Samuel Bard

Samuel Bard ( – ) was an American physician who founded the first medical school in New York City and the second medical school in the United States at King's College, now known as Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. He was a personal physician to George Washington and is considered the first . His description of the disease diphtheria was instrumental in formulating treatment for that condition.

Early life Bard was born in Philadelphia on April 1, 1742. He was a son of Suzanne (née Valleau) Bard (1720–1784), a granddaughter of Peter Fauconnier, and John Bard (1716–1799), a physician who was born in Burlington, New Jersey.

He first studied at King's College, and in September 1761 sailed to Europe to obtain a thorough medical education. He spent five years in France, England, and Scotland and received his M.D. at the University of Edinburgh in May 1765. On his return, he found his father in debt for his education, which had cost more than a thousand pounds. He entered into partnership with him, and for three years drew nothing beyond his expenses from the profits of the business, amounting to 1,500 a year. In 1769, Bard founded the first hospital in New York called the Hospital in the City of New York in America, which became New York Hospital (now a part of NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital). Bard formed the plan of the Medical School of New York, which was published within a year after his return. He was appointed Professor of the Practice of Physics. Medical degrees were first conferred in 1769. In the same year, the hospital was founded by his exertions; but the building was burnt, causing a delay of the establishment until 1791.

Personal life

After paying back his father for his medical school debt, he married his cousin, Mary Bard (1746–1821), to whom he had long been attached. Together, they were the parents of eight children (five who died young, four from scarlet fever): who in 1792 married John Johnston (1762–1850), presiding Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Dutchess County from 1807 to 1817. He was a son of merchant David Johnston. John Bard (1774–1783), who died of scarlet fever.

Bard's sister Ann was the wife of John Pierce Jr. Pierce was a Continental Army and United States Army officer who served as Paymaster-General of the United States Army.

Descendants Through his son William, he was the grandfather of John Bard, founder of Bard College.

Selected works

An enquiry into the nature, cause and cure, of the angina suffocativa, or, sore throat distemper (1771) A discourse on medical education (1819) A compendium of the theory and practice of midwifery (1819)