hon. William Hunter, late Senator in
Congress, is the son Of the respectable ply
sIcian just mentioned, and who has recent
ly presented some valuable hooks, belong
ing to his fathers library, to tha, of the
College Of Rhodc-Island at Providence
Thus much for the MEDICAL, rank oi
I Rhode Islsnd-I,et ia no,x .av , vo,d n,