Henry Mills Hurd
Encyclopedia
Henry Mills Hurd was the first director of the Johns Hopkins Hospital
and remained in that post for 22 years (1889–1911) following which he was appointed Secretary to the Board of Trustees (1911–1927). He was also the first Professor of Psychiatry at the medical school from its opening in 1893 until 1905.
, the son of a physician. At age fourteen, he entered Knox College but soon moved to the University of Michigan
, receiving a B.S. in 1863. He began the study of medicine at Rush Medical College
in Chicago
and, after a year, returned to the University of Michigan Medical College graduating with an M.D. in 1866. He worked as a dispensary physician and practiced medicine in Chicago until 1890 when he moved to Kalamazoo to accept a post as assistant physician at the Michigan Asylum for the Insane. He became assistant Superintendent in 1878 but left a few months later to become the superintendent of the newly opened Eastern Michigan Asylum in Pontiac
where he remained for 11 years. In 1881 he visited asylums in Europe. During his stay at Pontiac, he advocated and introduced measures to lessen restraint of patients, to provide occupations for patients and to improve education of nurses. He was served as Secretary of the National Medico-Psychological Association (now the American Psychiatric Association
) from 1892–97 and as President (1898–99). In 1895 the University of Michigan awarded him the LL.D. degree.
Johns Hopkins
, a Quaker philanthropist in Baltimore, died in 1873,leaving his fortune for the building of a hospital and medical school, stipulating that the two facilities must work together and be devoted to scientific observation, experiment, and personal observation; a new approach to medical training and patient care. The Trustees were fortunate to have the services of John Shaw Billings
, physician, Civil War veteran, librarian, and hospital administrator to assist in organizing and planning the new hospital. When Hurd was appointed director, he worked closely with Billings. In 1895, the two published a small volume titled Suggestions to Hospital and Asylum Visitors.
The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Medical School (1893) quickly assumed a leadership role in American medicine. Publication of its work began with the Johns Hopkins Hospital Bulletins and the Johns Hopkins Reports (discontinued in 1926). Hurd was Editor of Publications, producing seventy-two issues of the Bulletin (1899–1906) and sixteen volumes of the Reports. His own publications covered four main areas: psychiatry
, hospital management, nursing education,and medical education
. Hurd served also on the editorial boards of the American Journal of Insanity and Modern Hospital. He was President of the American Academy of Medicine in 1896 and of the American Hospital Association
in 1912.
Hurd will be especially remembered for his Editorship of the monumental four-volume work titled Institutional Care of the Insane in the United States and Canada (1916). Hurd wrote the entire first volume (497 pages) which deals with the history of American psychiatry. The other three volumes describe every public and private asylum and include bibliographies of prominent psychiatrists. The work was undertaken at the request of the American Medico-Psychological Association by a committee of six asylum superintendents with Hurd as Editor in Chief.
An associate said of Hurd, “If he had any faults, I’ve forgotten them”.
Johns Hopkins Hospital
The Johns Hopkins Hospital is the teaching hospital and biomedical research facility of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, located in Baltimore, Maryland . It was founded using money from a bequest by philanthropist Johns Hopkins...
and remained in that post for 22 years (1889–1911) following which he was appointed Secretary to the Board of Trustees (1911–1927). He was also the first Professor of Psychiatry at the medical school from its opening in 1893 until 1905.
Early life
Hurd was born in Union City, MichiganUnion City, Michigan
Union City is a village in Branch and Calhoun counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located mostly within Union Township in Branch County, it sits at the junction of the Coldwater and St. Joseph rivers; the Calhoun County portion lies within that county's Burlington Township. It is part of the...
