Rush, Benjamin [1745–1813] , American physician, born in Philadelphia and educated at Princeton University and the University of Edinburgh. He was a professor of chemistry while at the same time beginning his practice as a physician. He served as a surgeon in the Continental Army and was the co-founder of the first anti-slavery society in America. As a member of the Continental Congress, Rush was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and in 1787 was a member of the Pennsylvania convention that adopted the federal Constitution. Rush protested against improper treatment of the mentally ill and was instrumental in the construction of a facility within Pennsylvania Hospital to provide humane care based on scientific concepts. He is often referred to as “the Father of American Psychiatry.”
