William
Pepper, M.D.
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Name: William Pepper
Cause of death: angina pectoris
Death date: Jul 1898
Place of death: CA
Birth date: Aug 22, 1843
Place of birth: Philadelphia, PA
Type of practice: Allopath
States and years of licenses: PA, 1881
Medical school (s): University of Pennsylvania School of
Medicine, Philadelphia, 1864, (G)
Other education: Univ. of PA, 1862
Professorship: University of Pennsylvania School of
Medicine, Philadelphia, pathology, theory & practice of
medicine, clinical med
Journal of the American Medical Association Citation: 31:313 |
William Pepper
(August 21, 1843 - July 28, 1898), American physician,
was born in Philadelphia. He was educated at
the University of Pennsylvania, graduating from the
academic department in 1862 and from the medical
department in 1864. In 1868 he became lecturer on morbid
anatomy in the same institution, and in 1870 lecturer on
clinical medicine. From 1876 to 1887 he was professor of
clinical medicine, and in 1887 succeeded Dr Alfred Still
as professor of theory and practice of medicine.He was elected
provost of the university in 1881, resigning that
position in 1894. For his services as medical director
of the Centennial Exhibition in 1876 be was made knight
commander of St Olaf by King Oscar II of Sweden. He
founded the Philadelphia Medical Times, and was
editor of that journal in 1870-1871. He was known
particularly for his contributions on the subject of the
theory and practice of medicine, and the System of
Medicine which he edited in 1885-1886 became one of
the standard textbooks in America. He died on the 28th
of July 1898 at Pleasanton, California.
Among his
contributions to the medical and scientific journals of
the day, were:
Trephining in Cerebral
Disease (1871)
Local
Treatment in Pulmonary Cavities (1874)
Catarrhal
Irrigation (1881)
Epilepsy
(1883)
Higher
Medical Education: the True Interest of the Public
and the Profession.
Pepper was also
the founder of Philadelphia's first public library,
chartered in 1891 through funds provided by the estate
of his late uncle, which became the Free Library of
Philadelphia. Today, a commemorative statue of Pepper
sits in the landing of the main staircase of the Central
Library.
From Wikipedia
William Pepper, born in Philadelphia,
January 21, 1810, received his Collegiate education at Princeton, New
Jersey, and was graduated with the first honors, receiving the degree of
A. B. in 1828. He studied medicine, under Dr. Thomas T. Hewson, and
received the degree of M. D. in 1832, from the University of
Pennsylvania. During this year the Asiatic Cholera made its appearance
in Philadelphia, and Dr. Pepper volunteered his services and resided in
the Cholera Hospital during the epidemic. He subsequently spent two
years in Paris, devoting himself with remarkable industry and ability to
the investigation of disease. The friendships then formed with some of
the ablest men of the French School, and especially with the eminent
Louis, were strong and lasting. On his return to Philadelphia, in the
latter part of the year 1834, he immediately entered upon the practice
of his profession and with such conspicuous success that he steadily and
rapidly rose in the estimation of the profession and the public until,
for a number of years before his death he was recognized as the leading
consultant in the community.
He was Physician to the Wills Hospital, and to the Pennsylvania
Hospital; with, the latter he was connected for twenty-six years until
the close of 1858, and during, this long term of service took a leading
share in the clinical teaching for which that institution has so long
been celebrated. In 1860, he was elected Professor of the Theory and
Practice of Medicine in the University of Pennsylvania. He had delivered
only four annual courses of lectures when he was forced by ill- health
to resign this position in the spring of 1864.
His clinical and didactic lectures
were models of clear, forcible and practical teaching; and he was
especially renowned for his diagnostic skill and for his judicious and
successful treatment of disease.
He was a member of the American Philosophical Society and of the
Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, and a Fellow of the College of
Physicians.
His familiarity with medical
literature was extensive and accurate ; but although he had accumulated
an enormous number of records of important cases, the constant claims of
his engrossing practice prevented him from contributing very largely to
medical literature.
He married Sarah, a daughter of
William Platt, Esq. He was elected to the Medical Staff of the
Pennsylvania Hospital, 1842; resigned, 1858.
_______________
Born in Phila , 1843. Son of Dr. W.
Pepper. University of Peun., 1862. M. D., University of Penn., 1864.
Visiting Phys. to Phila. Infirmary, 1864 to 1865. Curator and
Pathologist of Penn. Hosp., 1867 to present time. Lecturer on Mor.
Anatomy, 1870 to present time, Univ. of Penn.; also on Clinical Med.
from 1876 to 1887. Now holds chair of Theory- end Practice of Med. and
Clinical Med. there. 1881 was elected Provost of Univ. of Penn. Author
of valuable articles and editor of " System of Medicine by
American Authors." See Biography of Eminent Amer. Phys. and Surg.
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