Customer Reviews

Benjamin Rush: Patriot and Physician

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I feel bad saying this, but I was severely disappointed with this book. As a physician and early American history buff I was really looking forward to learning more about Benjamin Rush.

In general it seems that the author, despite putting out what appears to be a finished, presentable biography, never really dug into source materials to find out who Benjamin Rush was and why he was important. Repeatedly, we hear of Rush's fame and accomplishments and influence, but the details are missing.

We hear what a great doctor Rush was, considered the preeminent physician of his times, according to the author, but all the author writes about is how Rush tortured his patients with medical treatments we now know are harmful, such as bloodletting, giving cathartics, etc. Rush is known as the "Father of American Psychiatry", his book on psychiatry was bible for many many years, and his observations on mental illness were in many ways way way ahead of his times...yet not a word of this is mentioned except in the last ten pages of this 365 page book. This subject desperately needed to explained. This is why he is important for heaven's sake.

Furthermore, I think it would have been fascinating to have gotten a better feel for what bloodletting and giving cathartics was about, we needed some good old source material, firsthand observations and then-current thoughts, as well as an expose of the tools employed, etc. Rush, it is clear, considered himself first and foremost and physician. He dedicated his life to the practice of medicine, he was considered a top academic lecturer. We are told all the top American physicians for the next half century were either disciples of Rush or disciples of his students.....but we don't really get a feeling for why.

His political contributions and inolvement were similarly neglected. Although he wasn't the political calibre of Hamilton or Jefferson, he was definitely a major player. Much of the earlier portion of the biography seemed to focus on explaining the political events occurring around Rush during the fight for independence. The focus should have been Rush. There's a lot of negativity surrounding Rush early on in the book, but how he seems to know all the important figures in the Revolution and why they respect him is not explained.

There also weren't any pictures or illustrations. I could go on. On the bright side, at least the book reads well. If you want to learn more about Rush, you should probably choose another book. Sorry.

Modern day Constitutionalists, in their passion to defend this document against ill-conceived modern-day dilutions, sometimes make the mistake of viewing the Founding Fathers of the United States as a pantheon. They were heroes, to be sure, but they had feet of clay and sharp disagreements. Some of the issues for which a compromise was found in the Constitution are worth revisiting today.

Alyn Brodsky has done a first-rate job of portraying this complex individual---Benjamin Rush, a curious combination of man of peace and man of war. He was one of the firiest firebrands in the pre-Revolutionary War days (his prolific pamphleteering helped to persuade those who had been obedient servants of the monarch, bringing to critical mass those who considered themselves defenders of the God-given right to liberty.) On the other hand, his humanitarian side is demonstrated in his pioneering work in the abolition of slavery, his visions for publicly funded schools (at which girls would study the same acedemic subjects as boys), his selfless work among the poor afflicted with Yellow Fever Plague in Philadelphia, his compassionate treatment of mentally ill patients, and due to his insight into the link between criminality and mental illness, his outspoken championing of prisonhouses as centers of reform rather than humiliation.

Particularly moving was the revelation, through letters Benjamin Rush had written to both men, of the antagonistic rift that developed between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson in the years after the War. It pained Benjamin Rush, who worked hard to reconcile these close friends. A testament to his success at doing so, and to the character of Benjamin Rush himself, is found in a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to John Adams when Benjamin Rush died in 1813: "...a better man than Rush could not have left us, more benevolent, more learned, of finer genius, or more honest." Adams reply to Jefferson: "I know of no character, living or dead, who has done more real good in America."

In addition to a number of factual errors, e.g., that General George Clinton had been a governor of N.Y. in pre-Revolutionary times when it was Clinton's father who had served as governor, and the occasional disparagement of Benedict Arnold as a military commander, the picture which this biography paints of its subject is much too flattering. Rush was not a very pleasing personality nor was he particularly influential in any positive sense as a "founder". Moreover, many details of his life have been omitted. For example, there is no mention of the relationship between Rush and Paine or what became of the son that was institutionalized. Rush's medical practice, in light of the general ignorance of the subject at the time Rush was practicing, does not warrant the extensive treatment which the author gives it. I wrote to the publisher on these subjects and pointed out a number of editorial errata but received no reply.

Alyn Brodsky keeps turning out well-researched and very readable biographies. One wishes that he might turn his attention and talent to other genres as well. This book sheds light on a deserving figure, one who played a pivotal albeit unassuming role in American history. It's truly a shame that Rush is not better known and is often ignored (or at best treated like a footnote) in most textbooks. He was a true Renaissance man and a humanitarian. Some of his ideas were a bit misguided; he was after all a man of his times. Yet he was also, in many ways, ahead of his times, particularly in his treatment of the mentally ill. Maybe now people outside of Philadelphia (come to think of it, even them) will give him the credit he so richly deserves. As for Brodsky, we can only hope he continues to produce such good books for a long time to come. By the way, I should add that the Kirkus reviewer evidentally either only read one page of the book or is simply dim as it was abundantly clear throughout the book that Rush was a fervent patriot and that his motivation was a strong desire to see Americans achieve the freedom they deserved. Of course Rush, idealist that he was, turned out to be disappointed by what the United States (or should I say, our government and political system) became. I'm sure he's turning over in his grave considering what's going on today...not to mention most of the other Founding Fathers!

Benjamin Rush: Patriot and Physician draws a fascinating picture of one of the United States "Founding Fathers" and "Founding Physicians". Although from humble background, Dr. Rush was able to get the best possible medical education in the world and practiced in Philadelphia for the majority of his adult life. In addition to teaching at the new Medical College in Philadelphia and thus training a whole generation of physicians, he actively participated in the deliberations of the First and Second Continental Congresses and signed the Declaration of Independence. He was a tireless writer, contributing articles on the need of independence from England and the structure of the new government. His contributions were in his own name, but often under another name, in part because of the strength of his beliefs (religious, medical, and political). Rush was a prolific correspondent and he played a crucial part in the reconciliation of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson after their retirements from active politics. Alyn Brodsky presents a sympathetic, but critical, appraisal of a key figure in the emergence of the United States. Further, the history of the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War is wonderfully told through the eyes of one who participated in the Revolution first hand.

I have been trying to read about the lesser known founding fathers for some time. I found this book to be very interesting and informative. Dr. Rush should have a more prominent place in history then he has. Some of his ideas and thoughts are put into practice to this day. Very good book about a very good man.

According to our documented family tree, Dr. Rush was a distant relative relative for whom our grandson, Bengamin was named. This book let me know even more about this man, physician, diplomat, the first Surgeon General of the United States and signer of the Declaration of Independance. Compared to some of the "guick on the scene and as quickly out of favor, contemproray "heros," we presently have, our county and world would do well to encourage the development of simaliar heros today!

Brodsky has done a brilliant job of telling Rush's story in an honest, yet sympathetic way. He weaves the great characters of our young nation into the larger context of a world in the midst of political and economic turmoil.