, the son of a physician. At age fourteen, he entered Knox College but soon moved to the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, receiving a B.S. in 1863. He began the study of medicine at Rush Medical College
Rush Medical College
Rush Medical College is the medical school of Rush University, a private university in Chicago, Illinois. Rush Medical College was one of the first medical colleges in the state of Illinois and was chartered in 1837, two days before the city of Chicago was chartered, and opened with 22 students on...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and, after a year, returned to the University of Michigan Medical College graduating with an M.D. in 1866. He worked as a dispensary physician and practiced medicine in Chicago until 1890 when he moved to Kalamazoo to accept a post as assistant physician at the Michigan Asylum for the Insane. He became assistant Superintendent in 1878 but left a few months later to become the superintendent of the newly opened Eastern Michigan Asylum in Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
where he remained for 11 years. In 1881 he visited asylums in Europe. During his stay at Pontiac, he advocated and introduced measures to lessen restraint of patients, to provide occupations for patients and to improve education of nurses. He was served as Secretary of the National Medico-Psychological Association (now the American Psychiatric Association
American Psychiatric Association
The American Psychiatric Association is the main professional organization of psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists in the United States, and the most influential worldwide. Its some 38,000 members are mainly American but some are international...
) from 1892–97 and as President (1898–99). In 1895 the University of Michigan awarded him the LL.D. degree.
Career
Psychiatry lodged in the country’s mental hospitals was not a strong discipline in American medicine but when the Trustees of the newly built Johns Hopkins Hospital sought a director, Hurd was selected and assumed the post in 1889.Johns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins was a wealthy American entrepreneur, philanthropist and abolitionist of 19th-century Baltimore, Maryland, now most noted for his philanthropic creation of the institutions that bear his name, namely the Johns Hopkins Hospital, and the Johns Hopkins University and its associated...
, a Quaker philanthropist in Baltimore, died in 1873,leaving his fortune for the building of a hospital and medical school, stipulating that the two facilities must work together and be devoted to scientific observation, experiment, and personal observation; a new approach to medical training and patient care. The Trustees were fortunate to have the services of John Shaw Billings
John Shaw Billings
John Shaw Billings was an American librarian and surgeon best known as the modernizer of the Library of the Surgeon General's Office of the Army and as the first director of the New York Public Library.-Biography:...
, physician, Civil War veteran, librarian, and hospital administrator to assist in organizing and planning the new hospital. When Hurd was appointed director, he worked closely with Billings. In 1895, the two published a small volume titled Suggestions to Hospital and Asylum Visitors.
The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Medical School (1893) quickly assumed a leadership role in American medicine. Publication of its work began with the Johns Hopkins Hospital Bulletins and the Johns Hopkins Reports (discontinued in 1926). Hurd was Editor of Publications, producing seventy-two issues of the Bulletin (1899–1906) and sixteen volumes of the Reports. His own publications covered four main areas: psychiatry
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
, hospital management, nursing education,and medical education
Medical education
Medical education is education related to the practice of being a medical practitioner, either the initial training to become a doctor or additional training thereafter ....
. Hurd served also on the editorial boards of the American Journal of Insanity and Modern Hospital. He was President of the American Academy of Medicine in 1896 and of the American Hospital Association
American Hospital Association
The American Hospital Association is an organization that promotes the quality provision of health care by hospitals and health care networks through such efforts as promoting effective public policy and providing information related to health care and health administration to health care...
in 1912.
Hurd will be especially remembered for his Editorship of the monumental four-volume work titled Institutional Care of the Insane in the United States and Canada (1916). Hurd wrote the entire first volume (497 pages) which deals with the history of American psychiatry. The other three volumes describe every public and private asylum and include bibliographies of prominent psychiatrists. The work was undertaken at the request of the American Medico-Psychological Association by a committee of six asylum superintendents with Hurd as Editor in Chief.
Legacy
At the dedication of Hurd Hall in 1932, an addition to the hospital, Judge Henry Harlan, a trustee, said of Hurd, “his statesmanship, tact, kindness, and breadth of vision; his harmonizing influence and generous appreciation and admiration created between Hospital and University a spirit of cooperation and admiration for achievements of the other and marked the relationship of the hospital and medical school.”An associate said of Hurd, “If he had any faults, I’ve forgotten them”.