RUSH. 



mer and Autumnal Difcafes in the United States, and the 

 means of preventing them ; and the recantation of his opinion 

 of the Contagious nature of the Yellow Fever. 



He now formed the idea of felefting fome of the bed 

 practical works for republication in America, and in order 

 to render them more ufeful, of adding to them inch notes 

 as might the better adapt them to the difcafes of his awn 

 country. His editions of Sydenham and of Cleghorn were 

 publifhed in 1809, and in 18 10 appeared thofe of Pringle 

 and Hillary. In 181 1 appeared a volume ot Introductory 

 Lectures, containing thofe he had formerly publifhed, with 

 ten others delivered at different years before his clals, and 

 alfo two upon the pleafures of the fenfes and of the mind. 

 His work upon the Difcafes of the Mind, which had long 

 and ardently been looked for, was next added to his writings. 

 It appeared towards the clofe of 1812, in one volume 

 o&avo. The lall effort of his pen was a letter on Hydro- 

 phobia, containing additional reaions in fupport of the 

 theory he had formerly advanced, as to the feat of the 

 difeafe being chiefly in the blood-vefTels. It was addreffed 

 to Dr. Hofack, and written not many days before his fatal 

 illnefs. 



While thus affiduoufly engaged in enriching medical 

 fcience with the valuable fruits of his long and extenfive ex- 

 perience, and in the active difcharge of the practical duties 

 of his profefiion, he was, on the evening of the 13th of 

 April, feized with fymptoms of general febrile irritation, 

 which were foon accompanied with confiderable pain in his 

 cheft. His conftitution was naturally delicate, and he had 

 acquired, from previous illnefs, a predifpofition to an affection 

 of his lungs. He loll a moderate quantity of blood, by 

 which he felt himfelf confiderably relieved. But his flrength 

 was not fufficient to overcome the feverity of his complaint j 

 the beneficial effedts refulting from the molt fkilful treat- 

 ment were but of temporary duration. His difeafe rapidly 

 affumed a typhus character, attended with great ilupor, and 

 adifinclination to converfation. Inoihor rcfpects, however, 

 he retained his faculties, and the perfect confcioufnefs of his 

 approaching diflolution. On Monday evening enfuing, after 

 a fhort illnefs of five days, and in the 69th year of his age, 

 he ended his truly valuable and exemplary life. His death 

 was the iubjeCt of univerfal lamentation, and he was fol- 

 lowed to the grave by thoufands, who allembled to bear 

 tellimony to his excellence. 



In January, 1776, he married Mifs Julia Stockton, 

 daughter of the Hon. Judge Stockton, of New Jerfey, a 

 lady of an excellent undcritanding, and vvhofe amiable dif- 

 pofition and cultivated mind eminently qualified her as the 

 companion of Dr. Rufh. Thirteen children were the fruits 

 of their marriage, nine of whom Hill furvivc. Two of 

 thefe are chofen to offices of high refpectability in the 

 general government of the United States. 



It were no cafy talk to do adequate jullice to the great 

 talents, the ufeful labours, and the exemplary character of 

 Dr. Rufh. From the preceding (ketch, it is prefumed, fome 

 idea may be formed of his inceffant devotednefs to the im- 

 provement of that profefiion of which he was fo bright an 

 ornament. His merits, as a practitioner, are too well 

 known to need particular notice ; he was fully aware of the 

 great refponfibility attached to the medical character, and 

 uniformly evinced the deepelt folicitude tor the recovery of 

 his patient. His kindnefs and liberality in imparting aid to 

 thofe from whom no remuneration was ever to be expected 

 were unbounded, and arofe from the generous impulle ot his 

 nature, the cordial concern he felt in whatever aflefted the 

 interefts of his fellow creatures. His mind was of a fupe- 

 rior order : to a perception naturally ready and acute, he 



united a difcriminating judgment, a retentive memory, 

 which was greatly improved by habits of clofe attention, a 

 brilliant imagination, and a highly cultivated talte. He 

 pofleffed a comprehenfive underftanding ; his knowledge 

 was varied and profound, and he eminently excelled in the 

 feveral departments of his profefiion. In his afiiduity and 

 perfeverance in the acquifition of knowledge he had no 

 iuperior, and few equals. Accultomed to conltant and re- 

 gular exercife, his intellectual powers acquired additional 

 vigour from employment. Notwithftanding the great fatigue 

 he had to undergo in the difcharge of the practical duties of 

 a laborious profefiion, and the conftant interruptions to 

 which he was expofed, when engaged in his purfuits as an 

 author, he never for a moment abated of his ardour in the 

 caufc of fcience. His habits of punctuality to every kind 

 of bufinefs in which he was employed, added to a judicious 

 arrangement of time for his multifarious occupations, fecured 

 to him fufficient leifure for the publication of thofe works 

 which have given fuch celebrity to his name. 



His writings claim our attention, both on account of 

 their extent and their variety. Inftead of being a mere 

 collator of the opinions of others, he was conflantly making 

 difcoveries and improvements of his own, and from the 

 refults of his individual experience and obfervation, added 

 more fadts to the fcience of medicine, than all who had pre- 

 ceded him in his native country. His defcription of difeafes, 

 for minutenefs and accuracy of detail, cannot be exceeded, 

 and may fafely be regarded as models of their kind. His 

 volume on the difcafes of the mind, as far as it exhibits 

 the infinitely varied forms which thofe difeafes exhibit, is a 

 ltorehoufe of inftruftion. Had his labours been limited 

 to thefe fubje&s alone, his character would defervedly have 

 been cherifhed by future ages. His reputation, however, 

 will permanently depend upon his feveral hiftories of the 

 epidemics of the United States, which have rendered his 

 name familiar wherever medical fcience is cultivated, and will 

 hereafter caufe to be inferibed upon the fame imperifhable 

 column that bears teftimony to the merits of Sydenham and 

 Boerhaave, the illuitrious name of Benjamin Rufh. The 

 refpeCt and confideration which his publications procured for 

 him among his contemporaries, were fuch, that the higheft 

 honours were accumulated upon him in different parts of 

 Europe, as well as in his own country, and he was admitted 

 a member of many of the molt diltinguifhed literary and 

 philolophical aflociations. 



There are other qualities which (till more entitled Dr. 

 Rufh to our refpedt and elteem. In private lite, his dilpo- 

 lition and deportment were in the highelt degree exem- 

 plary. Admired and courted for his intellectual endow- 

 ments, he riveted to him the afteftions of all who enjoyed 

 the pleafure of an intimate acquaintance. The affability of 

 his manners, the amiablenefs of his temper, and the bene- 

 volence of his character, were ever conspicuous. He was 

 ardent in his friendfhips and forgiving in his refentments, 

 and yet entertaining a due regard fur himfelf and a high 

 fenfe of honour, he pofleffed a manly independence of. fpirit 

 which difdained every tiling mean and fervile. He had an 

 extraordinary command of language, and always imparted 

 his thoughts in a peculiarly impreiuve and eloquent manner, 

 Thofe who had the happinefs to experience the delights of 

 his converfation, will long recollect, witli pleafure, his un- 

 allumiug modelty, and the rich Itores of knowledge he 

 poured forth on the moil inflruftive topics. Even when his 

 opinions were iolicited, they urn giv< n, not as the diet. 

 or admonitions of a fuperior, but as the kind advice of a 

 friend and equal. He never evinced any of that haughtini 

 and affectation of importance, which i'ometimes attaches to 



men 



