Two Views of a Gentleman

"Doctor Thomas Hamilton: Two Views of a Gentleman of the Old South" by F. N. Boney

Research Question: Has the history of medical science been built on the foundation of unethical medical research/experimentation on African Americans?

Summary: In the late 1800's there was a doctor by the name of Thomas Hamiltion who used his medical career to find a cure for sunstroke. This article gives two different perspectives of the man behind the story, giving the reader the chance to figure out which man they believed he was. In the beginning of the article the author portrays Hamilton as a southern gentleman. A man of means and a man who took advantage of those means and expanded on his education becoming a doctor. Starting a family and being just like every other white man in the south, having land and hiring slaves to cultivate the lands. Towards the end, the author gives a different perspective of Hamilton as the man who used a slave named Fed to experiment on. The Article gives a full account of Fed's encounter he wrote when he finally escaped from the clutches of Hamilton. But because Fed was a slave his story can be deemed invalid.  A slaves word against a well known White Southern physician. The article gives you a double image of Dr. Thomas Hamilton, healer and wounder, gentleman and parasite.

I found this Article using the other article titled " The Use of Blacks for Medical Experimentation and Demonstration in the Old South" which listed many physicians and events to help its argument. I used those physicians and events to find other articles which I will be writing about in future posts.

Boney, F. N. "Doctor Thomas Hamilton: Two Views of a Gentleman of the Old South." Phylon 28.3 (1967): 288-292. Print.