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Article: Thomas Hodgkin: medical immortal and uncompromising idealist.(Biography)
- Article from:
- Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings
- Article date:
- October 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 The Baylor University Medical Center. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Thomas Hodgkin was born into a devout Quaker family in Pentonville, England, in 1798 (Table 1). His upbringing imbued him from early life with honesty, discipline, and concern for the less fortunate (1, 2). As a Quaker, Thomas wore plain clothes and spoke in a formal manner. At age 21, he wrote an "Essay on the Promotion of Civilization," in which he criticized the imperialistic behavior of colonists that led to the degradation or death of North American Indians and other native peoples. Thomas also developed an interest in science. From 1817 until 1820 he served as apprentice to an apothecary and "walked the wards" at Guy's Hospital in London. While a medical student at ...