John Morgan - Physician-in-Chief of the Continental Army
Biography
Birth: 1725 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Death: Oct 15, 1789 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
American-born son of a Welsh emigrant, Evan Morgan (d. 1763). Educated at the College of Philadelphia and in Edinburgh. In 1765 he co-founded (with Benjamin Franklin) the Medical College of the University of Pennsylvania, and at the same time became the country's first professor of medicine. He delivered the discourse constituting the formal opening of the college Discourse Upon the Institution of Medical Schools in America. 1775-1777 he was Physician-in-Chief of the Continental (American) Army.
Life with James Boswell
Boswell travelled around with Morgan for a short time in mid- and late August, 1763, shortly after his (Boswell's) arrival in Holland. This was the direct cause of George Dempster missing Boswell, after having instantly rushed to Brussels from Paris when he heard of Boswells low mood. Boswell described Mr. Morgan as "un fat bonhomme" in his August 25, 1763 memo. Morgan, on his side, described Boswell as a man "whose spirited and agreeable Conversation gave me more pleasure than any other I met with in Holland". (CJJ, p. 113n5)
Recommended literature
John Morgan's Discourse upon the Institution of Medical Schools in America is usually available AbeBooks. Sometimes it is possible to find original 1765 prints of the discourse (very expensive!), but you can almost always find a 1965 limited edition facsimile reprint for between £10 and £20. It was also reprinted in 1937 and 1975, so it isn't very hard to find.
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