User:WillGCooke/James Derham

Biography
James Derham was born into slavery in Philadelphia in 1762. As a child, he was transferred to Dr. John Kearsley Jr. under whom Derham studied medicine. From Dr. Kearsley, Derham learned about compound medicine and about patient bedside manner. Upon Dr. Kearsley’s death, Derham was moved between several different masters before finally settling with Dr. George West, a surgeon for a British regiment during the revolutionary war. Under West’s guidance, Derham learned the more “menial duties of the medical profession.” Derham was eventually transferred again, this time to New Orleans doctor Robert Dove. As an assistant at Dove’s practice, Derham and Dove became friends. With some financial assistance from Dove, Derham opened his own medical practice in New Orleans. His practice is reported to have made about $3,000 annually.