Florula Bostoniensis, published in 1814, served as a standard reference for New England flora for a quarter-century. Authored by Jacob Bigelow, this survey reflected his dual life as an active physician and a dedicated botanist, roles he balanced while navigating the transition of American medicine away from traditional heroic interventions toward more modern empirical observations.
Early Education and Botanical Interests
Born in 1787, Bigelow enrolled at Harvard College at sixteen, graduating in 1806. He pursued medical studies at the University of Pennsylvania, finishing in 1810 after training under the botanist Benjamin Barton. Upon his return to Boston in 1811, he established a private medical practice that persisted for six decades. He formalized his botanical research in the 1814 Florula Bostoniensis, later expanding his field surveys to Vermont and New Hampshire.
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In 1815, Bigelow accepted the role of professor of materia medica at Harvard Medical School, holding the position until 1855. During this time, he authored American Medical Botany, a three-volume work published between 1817 and 1820 that utilized an innovative aqua-tint process for its illustrations. His academic influence extended beyond medicine; as the Rumford Professor at Harvard from 1816 to 1827, he focused on applied science and popularised the term technology in his 1829 treatise, Elements of Technology.
Medical Philosophy and Cemetery Design
Bigelow challenged the standard therapeutic practices of his era, specifically criticizing heroic medicine in his Discourse on Self-Limited Diseases. He argued that aggressive medical interventions often failed to produce better outcomes than non-intervention. His focus on public health also led him to design the Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge. Conceived in 1825 to address the health risks of churchyard burials, the site was dedicated in 1831 and became a model for the rural cemetery movement.
Fast facts
- Born: 1787, Watertown
- Died: 1879, Boston
- Education: Harvard College, University of Pennsylvania
- Botanical abbreviation: Bigelow
- Academic roles: Professor of materia medica, Rumford Professor
- Professional memberships: American Philosophical Society, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- Key work: Florula Bostoniensis
- Burial site: Mount Auburn Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What was Jacob Bigelow's role in the establishment of Mount Auburn Cemetery?
Bigelow originated the concept for the cemetery in 1825 to combat the unhealthiness of burials beneath churches and to address limited space, eventually serving as its designer.
How did Bigelow influence medical practice?
He challenged the effectiveness of heroic medicine by arguing that aggressive drug-based interventions often showed no improvement over untreated cases, promoting a more critical approach to clinical therapeutics.
Achievements
- Held posts at Harvard University, Boston Latin School and Massachusetts General Hospital
- Fields: botany
