Ethan Rhodes
Benjamin Franklin is known for many things, and one of his notable contributions is his role in establishing the first hospital in the American colonies, now the United States. In 1751, Franklin, along with Dr. Thomas Bond, created the first hospital board, leading to the establishment of the Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia. This hospital was the first chartered hospital in the colonies and played a significant role during the Revolutionary War, serving both British and Continental soldiers without discrimination. The hospital was also a pioneer in the humane treatment of the mentally ill. Franklin's involvement extended beyond fundraising, as he served on the hospital's original Board of Managers and was its first secretary and second president.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the hospital | Pennsylvania Hospital |
| Year founded | 1751 |
| Location | Philadelphia |
| Co-founders | Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond |
| First board members | 12 prominent merchants and politicians |
| First building | A house on High (Market) Street and Elizabeth Gardner |
| First permanent building | The Pine Building |
| Original purpose | To take care of the sick, poor, and insane |
| Role during the Revolutionary War | Did not discriminate against British or Continental soldiers |
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What You'll Learn
- The Pennsylvania Hospital: founded by Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond
- The hospital was the first in what is now the United States
- Franklin helped raise funds for the hospital's creation
- The hospital was the first to use a matching grant
- The hospital pioneered the humane treatment of the mentally ill
The Pennsylvania Hospital: founded by Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond
Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond founded the Pennsylvania Hospital, the nation's first hospital, in 1751. The hospital was 25 years old when the United States declared independence from Great Britain. Franklin also served on the hospital's original Board of Managers and was its first secretary and second president. The hospital's original home was the Pine Building, still a section of the hospital, which was built in three sections over 50 years. The primary architect, Samuel Rhodes, a member of the Carpenters' Company, took his inspiration from the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh.
The idea for the hospital came from Dr. Thomas Bond, who approached his long-time friend Benjamin Franklin to help him raise funds. Dr. Bond's idea was to build a hospital "to take care of the sick, poor and insane wandering the streets of Philadelphia." Philadelphia's population was the fastest-growing in the colonies, increasing from 11,500 in 1730 to 15,000 in 1750, so there was a clear need for accessible care. Franklin organized a petition and presented the assembly with a bill to create a hospital. The bill was received with skepticism by rural members of the Assembly, who thought it would only serve the city and not the entire colony of Pennsylvania.
Franklin proposed raising £2,000 from private citizens, with the assembly matching the amount and adding another £2,000 if the funds could be raised. This was the first time a matching grant was used, combining public money and private donations. Franklin raised more money than was required, and the assembly signed the bill, which became law on May 11, 1751. In 1752, a temporary hospital was opened in a house on High (Market) Street and Elizabeth Gardner. In 1767, Thomas and Richard Penn donated the adjoining property, giving the hospital the entire square between Spruce and Pine streets and 8th and 9th Streets.
The story of the Good Samaritan was chosen by Franklin and Bond as the motif for the official hospital seal, with the inscription, "Take care of him and I will repay thee." The hospital played a major role during the Revolutionary War, serving both British and Continental soldiers without discrimination. It also pioneered the humane treatment of the mentally ill, initially housing them in the basement.
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The hospital was the first in what is now the United States
Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond founded the Pennsylvania Hospital in 1751. It was the first hospital in what is now the United States. Franklin was approached by Bond, who wanted to build a hospital for the "sick, poor and insane" in Philadelphia. Franklin, a printer, helped lobby for legislation and raise funds for the hospital. He also served on the hospital's original Board of Managers and was its first secretary and second president.
The hospital's original home was the Pine Building, which was built in three sections over 50 years. The first floor of the Pine Building was the men's ward, the second floor was the women's ward, and the third floor was reserved for servants and for isolation cases of both sexes. The basement was used to house the insane, with the Pennsylvania Hospital being a pioneer in the humane treatment of the mentally ill.
The hospital played a major role during the Revolutionary War, treating both British and Continental soldiers without discrimination. It also became one of the city's most important sources of credit, loaning out 35,000 pounds from its creation through American independence in 1776.
The first board of the Pennsylvania Hospital consisted of 12 prominent merchants and politicians, most with family links to England. They were all hospital donors and were elected by the charitable entity's contributors. Many of these community leaders were Quakers, and their meeting minutes reflect a desire to balance services for the sick, poor, and mentally ill with prudent stewardship of scarce donated resources.
