Background
Thomas Bond was born in 1712, in Calvert County, Maryland, United States, the son of Richard and Elizabeth (Chew) Bond.
Thomas Bond was born in 1712, in Calvert County, Maryland, United States, the son of Richard and Elizabeth (Chew) Bond.
After studying medicine with Dr. Alexander Hamilton, of Annapolis, Maryland, Thomas Bond completed his medical education in Europe, chiefly at Paris.
About 1734 Thomas Bond began practising medicine in Philadelphia where he was joined a few years later by his brother Phineas. Although Bond's chief interest lay in medicine, especially in its application to hygiene and epidemiology, he was an excellent surgeon, performing amputations and operating for stone in the bladder with much success. His name is still applied to the splint he devised for use in fractures of the lower extremity of the radius. Benjamin Rush ascribed to Bond the credit for the introduction and general use of mercury in the practise of Philadelphia physicians. Bond was also a great believer in the efficacy of various forms of baths, hot, cold, and vapor, in the treatment of disease.
The best account of Bond's connection with the founding of the Pennsylvania Hospital, the oldest hospital in the United States intended solely for the reception of the sick, injured, and insane, and unconnected in any way with the idea of a poorhouse or almshouse, is given by Benjamin Franklin in his Autobiography. With great generosity Franklin disclaims the credit frequently ascribed to him of being the founder of the Hospital, and tells how Bond had conceived the idea and sought to obtain subscriptions for the project with but little success, largely because he was generally asked "Have you consulted Franklin on this business?"Bond had not heretofore spoken to Franklin on the subject because he felt it was one in which he might not be interested. When he finally in 1751 approached him Franklin entered into the plan with the greatest enthusiasm and with the aid of his shrewd advice and great influence the Hospital was soon launched on its beneficent career and was open for the reception of patients in February 1752. Bond was a member of the first staff and served as physician to the Hospital until his death. One of the objections raised to the establishment of the Hospital had been the expense incident to paying for the services of physicians. This was overcome when Bond, his brother Phineas, and Dr. Lloyd Zachary offered to give their services for nothing.
In 1766 Bond began the delivery at the Hospital of the first course of clinical lectures to be given in the United States. He had previously secured the consent of the Managers of the Hospital to such a course by asking them to meet at his house where he read them an address in which he showed the value of such a course in connection with the newly projected plans of Dr. John Morgan and Dr. William Shippen, Jr. , for a medical school in Philadelphia. The Managers not only permitted Bond to give his lectures but thought so highly of his remarks that they ordered them copied into the minutes.
Although sixty-four years old, Bond volunteered his services to the Committee of Safety in 1776 and did considerable service in the organization of the army.
Thomas Bond was president of the Humane Society of Philadelphia which was founded in 1780 and took much interest in its affairs.
Quotes from others about the person
"He was of delicate constitution and disposed to pulmonary consumption, for which he went on a voyage when a young man, to the island of Barbadoes. By unremitted care of his health, the strictest attention to diet and to guard against the changes of temperature, and also by frequently losing blood when he found his lungs affected, he lived to an age which the greater part of mankind never reach. " - Thacher
Thomas Bond was married to Sarah Roberts by whom he had seven children, two of whom became physicians.
