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Some Account of the Pennsylvania Hospital

Philadelphia Benjamin Franklin 1754
BF-2022.016

Some Account of the Pennsylvania HospitalClick to enlarge

11 photographs of this object

This is the complete account of the founding and early operation of the first hospital in the British colonies of North America. "The ACCOUNT... describes the plan on which the hospital was founded, rules for admission, rules for the choice of staff, and an 'Abstract of Cases Admitted'" - Streeter.

The first section is generally believed to have been written by Benjamin Franklin, who was instrumental in the founding of the hospital and who acted as one of its managers until 1756.

The CONTINUATION... was produced as part of a fundraising effort in 1761. Miller notes that for the first part "1500 copies were ordered off the press," though fewer may have actually been printed. The second part is far rarer than the first part, and Miller notes that only 500 copies of the second part were produced.

Both of these are in their original blue paper wrappers. The Continuation is inscribed "Peter Worrall at Lancaster." This is in Franklin's hand, as it matches several known instances of his writing.

Both parts of SOME ACCOUNT... are seldom found together. An important work of American cultural and medical history. At the end of the subscribers' list "Nathan Laire ?10-" has been added in a contemporary hand.

This is the Streeter Copy of Both Books.

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