The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-03-27
COLORED MEN AS PHYSICIANS.
Hundreds Of Them Practiclng in the United
Stares-The First Man to Obtain Do
gree-Trodden Down by Prejudice
In the North, but Helped In
the South

There are tens of thousands of tn,
"oldest inhabitants" of the city nov
dwelling among us and enjoying robus
health, says The Ne,o York Nail and
E1preSs, who never dreamed in theil
youthful days that they would live t(
see colored men aspire to practice the
healing art on their white brethren
Still less did they imagine that time
would come when colored doctors
would be recognized and treated with
courtesy and Difference by the learned
Caucasians who have heretofore
monopolized the business of the med.
ical profession and guarded its secrets
with jealousy. Yet it is fact which
does not admit of dispute that hun.
dreds of colored physicians are now
practicing in the United States under
diplomas won by hard study at medic
al colleges and universities in several
states of the union and in Canada and
Europe. They are far more numerous
in the south than in the north or east.
In this city and Brooklyn there are
some eight colored doctors who have
built up lucrative practice among
white patients as we'll as among those
of their own race. The story of the
struggles of those down-trodden men
to obtain professional recognition an !
establish foOthold is as Interesting
as romance.
A reporter for The Mail and Express
was fortunate in obtaining from the
best living authority on the subject the
story of the trials and rebuffs which
met the negro aspirant for profession
al honors when the struggle first COM
menced. That person is Philip A..
White, colored man of classic at.
tainments, who for forty years has
conducted a drug store in the section
of the Fourth ward known as the
Swamp. By his friends he is address
ed as Prof. White. He is now in the
last decade of the allotted threescore
and ten years, yet he looks more ac-
tive, hale, and hearty than many a
man who has not reached 80. Heis of
medium build and height. His hair is
long and wavy; his teeth small and
white, and his complexion copper
colored. He wears small mutton-chop
whiskers, with delicate mustache and
goatee. He was born in this city, his
father and mother being full-blooded
Africans3
Fifty years ago." said Prof. White,
sit was rash thing for colored man
in this country to think of becoming a
doctor and engaging in the practice of
medicine. There was man in those
days who determined to try the ex-
pertinent. He succeeded beyond his
expectations. He gained position and
distinction and died in affluent circum-
stances. That man was DR.. j. McCune
Smith. He was the first colored doc
tor in America who ever obtained a
regular degree. 1t was no easy mat
ter to do this III his time, because ne
groes were not admitted to institutions
OF learning where the higher branches
were taught"
"How did DR.. Smith overcome this
diflicultyP"
"He mastered the elementary
branches of study in the common
schools of this city. His talents at
tracted the attention of Rev. DR..
Schroeder, an Episcopalian minister,
who instructed him in the rudiments
of Latin and Greek. In 1882 Smith
crossed the ocean, and was admitted
as student to the University of Glas-
gov in Scotland. He first took the
literary degree of A. B., and after
ward graduated with honors as an M.
d. He returned to this city in 1888,
and established himself in practice in
West Broadway. He conducted
drug store to aid him in building up q
practice. He was a man of talent, and
he soon found that he had all the busi-
ness he could attend to, the major por-
tion of his patients being white. l
know these facts because l studied in
his Office while acting as a clerk in his
drug store. He often took part in
with white physicians,
and his diploma was accepted and re-
corded in the archives of the County
society. The amenities of the
profession were always extended to
him by his brother physicians.
"Did the doctor interest himself in
the education and elevation of his
raceP"
ale educated two young men who
have since became physicians, and
three others who are now conducting |
drug stores. He was the founder of |
the Society for the Promotion and Ed
ncation of Coored People. When he
lied he left behind him widow and
six children. and $4,000 in money,
besides considerable personal prop
erty. In few years the widow squan-
lered the $4,000 by aping the style
If the white aristocracy, and the chill
iren are now doing right well. They
ire earning their bread by the sweat
If their brows."
"Was DR.. Smith the first colored
nan who sought place in the medical
"Several made the attempt before
is time and failed. Colored people
re naturally kind-hearted, and kind
ess prompts them to come TO the re-
ef OF those who are suffering. They
lust know how to do this, and there
ore they have natural thirst for
ledical knowledge, and it is cruelty
D deprive them of it. Before DR..
mith's time, Charley Cognac and DR..
ohm Brown tried to obtain degrees,
nd went through hard course of
Judy. When they hoped their reward
-as within their grasp they were
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