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Franklin helped raise funds for the hospital's creation
Benjamin Franklin played a crucial role in raising funds for the creation of Pennsylvania Hospital, the first hospital in what is now the United States. The idea for the hospital came from Dr. Thomas Bond, a Quaker physician and long-time friend of Franklin. Dr. Bond approached Franklin in 1750, recognising the need for a hospital to care for the sick, poor, and mentally ill people in Philadelphia, whose population had soared from 11,500 in 1730 to 15,000 in 1750.
Franklin, along with Dr. Bond and other prominent residents of Philadelphia, lobbied for legislation and raised private donations to found the hospital. Franklin proposed raising £2000 from private citizens, with the assembly matching the amount with an additional £2000 in public funds. This was the first time a matching grant combined public and private donations. Franklin's efforts resulted in raising more than the required amount, and the assembly passed the bill, which became law on May 11, 1751.
Franklin served on the hospital's original Board of Managers and was its first secretary and second president. The board, consisting of prominent merchants and politicians, structured a limited pool of funds for construction and funds that could be loaned at fair interest as a source of capital. This made the Pennsylvania Hospital one of the city's most important sources of credit, loaning out 35,000 pounds until American independence in 1776.
Franklin also wrote an anonymous report, "Some Account of the Pennsylvania Hospital: from its first rise, to the beginning of the fifth month, called May, 1754", detailing the hospital's activities during its first three years of operation.
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The hospital was the first to use a matching grant
Benjamin Franklin, along with Dr. Thomas Bond, founded the Pennsylvania Hospital in 1751. It was the first hospital in what is now the United States. The hospital was founded to cater to the sick, poor, and insane wandering the streets of Philadelphia. Franklin raised money for the hospital and served on its original Board of Managers, also acting as its first secretary and second president.
Franklin proposed raising 2,000 pounds from private citizens, and if successful, the assembly would match the amount with an additional 2,000 pounds. This was the first time a matching grant was used, combining public money and private donations. The matching grant opportunity inspired others to step forward and support the hospital. Franklin raised more money than required, and the assembly signed the bill, which became law on May 11, 1751.
The hospital was initially housed in the Pine Building, which is still a section of the hospital today. The building was constructed in three sections over 50 years, with the first floor being the men's ward, the second floor the women's ward, and the third floor reserved for servants and isolation cases of both sexes. The hospital played a major role during the Revolutionary War, catering to both British and Continental soldiers without discrimination.
The Pennsylvania Hospital is now a major teaching and clinical research institution. It has come a long way since its inception, with its beautiful antique fire pump, portraits, and historic library. The hospital's story, centered on the Good Samaritan, is a testament to Franklin's legacy.
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The hospital pioneered the humane treatment of the mentally ill
Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond founded the Pennsylvania Hospital, the first hospital in what is now the United States. The hospital was established in 1751 to "take care of the sick, poor, and insane wandering the streets of Philadelphia." At the time, Philadelphia's population was rapidly growing, and there was a clear need for accessible healthcare. The hospital was the first to use a matching grant, combining public money and private donations.
The hospital was a pioneer in the humane treatment of the mentally ill. Initially, the basement of the Pine Building was used to house the insane. The hospital set aside separate wards for the mentally ill, and the treatment of these patients was based on the idea of "moral treatment". This approach promised a cure for mental illnesses and rejected harsh restraints and long periods of isolation. Instead, it emphasized quiet, secluded, and peaceful country settings, meaningful work and recreation, a system of privileges and rewards for rational behaviors, and gentler restraints used for shorter durations.
The full program of moral treatment was first implemented in the Friends Asylum, established by Philadelphia's Quaker community in 1814. The asylum was unique in that it was run by a lay staff rather than medical professionals. Other private institutions that followed, such as the McLean Hospital and the Bloomingdale Insane Asylum, chose physicians as administrators. These asylums were built in quiet and secluded sites, transferring their insane patients from the city to the country.
The Pennsylvania Hospital's approach to the treatment of the mentally ill was groundbreaking for its time and set a precedent for the development of specialized institutions and humane practices in the care of those with mental illnesses.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Benjamin Franklin, along with Dr. Thomas Bond, founded the first hospital in what is now the United States, the Pennsylvania Hospital, in 1751.
The hospital was intended to take care of the sick, poor and insane in Philadelphia, as its population was rapidly increasing.
Franklin helped Dr. Thomas Bond navigate the politics and fundraising required to establish the hospital. He also served on the hospital's original Board of Managers and was its first secretary and second president.
Franklin proposed raising £2,000 from private citizens, with the assembly matching the amount with an additional £2,000. This was the first time a matching grant combined public money and private donations.
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