Tuesday, October 11, 2011

John Benjamin Murphy, 1857-1916

CAMA Historical Facilities/Figures Project

Murphy conducts a surgical clinic at Mercy Hospital, 1902
The Chicago Area Medical Archivists member institutions often house material related to the same individuals. Some of Chicago's most innovative physicians and surgeons belonged to the staffs and faculties of several Chicago hospitals and medical schools and were members and presidents of Chicago-based professional organizations. 

One such individual was surgeon John Benjamin Murphy, MD, LLD, MSc, who graduated from Rush Medical College in 1879. He went on to serve on the faculties of Rush Medical College, the College of Physicians and Surgeons (now the University of Illinois College of Medicine), and Northwestern University Medical School. He served some time on the staff of Cook County Hospital and was chief of surgery of Mercy Hospital from 1895 until his death in 1916. He served as president of both the Chicago Medical Society and the American Medical Association and was involved in the development of the American College of Surgeons, all of which are headquartered in Chicago.
Rush Medical College class composite, 1907 

To learn more about Murphy's life and achievements, please read "An American Original: John Benjamin Murphy, MD" by Ron Sims, Special Collections Librarian at the Galter Health Sciences Library, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.  

Their collection includes some wonderful items recently donated by Murphy's great-granddaughter, Barbara Miller.


[1902 Clinic Image Credit: Special Collections, Galter Health Sciences Library, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine]

[1907 Murphy Image Credit: Rush University Medical Center Archives]

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