187].] 1 4 d. [ Hartshorne. 
Obituary Notice of Edward Rhoads, M. D. 
By Henry Hartsnorne, M. D. 
(Read before the American Philosophical Society, Phila. Oct. 6, 1871. 
y ’ 
Of those recently deceased, members of a profession which has 
contributed a large share of workers to the different fields of biological 
science, few have given greater promise, and not many among us have at- 
tained to better performance in a short career, than Edward Rhoads. 
Unfavorable for the full appreciation of his work, except by those with 
whom he was closely associated, has been the fact that much of it has 
been unrecorded ; being the daily labor of the practitioner and teacher of 
medicine. But it is fitting that this Society, whose pursuits and member- 
ship are not narrowly limited, should at least briefly record its recognition 
of such high ability and character. 
Edward Rhoads was born in Philadelphia, September 29, 1841. After 
a good preliminary training, in which an early love of natural science dis- 
played itself, he entered Haverford College in 1850 ; and was graduated 
there, at the head of his class, in 1859. The rural situation of the college 
afforded him an opportunity for the study of Botany, in which he became 
well versed while a sudent. Shortly after leaving college, an attack of 
rheumatic fever, involving the heart, began those inroads upon his con- 
stitution, the repetition of which afterwards abridged his life. In the fall 
of 1860 he commenced the study of medicine;,and obtained the degree of 
Doctor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, in 1863. He was 
then elected, after a competitive examination, Resident Physician in the 
Philadelphia Hospital, West Philadelphia. This was followed, in 1864, 
by his appointment as Resident Physician in the Pennsylvania Hospital. 
In the midst of his arduous duties there, performed with distinguished 
success and with satisfaction to all, he was again affected with articular 
rheumatism, which renewed seriously the disorganizing disease of his 
heart. 
On recovering from this attack, he visited Europe, in 1865, being absent 
eight months. In 1866, he was appointed Visiting Physician to the Phil- 
adelphia Hospital ; where his professional talent, enthusiam and knowl 
edge, and his capacity as a clinical teacher, found free scope for develop- 
ment and utility. He was at the same time assiduously engaged in private 
medical teaching, as an examiner in connection with the courses of the 
University of Pennsylvania, and in giving lectures upon medical chemistry 
and connected subjects. In 1870 the faculty of the University appointed 
him its lecturer on Physical Diagnosis. His first course of lectures was 
interrupted by illness, which prevented his ever resuming the duties of a 
public instructor. 
In the same year, a number of gentlemen proposing to establish a new 
medical journal,—The Philadelphia Medical Times, —its editorship was 
unanimously offered to Dr. Rhoads. This duty, which enlisted all his 
zeal, and would have illustrated admirably his professional learning and 
