John Stearns

John Stearns (1770 – 1848) was an American medical doctor that served as President of the Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) from 1817 to 1820 and was the founding President of the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) in 1847.

Education and early career John Stearns was born in 1770 to a physician father. He attended Yale College for his undergraduate studies before working as a county doctor's apprentice. He attended the University of Pennsylvania for his medical education. Upon graduating, he moved to the town of Waterford, New York, in 1793, providing rural medicine to Saratoga County's Dutch settlers.

During his early career, he reported on immigrants' usage of ergot fungi to stimulate uterine contractions during childbirth, leading to widespread adoption of the practice. He also provided epidemiological surveillance of croup and influenza in Saratoga County. For this work, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Medicine by the New York State Board of Regents. His advocacy for the scientific method over empirical evidence led to county-level medical societies for sharing recent medical research and discoveries. When these groups merged into the Medical Society of the State of New York in 1807, Sterns served as its founding secretary until 1814.

Stearns' epidemiological studies of 1819-1822 yellow fever epidemic highlighted that New York City's poorest residents were being exposed to unsanitary conditions that allowed the disease to spread, threatening the overall population. This outlook spurred the formation of the New York Academy of Medicine, which continues to focus on public health reform. Since 1992, the New York Academy of Medicine has annually awarded the John Stearns Medal for Distinguished Contributions in Clinical Practice in recognition of his service.

Selected publications Account of the Pulvis parturiens, a Remedy for Quickening Child-Birth. In: New York Medical Repository, Hexade II, Band V (1808), S. 308–309 (Digitalisat) An essay on the bilious epidemic fever, prevailing in the state of New-York : to which are added, a letter from Dr. James Mann, hospital-surgeon; and a dissertation by Dr. John Stearns, delivered before the state medical society, on the same subject; with notes and observations on these productions. H. C. Southwick, Albany 1813 (Digitalisat) Philosophy of mind, developing new sources of ideas, designating their distinctive classes, and simplifying the faculties and operations of the whole mind. W. Osborne, New York 1840 (Digitalisat)