Background
Elisha Cullen Dick was born on March 15, 1762 near Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania, United States. He was the son of Archibald and Mary (Barnard) Dick. His father was a Pennsylvania farmer of means, a horse-breeder and a publicist.
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Elisha Cullen Dick was born on March 15, 1762 near Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania, United States. He was the son of Archibald and Mary (Barnard) Dick. His father was a Pennsylvania farmer of means, a horse-breeder and a publicist.
Elisha was sent to an academy in Philadelphia, then to the “Pequa Academy”. He returned to his father’s house at the age of sixteen and there continued his studies under Revolutioner Samuel Armor. In 1780 he began the study of medicine under Dr. Benjamin Rush, but the following year he entered the office of Dr. William Shippen.
He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania as bachelor of medicine in March 1782, and settled in Alexandria, Virginia, where he became successful professionally and prominent socially.
In 1794 Dick commanded a troop of cavalry in the Whiskey Rebellion in Pennsylvania. For years he was colonel of the cavalry regiment in Alexandria, and in 1804 he was chosen mayor of the city.
For many years Washington’s friend, he was also one of the two physicians called in consultation by Dr. James Craik at the time of Washington’s last illness, and with Craik he signed the account of the illness and death which was published in The Times of Alexandria on December 19, 1799. He likewise conducted the Masonic services at Washington’s funeral.
He published in the Medical Repository an article on “Yellow Fever at Alexandria, ” describing an epidemic of some two hundred cases, which he attributed to the stench of decomposing oysters and shells which were treated in a brick-kiln for the purpose of making quicklime. This is on a par with Benjamin Rush’s attribution of the Philadelphia epidemic to decomposing coffee.
In 1808 he wrote on “Facts and Observations Relative to the Disease Cynanche Trachealis, or Croup”. This disease was assigned by Craik and Dick as the cause of Washington’s death. Most of such cases are nowadays shown to be diphtheria, and that appears to have been what Dick was discussing, as the term angina membranosa is used as a synonym, some cases of tracheotomy are reported, and Washington’s case is discussed. The disease was then epidemic in and about Alexandria, and three adults had suffered attacks before Washington became sick. Dick had advocated tracheotomy in Washington’s case. The treatment used in the case, repeated blood lettings, administration of calomel and tartar emetic, and application of blisters, was that advocated by medical leaders of the day.
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Dick changed his church affiliation from Episcopalian to Presbyterian and then to Quaker, threw his dueling pistols into the river, destroyed as a useless vanity an organ which he had built, and otherwise took a more serious view of life and eternity.
Dick was an accomplished musician and in early life a believer in and attendant at duels.
He was described as being five feet ten inches tall, weighing 175 pounds, and, before he became a Quaker, addicted to ruffles, wearing his hair in a queue or tied with a ribbon. He had a fine and attractive sickroom presence and courtly manners.
In October 1783 Dick married Hannah Harman of Darby, Pennsylvania.