2l6 
Benjamin  Franklin. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharin. 
May,  1906. 
knowledge  among  the  British  Plantations."  This  society  subse- 
quently developed  into  the  still  existing  "  American  Philosophical 
Society,"  and  while  it  is  true  that  it  was  probably  the  successor  of 
Franklin's  well-known  Junto,  established  in  1827,  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  the  membership  and  the  objects  that  were  sought  to  be 
attained  were  more  evidently  of  a  general  scientific  character,  rather 
than  social  or  literary. 
While  it  must  be  admitted  that  there  is  little  or  no  evidence  to 
show  that  the  meetings  of  this  society  were  regularly  continued, 
they  were,  as  Franklin  himself  has  stated,  "  for  the  most  part  held 
occasionally  at  their  own  expense  "  and  by  far  the  greater  portion 
of  the  practical  work  was  done  by  correspondence. 
From  a  letter  written  by  Benjamin  Franklin  to  Dr.  Cadwallader 
Colden,  of  New  York,  in  1744,  it  would  appear  that  the  discussion 
of  matters  pertaining  to  medicine  was  expected  to  take  an  impor- 
tant part  in  the  deliberations  of  this  society.  The  list  of  active 
members,  included  in  this  letter,  is  headed  by  Dr.  Thomas  Bond, 
as  physician,  and  also  includes  Mr.  John  Bartram  as  botanist  and 
Dr.  Phineas  Bond  as  general  natural  philosopher. 
Among  the  objects  to  be  attained  by  the  "  American  Philosophi- 
cal Society,"  as  outlined  by  Benjamin  Franklin,  in  the  proposal 
published  under  date  of  May  14,  1743,  we  find:  The  discussion  of 
new  methods  of  curing  and  preventing  diseases,  .  .  .  the  study 
of  new-discovered  plants,  herbs,  trees  and  roots,  their  virtues,  uses, 
etc.,  ...  as  well  as  the  study  of  "  all  philosophical  experiments 
that  let  light  into  the  nature  of  things,  tend  to  increase  the  power 
of  man  over  and  multiply  the  conveniences  or  pleasures  of  life." 
Probably  the  most  far-reaching  as  well  as  the  most  directly  im- 
portant contribution  by  Benjamin  Franklin  to  the  progress  of  medi- 
cine in  America,  is  to  be  found  in  the  part  he  took  to  establish  the 
still  existing  Pennsylvania  Hospital. 
Undoubtedly  the  best  available  description  of  the  inception  and 
inauguration  of  this  now  venerable  institution  is  to  be  found  in 
Franklin's  inimitable  Autobiography.  Here  he  relates  how  his  par- 
ticular friend,  Dr.  Thomas  Bond,  had  conceived  the  idea  of  establish- 
ing a  hospital,  but  that  owing  to  a  lack  of  appreciation  of  the  uses 
of  such  an  institution,  on  the  part  of  the  citizens  of  Philadelphia, 
little  or  no  progress  had  been  made. 
Franklin  further  relates  how  he  succeeded  in  awakening  an  interest 
