Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-11
STATUE OF BENZ. RUSH
Bronze Likeness to Be I'm
yelled This Afternoon.
PRESIDENT TO SPEAK
GIFT OF THE AMERICAN MEDI-
CAL ASSOCIATION.
Erected on the Grounds Of Naval
Museum of Hygiene, Foot
Of 23d Street.
PRESIDENT TO SPEAK

The imposing statue Of DR.. Benjamin
Rush, perpetuating in bronze the likeness
and memory of the great physician and
philanthropist, will be unveiled this after
noon at o'clock in the presence of the
President of the United States, members
Of his cabinet, prominent officers of the
army and navy, and a group of distin-
guished members of the American Medical
Association and the profession generally.
The statue stands in the grounds OF the
United States Naval Museum of Hygiene
and Medical School at the foot of ODD
street northwest, formerly the site of the
old naval observatory The statue has
been erected by the American Medical AS
ISOLATION and presented to the nation. 1t
will be accepted by President Roosevelt
A large number of the members of the
association presenting the bronze arrived in
the city at noon today. The organiZat ton
has recently been meeting in annual SEES
sion at Atlantic City.
At the Naval Museum grounds an ap-
propriately decorated stand has been erect
ed for the accommodation of the guests
at the ceremonies this afternoon. The
Marine Band will be present to render
program of patriotic airs. The presenta-
ton address will be made by the president
Of the American Medical Associa ton, DR..
]. H. Musser of Philadelphia. President
Roosevelt will formally accept the statue
with fitting remarks. Eulogy Of Dr. Rush
will be delivered by DR.. ]. c. Wilson of
Phila delphia. who has also been serving as
chairman of the committee on arrange
ments.
Of Heroic Size.
The statue is of heroic size. 1t stands
upon a base of Indiana limestone with
granite steps leading up thereto. The
height of the pedestal is ten feet. There
are four bas relief panels on the several
sides of the pedestal. The one in front
bears the inscription. ''Dr. Benjamin Rush,
Physician and Phianthropist. 1745-1S13."
The three remaining panels typtfy the i'm
portant feature of the physicians life.
One panel bears crossed swords and
wreath and beneath is inscribed. .sgner
of the Declaration of Independence"
Another panel bears a scroll, a pen and
wreath with the inscription: First Ameri-
can Alienist" The remaining panel bears
the Caduceus, or staff of Mercury, with
ssps coiled about it. The Caduceus is the
emblem of medicine recognized in the
United States army. This panel bears a
favorite quotation by DR.. Rush: "Studium
Sine Calamo Somnium." Mr.. Louis r. Met
calfe was the architect of the statue, Mr..
r. Hinton Perry the sculptor and j. w.
Pacey, the builder, all being from New
York. The bronze work was done by the
Henry Bonnard Company of New York
The statue stands on the front lawn of
the museum grounds, facing the north.
Signed Declaration of Independence.
Dr. Benjamin Rush, signer of the Decla-
ration of Independence, vas born in By
berry township, Pa December "a, 1745 and
died in Philadelphia, April 10, 1913. His
ancestor, John Rush, was a captain OF
horse in CromwelTs army and emigrated
to this country in $685. leaving large
number of descendants. Benjamins father
died when the son was six years old. His
{vctr Ua M
uel Finley, subsequently, president OF
Princeton University, who prepared the son
for that college. Benjamin Rush was grad
uated in 1850 and subsequently In the medi-
cal department of the University of Edin-
burgh in 1868, after studying under DIR.
John Redman of Philadelphia. He also at
tended medical lectures In England and IN
Paris, where he enjoyed the friendship of
Benjamin Franklin, who advanced the
means of paying his expenses.
In August, 1863, Benjamin Rush returned
to the United States and settled in Phila-
delphia, where he was elected professor
of chemistry IN the City Medical College
In I'LL he published essays on slavery,
temperance and health, and in IVA he de-
liyered the annual Grafton before the Philo-
sophical Society on The Natural History
of Medicine Among the Indians of North
America"
Dr. Rush early engaged in prerevolu-
tionary movements, and wrote constantly
for the press on colonial rights He was
a member of the provincial conference of
Pennsylvania and chairman of the COM
mittee that reported that 1t had become
expedient for Congress to declare indepen-
dence He was surgeon to the Philadelphia
navy in 1775 and 1776 and on July of the
latter year signed the Declaration of indie
pendence.
Eminent in His Profession
Although in constant attendance on the
wounded in the battles of Trenton, Prince
ton and the Brandywine. Germantown and
in the sickness at Valley Forge, he found
time to write four long public letters to the
people of Pennsylvania, in which he COM
mented severely on the articles of confed-
Grafton of 1776 and urged q revision on the
ground of the dangers of giving legislative
powers to single house. In 177S he re-
signed his military Office on account of
wrongs that had been doe to the soldiers