Notes
Note N731
Index
Page 129.
Notes
Note N732
Index
He graduated M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, 1809, and practiced first at Mannheim, later at Lancaster, and after 1814 in Philadelphia, Pa. In 1822 he helped to establish the Jefferson medical college, Philadelphia, in which he was professor of physic, 1825-30, and professor of materia medica and lecturer on obstetrics, 1830-31. He then resigned to accept the chair of materia medica in the Medical college of Ohio, in Cincinnati. In 1837 he removed to Lexington, Ky., and was professor of the practice of medicine in Transylvania University until his death. He was an editor of several medical journals, including the "Medical Recorder" of Philadelphia (1818-23). He published: "Botanical Terminology" (1818); "Treatise on the Diseases and Physical Education of Children" (1819); "Treatise on Therapeutics and Materia Medica" (2 vols, 1822); and "Notes of Lectures on the Theory and Practice of Medicine" (2 vols, 1844).
His military service was with Ritscher's 2nd Regiment, Pennsylvania Militia, during the War of 1812. His rank was Surgeon.
His father was a blacksmith, and it was his desire that John would become a blacksmith also. John's nature, however, was such as to fit him for another vocation and he chose that of medicine. He began the study of medicine under Dr. Abraham Carpenter of Lancaster, subsequently reading with Dr. Clapp of Philadelphia, and graduated as a doctor of medicine in 1809 from the University of Pennsylvania. He began to practice medicine in Manheim, Lancaster county, but after a few years located in Lancaster. He was appointed surgeon to a Lancaster company of militia during the war of 1812, and was at the battle of Baltimore. Whilst in Lancaster he for a short time edited a newspaper which was devoted to politics, and in this way he lost all of his practice as a physician, and was finally compelled to seek new quarters, which he did by locating in Philadelphia in 1815. In 1818 he assumed the editorship of the American Medical Recorder and to this he owed his subsequent reputation. He was a member of a number of scientific societies, and was the author of a number of important medical works. He filled the chair of Professor of Physics in the Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, in 1825, and in 1830, that of Materia Medica. In 1831 he located in Cincinnati, and was elected Professor of Materia Medica in the Ohio Medical College. He removed to Lexington, Ky, in 1837 and was made Professor in charge of the Medical Department of Transylvania University. His remains are interred in the Episcopal cemetery, Cincinnati, the spot being marked by a handsome monument.
Dr. Eberle was an early owner of land in Elizabethtown Borough, in Lancaster County. According to "History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men" , Chapter XXXIII: "A portion of the town site was also included in a tract patented in 1785 by Christopher and Mary Etter, who sold a part Aug. 4, 1791, to Isaac and Barbara Ream, and they sold one-half to Michael and Elizabeth Reeby, Jan. 21, 1795. The main portion of that half was sold by them to Martin Stouffer on May 2, 1814, and by him to Dr. John Eberle, of Salome, and Samuel Z. Geehr, of Manheim, on June 18th of the same year. On Aug. 20, 1814, Eberle and Geehr sold to Henry Brubaker and Mahlon Roberts, both of Manheim, about forty-five acres, receiving therefor nine thousand dollars. " This sale probably funded the family's relocation to Philadelphia.
According to Chapter XXII. History of Medicine and Medical Men in Lancaster County of the same publication: "Many of the direct and indirect descendants of the Neffs were physicians, among whom appear Dr. Abraham Neff, Lancaster, 1758; Dr. Christian Neff, Lancaster, 1795; his nephew, Dr. Abraham Breneman, who practiced "physic and surgery" and kept a drug-store in Lancaster, 1797; another nephew of the same name, Lancaster, 1810, who acquired some notoriety as a "Water Doctor," and who lived in the residence and built the office on Lime Street now occupied by our present Congressman, the Hon. A. Herr Smith. Also Dr. John K. Neff, Lancaster, 1843; Dr. John Eberle, who practiced for some time at Lancaster and afterwards moved to Philadelphia, where he appears prominently as one of the professors of a leading medical college of the day." The source continues elsewhere to report that "Dr. John Eberle was born in Manor township in January, 1788. As was previously stated, he was a direct descendant of Dr. John Henry Neff, the pioneer physician of the county, and the son of a blacksmith. His father was unable to give him more than an ordinary school education, but, as tradition has it, Nathaniel Ellmaker, Esq., perceiving him to be unusually bright for his limited opportunities, with praiseworthy benevolence, for a disinterested consideration, volunteered to give him a medical education. "
Records of the First Brigade of Pennsylvania Militia dated 16 September, 1814 and organized at York, Pennsylvania, lists John Eberle as the Surgeon in the Regimental Staff of the Second Regiment, commanded by Lieut. Col. Adam Rischers. It shows his term of service as being from 5 Sept 1814 to 3 Dec, 1814, and his pay for that interval being $231.61. Also serving in the same unit, under Dr. Eberle, was Samuel C. Weistling, a close friend of the Fritchey family.
