90 SOME AMERICAN MEDICAL BOTANISTS 



In 1789, carrying this prize with him, and 

 a more valuable possession, the friendship of 

 John Hunter and Lettsom, he set sail for Amer- 

 ica and Philadelphia, where his merits were 

 speedily recognized, particularly as a natural 

 scientist. There was no " Chair of Natural 

 History " in the College of Philadelphia, so a 

 wise Board created one, adding " Botany "; and 

 when the College and the University of Pennsyl- 

 vania united (1791), Barton still kept the pro- 

 fessorship, along with the post of physician to the 

 Pennsylvania Hospital, taken on in 1798. He 

 finally succeeded Rush as Professor of the 

 Theory and Practice of Medicine in 18 13. 



For a busy and not very strong man he wrote 

 a good deal at this time, notably A Memoir con- 

 cerning the fascinating faculty which has been 

 ascribed to the Rattlesnake, etc., 1796. This had 

 a supplement in 1800 and a second edition in 

 1814. Wis Elements of Botany (30 plates) came 

 out in 1803; a second edition, in 181 2. The 

 preface says: 



" The different branches of Natural History, 

 particularly Zoology and Botany, have been my 

 favorite studies from a very early period of my 

 life. The happiest hours of near sixteen years of 

 cares, of difficulties, or of sickness, have been de- 

 voted to the cultivation of these interesting 

 sciences. During this long period I have never 



