Benjamin Rush (1746-1813) was, among other things, a physician, writer, educator, and humanitarian. He was part of the revolutionary generation of the United States, and a signatory of the Declaration of Independence. He was also an active political opponent of George Washington.
While Benjamin Rush died in 1813, Lt. Patrick Driscol was quite familiar with (and terrified of) Rush's medical practices, including blood-letting and calomel. Driscol was also amused by Rush's theory that Negroes were the victims of some sort of skin disease.
In 1814, after losing an arm at the Battle of Chippewa, Driscol was placed under the care of one of Rush's students, Jeremy Boulder. Driscol successfully avoided Boulder until August, 1814, when Boulder found Driscol at a boarding house in Baltimore. Driscol fled, opting to go into battle rather than face Rush's legacy.
