This transcript has been edited for clarity.
I'm Dr Drew Ramsey, an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University in New York City.
Do you remember this vintage bag from the American Psychiatric Association? When I heard we were getting a new logo, I thought, Great, we're getting rid of this old white guy, whoever he is. But being a psychiatrist, you learn to be circumspect. I realized that I didn't know enough about this individual. And while I love the new logo, I've also really learned to love this man, Benjamin Rush.
Americans don't know a lot about Benjamin Rush. Last year, a great book was written on his life by Stephen Fried.[1] In full disclosure, Stephen and I are on faculty together at Columbia and I know and work with him. That being said, I think you should be very interested in this book, as anyone interested in mental health should know about Benjamin Rush. He is a founding father that we've lost, and one that matters to mental health.
Known as the American Hippocrates, Rush was one of the first individuals and physicians to proclaim that mental illness is under the purview of medicine, that madness is a medical condition.
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COMMENTARY
Benjamin Rush: An Overlooked American Founding Father's Contribution to Mental Health Advocacy
Drew Ramsey, MD
DisclosuresMarch 15, 2019
This transcript has been edited for clarity.
I'm Dr Drew Ramsey, an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University in New York City.
Do you remember this vintage bag from the American Psychiatric Association? When I heard we were getting a new logo, I thought, Great, we're getting rid of this old white guy, whoever he is. But being a psychiatrist, you learn to be circumspect. I realized that I didn't know enough about this individual. And while I love the new logo, I've also really learned to love this man, Benjamin Rush.
Americans don't know a lot about Benjamin Rush. Last year, a great book was written on his life by Stephen Fried.[1] In full disclosure, Stephen and I are on faculty together at Columbia and I know and work with him. That being said, I think you should be very interested in this book, as anyone interested in mental health should know about Benjamin Rush. He is a founding father that we've lost, and one that matters to mental health.
Known as the American Hippocrates, Rush was one of the first individuals and physicians to proclaim that mental illness is under the purview of medicine, that madness is a medical condition.
Medscape Psychiatry © 2019 WebMD, LLC
Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.
Cite this: Benjamin Rush: An Overlooked American Founding Father's Contribution to Mental Health Advocacy - Medscape - Mar 15, 2019.
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Authors and Disclosures
Authors and Disclosures
Author
Drew Ramsey, MD
Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York
Disclosure: Drew Ramsey, MD, has disclosed the following relevant financial relationships:
Serve(d) as a director, officer, partner, employee, advisor, consultant, or trustee for: InterContinental Hotels Group; National Kale Day 501(c)3
Received income in an amount equal to or greater than $250 from: Sharecare