Jacob W. Bolotin (January 3, 1888 – April 1, 1924) was the world's first totally blind physician. Born in 1888 to a poor immigrant family in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, United States, Bolotin fought prejudice and misconceptions about the capabilities of blind people in order to win acceptance to medical school and then into the medical profession. He fought his way into and through the

Chicago Medical School The Chicago Medical School (CMS) is a medical school located in North Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is one of the graduate schools of Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFUMS). It was founded in 1912 and obtained app ...

, graduated with honors at 24, and became the world's first totally blind physician fully licensed to practice medicine. He was particularly recognized for his expertise on diseases of the heart and lungs. Bolotin used his many public speaking engagements to advocate for the employment of the blind and their full integration into society. After he died at the young age of 36, his funeral was attended by 5,000 people.

Legacy

In 2007, a biography of Botolin, ''The Blind Doctor: The Jacob Bolotin Story'' by author Rosalind Perlman was published. In 2008, Perlman designated the

National Federation of the Blind The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is an organization of blind people in the United States. It is the oldest and largest organization led by blind people in the United States. Its national headquarters are in Baltimore, Maryland. Overvie ...

to present the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award given to innovating individuals working in the field of blindness.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bolotin, Jacob 1888 births 1924 deaths Blind people from the United States Physicians from Chicago 20th-century American physicians