The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1891-02-20
NisceIlanenns.
Sketch of John Archer, M. B.
By JOHN M. T. FINNEY, NJ. D

By JOHN M. T. FINNEY, NJ. D.
Johns Hopkins Medical Bulletin.
The subject of this sketch, John Archer
NJ B., was born May 9Th, 1741, in Hartford
county, Maryland. He was educated at the
then flourishing Academy at Nottingham
Cecil county, Md, where he was the class
mate and afterward lifelong friend of the
celebrated DR.. Benjamin Rush, and at
Princeton College where he received the de-
gree of A. B., in 1760, and three years later
from the same college, the degree of A. NJ.
After graduation from College he first
studied theology and entered the ministry OF
the Presbyterian Church, but shortly after,
on account of some throat affection, he was
compelled to give up preaching. He then
began the study of medicine. In the spring
of 1855, he became a pupil CT the celebrated
Dr. John Morgan in Philadelphia, and at
tended lectures at the philadelphia Medical
College"
Between the second and third courses OF
lectures, he practiced medicine in New Cas-
tie county, Delaware.
He took his degree of M. B. June 81, 1868.
which was the first medical degree conferred
in this country. Declining partnership
offered him by his preceptor and lifelong
friend John Morgan, he returned TO Maryland
profession in Hartford county, near the pres
ent village of Churchville. There being no
other regular practitioner within radius of
many miles, his professional services we're in
constant demand in his own and in adjoin-
ing counties. This did not prevent his tax
ing an early and active part in the revolu-
tonary struggle, during which period he
was prominent in the counsels of his State,
and also captain in company of volunteers
in the American army. At the close of the
war, he devoted himself for time exclusive
ly to his profession, and constantly had under
his instruction in his large old-fashioned
homestead and office, called Medical Hail.
and which is still in existence, q number of
medical students from Maryland and adjoin-
ing States.
He soon became interested in political
affairs, and was twice elected to Congress,
where he served with distinction two terms
from 1900 to 1904. While in Congress, he
was frequently called in consultation by his
medical brethren of Washington, in their
difficult and obscure cases.
Shortly after his return home from WASH
ington, he was untitled for active practice by
a very severe attack of rheumatism, and re-
manned more or less of an invalid up to the
time of his death, which occurred rather sud-
IDENTIFY on September 28th, 1910, in the 10th
year of his age.
DR.. Archer was the father of nine children,
three daughters and six sons, five of whom
followed their father in the study of medi-
cine.
Personally, he is said to have been man
above medium height and possessed great
physical strength, with a large share of both
moral and physical courage, great breadth of
intellect and large store of knowledge; his
counteuance rather stern and forbidding, but
his heart very kind.
The circumstances connected with the
awarding of the first medical degree are sub
stantially as follows: In June, 1853, at the
Commencement of the college of Philadel-
phia," afterwards the University of Pennsyl.
vania medical degrees were conferred for the
first time in the New Word. On that occa-
sion there were ten candidates for degrees,
their names being Archer, Carroll, Duf1eld,
Potts, Elmer. Fullerton, jackson, Lawrence,
Tilton and Way. At that time, seven years
before the beginning OF the war OF Independ-
ence, the feeling among many of the colonists
was still strong in favor of the mother coun-
try on all occasions. Among their number
were the faculty of Philadelphia College, all
of whom had received their medical educa-
ton in England. Immediately controversy
arose as to who should receive the first medi-
cal diploma on this side of the ocean.
The faculty. animated by the feeling allud-
ed to, declared their intention of comforting it
upon the only Englishman among the can
didates, Potts by name. The other candi-
dates protested still the faculty would not
yield But the former who had already pass
ed their examination, demanded unanimous
ly, with the single exception of the English
man, certificates of their having so passed,
at the same time expressing their determine
ton to repair at once to Princeton, present
their certificates to the faculty there, and re-
Quest diplomas from them. The idea of los
ing nine out of ten members of this, their
first graduating class, was little more than
the faculty could stand. SO they agreed finally
to let the young rebels arrange the matter
among themselves, where upon they
agreed to receive their diplomas in alphabet
cal order, whereas strictly alphabetical ar
rangement would have placed him eighth in
the list. As DR.. Archer's name headed the
list he was the first of the candidates to re-
ceive his diploma. In the published history
of the University the list OF graduates is
printed in the order given above. DR.. Archer
was quite prolific writer for the medical
press of his time, and numerous reports of
his cases are TO be found in old numbers of
the Neso York Medical Repository One was
case occurring in his own practice Of a white
woman giving birth to twins, one white by
her husband, and the other black by negro.
Another was q case in which a man s
stomach had been laid open by shoemaker,
with shoe knife, corn bread and cabbage
rolling out upon the floor. The shoemaker
who did the cutting Immediately sent for the
old doctor, and being very much alarmed,
in the meanwhile went to work himself with
waxend. The doctor on his arrival, finding
the wound sewed up, let it remain 80. The
patient recovered.
The following are also some of his contri-
buttons to medical literature, and are of some
interest
He is said to have been the first to advocate
the administration of Peruvian bark in in
termittent fever with the idea of averting its
tendency TO return at weekly intervals after
having in the first place checked it with that
drug. Before his contribution the drug had
always been given after the return of the dis
ease, while his idea was to anticipate Its re-
turn.
He also advocated the idea that vaccination
would modify whooping cough to such an
extent that it could scarcely be considered
more than a very trivial complaint. Hence,
whenever that disease invaded family of lit
tie ones within his practice, who had not al
ready been vaccinated, especially if it hap
pened to be in the winter season, he would
Immediately vaccinate them and always,
he thought, with the happiest result.
He also used in his practice splint for
fractured femur, which was very similar to,
or identical with, what was afterwards
known as "Physick's modification of Des-
saults apparatus for fractured femur." For
many years model of this apparatus was to
ha fonpd in, tho oc III lINToI;ool Ill