SKETCH OF JAMES ELY THE ROGERS. 263 



After receiving his medical degree from the University of 

 Pennsylvania, in June, 1802, Dr. Rogers began the practice of his 

 profession in Philadelphia, He also took private pupils and 

 lectured to classes in botany, chemistry, and other sciences. He 

 was called to Ireland in 1803 to settle the estate of his father, who 

 died in that year. This business disposed of, he returned to Phila- 

 delphia, bringing with him two brothers and a sister. 



The next five years of effort did not bring him a satisfactory 

 income and he removed to Baltimore, where he was more prosper- 

 ous until he became involved in a controversy on methods of vac- 

 cination, which injured his practice. When Dr. Robert Hare 

 resigned the professorship of Natural Philosophy and Mathemat- 

 ics in the ancient College of William and Mary, at Williamsburg, 

 Va., Dr. Rogers was elected to succeed him. In this congenial 

 position he remained, a competent and forceful instructor, until 

 he died of malarial fever in 1828. His wife had succumbed to the 

 same disease eight years before. 



James B. Rogers received his elementary education in Balti- 

 more during the residence of his parents in that city, and, after 

 attending the College of William and Mary, took up the study of 

 medicine in the office of Dr. Thomas E. Bond. In 1822 he received 

 the degree of Doctor of Medicine from the University of Mary- 

 land. It is said that while a student he assisted his brothers 

 William and Henry in teaching their school at Baltimore. After 

 graduating he taught for a time a class of girls in conjunction 

 with a Dr. McClellan, of Baltimore. This enterprise, proving 

 unsatisfactory, was given up. Being now in need of employment, 

 he thought of seeking the post of surgeon to a colony of free 

 negroes which it was proposed to establish at Cape Mesurado. 

 He consulted his father on this matter, and must have written a 

 rather querulous letter, for he got this chunk of paternal hard 

 sense in reply : " What is the use of your complaining of man- 

 kind ? The world as yet owes you nothing. Up to this time 

 you have been simply a recipient of its benefits. Make yourself 

 worthy of a place 'here and you will find one." The project of 

 going to Africa was abandoned. 



Dr. Rogers now joined an intimate friend and fellow-student, 

 Dr. Henry Webster, in a partnership to practice medicine at Lit- 

 tle Britain, Pa., about two miles north of the Maryland line. But 

 after a few years' experience he abandoned the profession, having 

 found it repugnant to his mental habits and sensitive nature. 

 He returned to Baltimore, and was soon appointed superintend- 

 ent of the extensive chemical manufactory of Messrs. Tyson and 

 EUicott. 



From this time on Dr. Rogers made pure and applied chem- 

 istry his chief concern. The professorship of Chemistry in the 