Eberle, John, (1787-1838) -- physician, was born on December 10, 1787, probably at Hagerstown, Maryland, and taken by his parents at an early age to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, though it has been stated that he was born at the latter place. His father, a blacksmith, and his mother were both simple farmer folk of German birth or descent. John was twelve years of age before he could speak English. He had no early educational advantages, but, being a constant reader, he acquired sufficient knowledge to enable him to begin the study of medicine with Abraham Carpenter of Lancaster, and enter the University of Pennsylvania in 1805, where three years later he graduated, his thesis being on Animal Life. He returned to his home and began to practice medicine. During this period he was drawn into political writing and became the editor of a newspaper. Toward the end of the War of 1812 he was appointed surgeon of the Lancaster militia and served at the battle of Baltimore (1814). Removing to Philadelphia, he helped to found, and for some two years devoted practically his whole time to editing, the American Medical Recorder, a quarterly journal first issued in 1818. The Recorder was well received in America and Europe and its editor received considerable recognition, for example, election to the German Academy of the Natural Sciences. In 1818 also, he published Botanical Terminology, a pocket "companion" for students of botany. His success as a writer encouraged him to publish his Treatise of the Materia Medica und Therapeutics (1823) which became a standard text book and went through five editions. Through the meetings of the Philadelphia Medical Society he was brought in contact with an enthusiastic group of students and teachers, and together with Dr. George M"Clellan, gave regular lectures at the Appollodorian Gallery. In 1824, with Dr. Joseph Klapp and Dr. Jacob Green, he proposed to the trustees of Jefferson College at Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, to establish a medical department of that college in Philadelphia. This proposal was accepted, and the Jefferson Medical College opened (1825) with Eberle as professor of materia medica, and afterward of the theory and practice of medicine (1825-31). He soon issued a small volume called "Eberle's Notes," a kind of vade mecum for the student. The work was sufficiently popular to justify a second edition (1832) and from this grew his Notes of Lectures on the Theory and Practice of Medicine (2nd ed., 1834, with four subsequent editions), a text characterized by original thought and not, as were many of that day, a mere compilation of foreign opinions. From 1824 to 1826, he was editor of the American Medical Review..
Within a few years much litigation and controversy arose at the Jefferson Medical College, and, finances running low, Eberle became discouraged and in 1830 accepted the offer of Daniel Drake to organize the faculty for the medical department of Miami University, designed as a competitor of the Medical College of Ohio. Eberle arrived in Cincinnati in 1831 and learned that the old school and its would-be rival had consolidated so that he and his colleges found themselves members of the common faculty. In 1832 they founded the Western Medical Gazette. Shortly thereafter Eberle published his Treatise on the Diseases and Physical Education of Children (1833). On the outbreak of cholera in Cincinnati, Eberle and T.D. Mitchell were appointed special health officers. Their report was published in the Cincinnati Daily Gazette, June 26, 1832. In 1837 Eberle accepted the chair of the theory and practice of medicine at the reorganized medical department of Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, where he became one of the editors of the Transylvania Journal of Medicine. His health was now beginning to decline so that he was able to do but little teaching. He resigned before completing a full school term, and died on February 2, in Lexington after less than a year's residence.
He was a brilliant teacher and writer and successful in the debates with other medical men so characteristic of the period. He was a champion of the theory of physiological drug action as opposed to "solidism" as taught by Harrison and others. At the three medical schools at which he was professor, he was always popular with the students, who liked his simplicity of manner while admiring his learning. He was an idealist and inclined to be a dreamer, but an incessant worker. Besides the works above mentioned, he was the author of numerous short articles. His Treatise on the Practice of Medicine, in two volumes, first appearing in 1830, was published with subsequent revisions, the last being in 1849 with additions by George M'Clellan. His Treatise on the Diseases..of Children was revised and republished in 1850 by his former colleague, Thomas D. Mitchell. These republications of his works long after his death are sufficient proofs of their popularity."
Maryland Biographical Dictionary, by Jan Onofrio, pp 196-9
Same publication, 24 Jul 1832: Annual Circular of the Medical College of Ohio. In faculty list is included John Eberle, M.D. Professor of the Theory and Practice of Physic.
Pittsburgh (PA) Weekly Gazette 22 Oct 1833: EBERLE ON CHILREN--A treatise on the Diseases and Physical Education of Children--by John Eberle, M.D. professer of the Theory and Practice of Medicine, in the Medical College of Ohio, Member of the American Philosophical Society, of the Academy of Sciences of Philadelphia, Corresponding Memb Member of the Medico Chirugical Society of Berlin, in Prussia. Just received and for sale by D.M. Hogan.
Same publication, 4 Oct 1833: I have examined Dr. Pratt's Artificial Nipple, and am of opinion that it will answer the purpose extremely well. We have no other contrivance of this kind which affords the necessary relief; and I feel confident that the nipples prepared will be found eminently useful. JOHN EBERLE, MD. This refers to Dr. Pratt's Artificial Nipples, For the cure of excoriated or sore nipples.